The Top 10 Beaches for Families to Visit in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester
Your family will have a blast at one of these top 10 beaches in NYC, Westchester, and Long Island.
Get kid-friendly activities sent to you!
Get the Best Kid-Friendly Activities
Sent to You Weekly!
10. Hither Hills State Park
164 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk, Long Island
631-668-2554
Facebook
Hours: May 29-Sept. 12: daily, 9am-5pm
Admission: $10 per car daily.
Approximate drive from NYC: 3 hours
This state park has tons to do. Enjoy a sandy ocean beach as well as sport fishing, playing fields, a playground, and a 189-site campground on the beach. Fishermen will love that they can fish year-round and fish at night if they have a permit. You’ll also find paths for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
Why we like it: The unique “walking dunes” of Napeague Harbor are located on the eastern boundary of the park, which also has woodlands filled with Russian olive, oak, shad, and pine trees.
More Beaches in the New York Metro Area
Beaches in Westchester County
Note: Things can change on a daily basis. Please call the beach before you leave your home to ensure it’s still open.
Croton Point Park
1 Croton Point Ave., Croton-on-Hudson
914-862-5290
Hours: Opens May 29: Saturday-Sunday and holidays: 10am-6:30pm
Cost: $4; $3 children ages 5-11; free for children younger than 5; $10 parking ($5 with Westchester County Parks pass).
Rye Playland Beach
1 Playland Parkway, Rye
914-813-7010
Hours: May 29-June 30: Saturday-Sunday and holidays, 10am-6:30pm; June 25 to Labor Day: daily, 11am-6:30pm.
Cost: $4; $3 children ages 5-11; free for children younger than 5. Parking: $10
Beaches in New York City
Note: Things can change on a daily basis. Please call the beach before you leave your home to ensure it’s still open.
Manhattan Beach
760 Oriental Blvd., Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn
718-646-5913 • 212-639-9675
Hours: May 29-Sept. 12: daily, 10am-6pm
Cost: FREE. Parking: $7 Monday-Friday; $22 Saturday-Sunday and holidays.
Orchard Beach and Promenade
Park Drive, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
718-430-1891
Hours: May 29-Sept. 12: daily, 10am-6pm
Cost: FREE. Parking: $8 Monday-Friday, $10 Saturday-Sunday and holidays.
Beaches on Long Island
Note: Things can change on a daily basis. Please call the beach before you leave your home to ensure it’s still open.
North Hempstead Beach Park
175 W. Shore Road, Port Washington
516-869-6311
Hours: Memorial Day through Labor Day, 9am to dusk; currently open to Nassau County residents only.
Cost: Parking: $15 Nassau County residents ($10 with credit card); $20 non-residents ($17 with credit card). Season passes available, call 311 for rates.
Village of Atlantic Beach
Atlantic Beach, Hempstead
516-371-4600
Hours: Memorial Day weekend and each weekend thereafter, 10am-6pm (no swimming until June 26). Lifeguards on duty starting June 26, daily, 10am-6pm. Open to residents only (and their guests).
Cost: $10
The Town of Oyster Bay
Tobay Beach & Marina, Ocean Parkway, Massapequa
Harry Tappen Beach, Marina & Pool, Shore Road, Glenwood Landing
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach, Larrabee Avenue, Oyster Bay
Beekman Beach, West End Avenue, Oyster Bay
Centre Island Beaches, Bayville Avenue and Centre Island Road, Bayville
Charles E. Ransom Beach, Bayville Avenue, Bayville
Philip B. Healey Beach, Florence Avenue, Massapequa
Stehli Beach, Bayville Avenue, Bayville
516-797-4111
Hours: May 22-Sept. 6, daily, 8am-4pm; open to Town of Oyster Bay residents only
Cost: $10
The Town of Huntington Beaches
Asharoken Beach, Eaton's Neck Road, Northport
Centerport Beach, Little Neck Road, Centerport
Crab Meadow Beach, Waterside Avenue, Northport
Crescent Beach, Crescent Beach Drive, Huntington Bay
Fleets Cove Beach, Fleets Cove Road, Centerport
Gold Star Battalion Beach, West Shore Road, Huntington
Hobart Beach, Birmingham Drive, Eaton's Neck
Quentin Sammis West Neck Beach, West Neck Road, Lloyd Harbor
631-261-7574
Hours: May 29-Sept. 6, daily, 8am-8pm; open to Town of Huntington residents only.
Cost: $40 season pass; $20 daily
The Town of Riverhead Beaches
Iron Pier Beach, Jamesport
Reeves Park Beach, Riverhead
South Jamesport Beach, South Jamesport
Wading River Beach, Wading River
631-727-5744
Hours: May 29-June 20: Saturday-Sunday, 11am-6pm; June 26 to end of season: daily, 11am-6pm; open to Town of Riverhead residents only
Cost: Permit information available on the website
Orient Beach State Park
40000 Main Road, Orient
631-323-2440
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset. Swimming season: June 27-Sept. 7, daily, 10:30am-6pm
Cost: Parking: $10
Wildwood State Park
790 Hulse Landing Road, Wading River
631-929-4314
Hours: Swimming: June 27-Sept. 7, daily, 10am-6pm
Cost: Parking: $10
Camp Hero State Park
1898 Montauk Highway, Montauk
631-668-3781
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset; open 24 hours a day to fishermen with permits.
