When I want to have a little down time in the bustling city of New York, I like to retreat to a beach. Last year, I visited Brighton Beach and toured Little Odessa, this summer, I decided to go to Jones Beach in Long Island which turned out to be the perfect getaway.
Jones Beach is a 6.5 mile stretch of white sand on the Atlantic Ocean hosting approximately 6 million visitors per year. The area is actually very well maintained, clean and environment friendly. See below, an aerial view of the beach.
If I had to choose between Brighton and Jones, I would definitely select Jones Beach. It's a better option as you are solely surrounded by ocean and sand, where as to Brighton there are apartment buildings surrounding the area and there is a lot of traffic from Coney Island. If you really want to detach from the city vibe, than going to Long Island is the solution.
Jones Beach offers a plethora of activities, here's a list of what you can do besides swimming in the ocean:
- Go fishing
- Surfing, Paddle-Boarding, Windsurfing, Kayaking, Sailing
- Miniature Golf, Shuffleboard, Basketball
- Visit a historic exhibit
- Learn about the marine environment at the Jones Beach Nature Center
- Pool swimming at the historic West Bathhouse
- Playgrounds for Kids
The only downfall at Jones Beach was the dining options. One would imagine at such a nice place that there would be a classy terrace available where you can have a cocktail and appetizer, however there was less than a handful of concession stands available with meager options. Luckily, the beach offers free WiFi, so we decided to go to The Fisherman's Catch in Point Lookout, New York which was a quick 12 minute ride.
We lucked out with the cute anchor-themed restaurant which is located on the water. Of course, they are specialized in seafood, I definitely recommend it.
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Along the boardwalk at Jones Beach, there are posters with historic photos depicting the area in its early days. There is also a 2 mile guided tour that you can book if you want to learn more about the landmark.
For more information on Jones Beach, click here.
