Summer Guide '09: Local surf and sand

Photo credit: Urbanite

Coney Island beach is a favorite summer spot among New Yorkers. Photo: Getty

By Perrie Samotin

psamotin@am-ny.com

For New Yorkers without summer shares or vacation homes, bumming around the beach isn’t as easy as opening a back door. Good thing there’s enough nearby sand to sustain us through the summer. Go ahead and plan a day trip to any of these affordable and super-close beaches.Long Island

Long Beach

Get there: LIRR to Long Beach

Every summer, a mix of Long Islanders and day-trippers hit Long Beach for its stretch of sand and bustling nightlife. For city folks, getting there is a cinch on the LIRR. Enjoy a 2-mile-long boardwalk where beachcombers can stroll or bike. Beach passes are typically $10 day.

Jones Beach

Get there: LIRR to Freeport, then transfer to the N88 Jones Beach bus

Famous for both its 2,413-acre beach as well as its theater, Jones Beach State Park boasts eight beaches for both swimming and surfing. Not into sand? There are two pools as well.

Fire Island

Ocean Beach

Get there: LIRR to Bayshore, then a ferry to

Fire Island

A viable alternative to the scene at the Hamptons, Fire Island’s charms are many, including a no-car policy, laid-back beach bars and Ocean Beach’s lively scene.

New York City

Orchard Beach

Get there: No. 6 train to Pelham Bay, transfer to Bx12 or Bx5 bus

The only public beach in the Bronx, Orchard Beach, or the “Bronx Riviera” as it’s sometimes known, is a mile-long strip created during the 1930s.

Expect crowds of locals catching rays, a promenade, a central pavilion with food and specialty shops, two playgrounds, picnic areas, a large parking lot, and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball and handball.

South Beach

Get there: Staten Island Ferry to the S51 or S81 bus

It might not be the South Beach you prefer, but this underappreciated gem of a beach offers fishing, a boardwalk, bocce and shuffleboard.

Brighton Beach

Get there: B, Q trains

to Brighton Beach

Apart from its sand and surf, Brighton Beach has always been a popular summer spot for New Yorkers, offering a boardwalk filled with authentic Russian restaurants boasting ocean views, shops and lots of lively nightspots.

Coney Island

Get there: D, Q, N or F train to Stillwell Ave.

Apart from three miles of sandy beach, the famous Coney Island offers plenty of recreation, such as volleyball, handball and basketball, as well as a long boardwalk and Astroland’s beloved amusement rides.

Jacob Riis Park

Get there: No. 2 train to Brooklyn College-Flatbush Ave., transfer to Q35 bus to Riis Beach

Carved from a naval airfield, this beach has fallen into slight disrepair, though it still draws tons of local families looking to barbecue and catch rays without fanfare.

New Jersey

Sandy Hook

Get there: SeaStreak Ferry from Pier 11 or E. 34th St., then a short bus ride

Expect seven miles of peaceful beach at this New Jersey summer destination, including a nude perch at Gunnison Beach, a family-oriented North Beach and striking views of Manhattan .

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Delicious
• Digg
• Stumble Upon