4 Great NY Beaches You Can Easily Get to Without a Car

It's sometimes easy to forget that New York is a city surrounded by great beaches, some accessible for just the cost of a luxury MetroCard. Click on the images here for details on four excellent beach options within easy reach from downtown Manhattan: Fort Tilden, Sandy Hook, Manhattan Beach, and Jones Beach.

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By John Del Signore in News on July 27, 2010 5:16 PM

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oneofcold

What about Fire Island - from Penn Station, it's only 1 hour by train (to Bay Shore) and a 1/2 hour ferry ride. The ferry stop is right in the town of Ocean Beach, and is only about a 5-minute walk from the beach. The beach is great, and there are some very good seafood restaurants and a nature preserve with trails. While Fire Island is known as a gay destination (not that there's anything wrong with that), the gays are in one section of the island, while the other parts attract families and straight singles. It's closer than the Hamptons, and a lot easier to get around without a car.

We tried to go to Southampton without a car one summer. After more than two hours on the LIRR, the train lets you off about a 30 minute walk from the town center, and then it's still a 45 minute walk to the beach.

rdayk

Probably not a good idea to suggest swimming at beaches without lifeguards, given how many people drown at NYC beaches every year. I agree that Long Beach should have been added - though it's not cheap to take the LIRR and pay the beach pass fee, it's way cheaper than $40 to get to Sandy Hook which isn't even in NY.

ur doing it rong

Which one has the most obese Puerto Ricans swimming in white t-shirts? That's where I'll be at.

ping

I love these beaches!!! Right on Gothamist! Don't forget Jacob Riis, Rockaway Beach and Robert Moses State Park. All accessible by train from Manhattan!

Jen S

The one time I tool public transportation to Ft. Tilden, it took two hours of subway, bus, and walking to get there. F that, I'd much rather make my bf drive.

Roncore

you're ruining it for everybody!

youngpro

What is so 'NY' about Sandy Hook, NJ? Bump that and add Long Beach!

openheads

Agreed. No more outer borough trash on NJ beaches.

TimSPC

Ladies, watch out, Joni is coming to your beaches!!

yello10

Gothamist - You are blowing up my favorite spots!

Andre

That's what I'm sayin'. I've already seen an influx of pasty hipsters at Ft. Tilden in recent years.

longacre

F'real. Well, one of them at least.

Note that Jones Beach is now basically inaccessible to civilized folks. LI Bus is a disaster.

The LIRR-only shuttle bus was doable, but it was discontinued this year because MTA blows.