On May 15th, Memorial Day, a wonderful thing happened. Beaches on the East coast opened, at least on a limited basis. 

New York City was a bit cautious, but the Parks service there has also opened their beaches and will keep them open for swimming until September 12, 2021. 

Beaches

This is great for New York residents because of the quality of beaches it has. NYC Parks runs 14 miles of beaches in New York City, some of which are famous.

Coney Island

Coney Island has 3 miles of beachfront. This does not include its famous boardwalk, baseball stadium, ice rink, and other places of entertainment. 

Brighton Beach

Right next to Coney Island is Brighton. This is the smaller beach, with a bike path that is open 5 am to 10 am. The big selling point here is the "Little Odessa" neighborhood where you can go shopping and eat at Eastern European restaurants.

Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach Park is another well-known beach with a boardwalk and a bike path. It's great for families and anyone wanting a quiet stroll.

Cedar Grove

The newest beach is a converted bungalow colony called Cedar Grove. It is quieter than the Coney Island and Brighton beaches, and you can go swimming there. 

Midland And South

If you get on the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk, you can bike between South and Midland Beach. You can start at Midland's turtle fountain and playground and wander to South Beach's Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier to go fishing. If you don't want to whip out fishing rods, there is the Fountain of Dolphins, a scenic bike path, and chess boards to check out at South Beach.

Rockaway Beach

If you are a surfer, Rockaway Beach is your only choice. There is a concession stand, bike path, a mobile charging station, and a boardwalk. The beach is a great way to play outdoors with your family when you have a day to while away.

Wolfe's Pond Beach

If you want a secluded place to hang out, Wolfe's Pond is a great place to swim and relax. Anyone needing some quiet time with water ambiance should check it out.

Orchard Beach and Promenade

If you are in the Bronx, you can enjoy Orchard Beach in your neighborhood. There are plenty of places to play sports, barbecue, and eat snacks. 

Considerations

Before you mosey on over to New York's beautiful beaches, there are a few things you can remember to make sure you have a great time.

What you can do at a beach will depend on the beach you go to. Coney Island and Brighton Beach don't allow animals off-leash or open fires. On the other hand, barbecues are allowed on Manhattan and Orchard Beach, and are one of the lures of those beaches. Check out the rules for your beach before you go.

The rules if you want to go swimming are fairly straightforward. The parks administration will put out red flags where swimming is dangerous, and swimming when the lifeguards are off-duty, which is after 6 pm.

Visiting the beach is a favorite way to spend time with family, and now we can go back to that relaxing summer activity.