The Beach At Fort Tilden Has Finally Reopened!

John Del Signore

Published May 6, 2014

Modified May 6, 2014

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For the first time since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, the beloved beach at Fort Tilden in Queens has officially reopened to the public. After a long-delayed rehabilitation project to remove dangerous debris from the sand, the National Park Service has now restored access. Daphne Yun, a spokesperson for the National Park Service's Gateway Recreation Area, confirmed today that Fort Tilden is now open and swimming is permitted.

There are, as always, no lifeguards at Fort Tilden (and it's still too cold to go swimming anyway are you crazy?), so Yun urges everyone to wait to go swimming until the Saturday before Memorial Day, when the lifeguard beaches officially open. Those under the purview of the Gateway Recreation Area include nearby Jacob Riis, Sandy Hook in New Jersey, and Great Kills Beach in Staten Island.

For more on beach access in and around New York City, here's our handy guide to area beaches.

[h/t/ Bedford & Bowery]