Beaches for kids in New York
New York is a beach city; people just forget. Coney Island and Rockaway are a subway ride away, and in summer a ferry goes straight to the sand. These are picked for small kids: gentle waves, lifeguards, restrooms, and walkable from the train.
The first choice with a 2-year-old is Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn: shallow, calm, with shade. Coney Island is the lively one, with beach, boardwalk, aquarium and amusement park in a row; Rockaway's waves suit bigger kids, and the summer NYC Ferry there is an outing in itself. Farther out, Jones Beach is the real Atlantic white-sand beach, and Long Beach, straight off the LIRR, pleases train fans and beach fans alike.
- 6 places
- 4 free
- 6 stroller-friendly
- closest is 50 min away
6 places
Travel times from Midtown, by subway or car
Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk
5.0Brooklyn · 50 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway D/F/N/Q to the last stop, Coney Island–Stillwell Av, then a 5-minute walk
Manhattan Beach (Brooklyn)
5.0Brooklyn · 60 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway B/Q to Brighton Beach and transfer to the B1 bus; paid lot in summer if you drive
Jones Beach State Park
5.0Wantagh · 65 min away
4 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Getting there: About 55 minutes by car, parking $10; in summer, LIRR to Freeport and a shuttle bus
Orchard Beach (Bronx)
4.0Bronx · 60 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 6 to Pelham Bay Park and transfer to the Bx12 bus; paid lot in summer if you drive
Long Beach (by LIRR)
4.0Long Beach · 60 min away
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Getting there: LIRR direct from Penn Station to Long Beach (about 55 minutes), then a 10-minute walk from the station to the beach
Rockaway Beach
4.0Queens · 70 min away
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A to Beach 90 St or Beach 98 St; in summer NYC Ferry runs direct from Wall St (about 1 hour)
💡 Good to know
- City beaches have lifeguards only from late May to early September, and swimming is prohibited without them; check NYC Parks for occasional water-quality advisories in summer.
- There's almost no shade on the sand, so bring a beach tent; the subway home is packed after 4pm, so go early and leave early.