New York City beaches officially opened last Saturday giving city residents a place to cool off and get exercise. The city boasts 14 miles of beaches, including Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn, Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Midland, South, Wolfe’s Pond and Cedar Grove beaches in Staten Island.
“With more than 14 miles of sand and water and nearly 19 million visitors last summer—almost three times as many as the previous year—New York City’s beaches provide New Yorkers and visitors a spectacular natural setting for free fun in the sun,” said city Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.
Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and swimming is restricted to those times. City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley touted the health benefits of city beaches.
“Swimming is a great way to get exercise while staying cool in the summer,” Farley said. “Now that beaches are smoke-free, New Yorkers can take even greater advantage of our beautiful public beaches without being exposed to secondhand smoke.”
Last Friday, Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) celebrated the opening of Rockaway Beach with local leaders.
“As we all know, Rockaway continues to be one of the city’s best kept secrets,” Ulrich said. “It’s a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, and to enjoy the beach. There are lots of new and exciting amenities this year, and I encourage everyone in Queens to visit this summer and discover the beauty Rockaway has to offer.”
Rockaway Beach visitors will have new food options to discover this year. Rockaway Beach Club, LLC, a group comprised of many popular restaurants including Rockaway Taco, Caracas Arepa Bar of East Village and La Newyorkina’s ice cream of the Lower East Side, will open seven concession stands serving tacos, po’ boys, arepas, enchiladas and Italian ices.