Cost: $8 parking, 8am-4pm
Town of Babylon Beaches
Cedar Beach, Ocean Parkway, Babylon
Gilgo Beach, Ocean Parkway, Babylon
Overlook Beach, Ocean Parkway, Babylon (open to Town of Babylon residents only)
631-893-2100
Hours: Lifeguards on duty 10:30am-6pm
Cost: without Recreation Permit: $40 weekends and holidays; $20 weekdays.
East Hampton Village Beaches
Egypt Beach, 55 Old Beach Lane, East Hampton
Georgica Beach, 219 Lily Pond Lane, East Hampton
Main Beach, 104 Ocean Ave., East Hampton
Two Mile Hollow Beach, 50 Two Mile Road, East Hampton
Wiborg Beach, 74 Highway Behind the Pond, East Hampton
631-324-4150
Hours: Lifeguards on duty 10am-5pm
Cost: Village beach sticker is required for access to all beaches.
Town of East Hampton
Indian Wells Beach, Indian Wells Highway, Amagansett
Atlantic Avenue Beach, Atlantic Avenue, Amagansett
Albert’s Landing Bay Beach, Albert’s Landing Road, Amagansett
South Edison Beach, South Edison Street, Montauk
Ditch Plains Beach, Ditch Plains Road, Montauk
East Lake Bay Beach, East Lake Dr, Montauk
Maidstone Bay Beach, Maidstone Park Road, East Hampton
Kirk Park Beach, South Emerson Avenue, Montauk
631-324-2417
Hours: Memorial Day weekend to mid-June: Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; mid-June to Labor Day, daily, 10am-5pm
Cost: Beach permits: $150 family beach permit; $500 non-resident beach permit
Heckscher State Park
Heckscher Parkway, East Islip
631-581-2100
What to know: Parking will be limited to 50 percent capacity.
Hours: Overlook Beach: June 28-Aug. 10, Saturday-Sunday and holidays, 11am-6pm; West Beach, June 28-Aug. 8, daily, 10am-6pm
Cost: Through May 30: $8 parking; May 31-Sept. 6: $10 parking
Town of Islip Beaches
Atlantique Beach and Marina, Fire Island
Bayport Beach, Paulanna Avenue, Bayport
Benjamin’s Beach, South Clinton Avenue, Bay Shore
East Islip Beach, Bayview Avenue, East Islip
Islip Beach, South Bay Avenue, Islip
Lake Ronkonkoma Beach, Rosevale Avenue, Ronkonkoma
Marina Park, Foster Avenue, Sayville
West Islip Beach, Beach Drive, West Islip
631-224-5403
Hours: May 29-June 20: Saturday-Sunday and Memorial Day, 10am-5:45pm; Atlantique: June 26-Sept. 6, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-5pm; Ronkonkoma: June 26-Sept. 6, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5:45pm; Bayport: July 3-Aug. 15, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5:45pm; East Islip: July 3- Aug. 22, daily, 10am-5:45pm; West Islip: June 26-Aug. 22, 10am-5:45pm; all other beaches: June 26-Sept. 6, daily, 10am-5:45pm
Cost: Free for Town of Islip residents with Recreation Card; $5 residents without rec card.
Shadmoor State Park
900 Montauk Highway, Montauk
631-668-3781
Hours: Year round; call for daily hours
Cost: FREE
Town of Southampton Beaches
Flying Point Beach, Water Mill
Foster Memorial Beach, Sag Harbor
Mecox Beach, Bridgehampton
Pikes Beach, Westhampton
Ponquogue Beach, Hampton Bays
Sagg Main Beach, Sagaponack
Tiana Beach, Hampton Bays
W. Scott Cameron Beach, Bridgehampton (residents only)
631-728-8585
Hours: Lifeguards on duty 10am-5pm
Cost: Season passes: $40 resident; $30 seniors; $400 non-resident
Safety Tips for Visiting Any Public Beaches or Parks
Aslam Jangda, M.D., a board certified pediatrician at Crystal Run Healthcare joined with his daughter Maha Jangda, M.D., a recent Medical School graduate, to compile useful tips for families visiting the beach this summer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Maintaining 6 feet of distance is key
- Wear a face mask whenever you are unable to maintain that social distance
- Bring hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to be able to clean your hands after touching surfaces (bathroom stalls, handrails, rental beach equipment)
- Try not to use benches and picnic tables if any of these items are available for use
- Bring a water bottle from home instead of using water fountains
- There is no known information available to show if the virus can or cannot live in saltwater, so keep this in mind when making decisions to swim or not
- There is no known information available about whether or not the virus can live on sand