Fort Tilden: The beaches at this decommissioned military base in Queens can be tricky to get to without a car, but two wheels are good enough. Either plan for an epic two hour bike ride from Manhattan or take your bike on the B/Q train to the Sheepshead Bay / East 16 Street station (at Avenue Z). From there, it's about a 7 mile bike ride, first through relatively quiet residential streets, then on a bike path along the beaches, and finally over the Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge and into Fort Tilden. (Map it.) Lock your bike at a bike rack behind the bathroom across from the baseball diamonds, or pedal a little further to the beach and lock to a chain link fence by the dunes.

There are no lifeguards, so watch out for riptide. There are also no amenities other than that bathroom by the bike rack. So bring your own food. But what's great about the Fort Tilden beach is its DIY vibe; it's also relatively uncrowded. It's also part of Gateway National Recreation Area, and when you're done with the sand there's lots to explore along the trails. Like this!