Known for its beaches and friendly residents, this community is one of the first points to stop as you head from Manhattan eastward on Long Island.
Long Beach is known as the “City by the Sea,” one of Long Island’s larger communities, with a pleasant mix of oceanside activities and community spirit. Stroll up and down the recently rebuilt 2.2-mile-long (3.5-kilometer) Long Beach Boardwalk as it stretches next to much of the sandy shoreline of Ocean Beach Park. The area suffered major damage in a 2012 hurricane but it has recovered and is once again popular with residents and visitors. Build sandcastles, lie in the sun and wade or swim in the waves. Try surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
When you need a break from beach activities, find convenient restroom facilities and restaurants at many of the avenues that end at the ocean. The beach is generally open from the end of May through early September. The 3.5-mile-long (5.6-kilometer) Long Beach merges at its eastern end with Lido Beach, with continuing sands and a lovely golf course.
Find plenty of spots for shopping and dining as you travel along the wide boulevard of Park Avenue, the city’s main thoroughfare. Visit Kennedy Plaza Farmers Market from July through October for fresh produce, baked goods and many local items.
Get a day pass to the Long Beach Recreation Campus and use its facilities for swimming, ice-skating or playing basketball or roller hockey. The site also has a boat launch, dog run and fishing pier.
The community hosts many special events throughout the year, including a Polar Bear Plunge in the ocean in February, a Memorial Day Parade, the Fabulous 4th of July Race and the King and Queen of the Beach Surf Contest in September. Check to see what is scheduled during your visit.
Drive to Long Beach from Manhattan in about 90 minutes or ride the train to the Long Beach Long Island Railroad Station in the same amount of time.