The Rockaways in New York City

If you've ever flown into New York City and looked out the window during landing, you might have noticed that right outside the concrete jungle there are miles of sandy beaches surrounding the city. And while many of these yellow patches of beach that you see from the sky are in the Jersey Shore, the Hamptons, Long Island, and Connecticut, there are also several beaches that are actually in the five boroughs.

If you'll allow me to ruminate on this, this is astonishing! In the most densely-packed metropolitan city in the United States, you can rise to the 110th floor of a skyscraper, eat at the laundry list of Michelin-starred restaurants, browse an exhibit at one of the dozens of museums, see a renowned Broadway show, and then find yourself on a sandy beach - all without leaving the city limits. New York truly is a melting pot, in more ways than one.

If you've ever seen someone on the subway with a surfboard, you're a true New Yorker.

If you're like me, right around late July I start to get an antsy feeling that the summer is going to wane and I will have squandered the sunshine and warm weather. If that feeling is creeping up on you, go to the Rockaways.

Before we get into the details, I have a few words of wisdom to make your Rockaways trip the best it can be.

First: Rockaway Beach is the most accessible city beach, but you know what that means: it is also the most crowded. The good news is that The Rockaway Peninsula has several other public beaches to offer. For a bit more space, I recommend Jacob Riis Beach. It's slightly less well-known, but is just 10 minutes from its more popular neighbor. By my very scientific eyeball test, it also has a slightly wider beach with better sand.

Second: On a similar note, if you can, go to The Rockaways on a weekday. If you can use some PTO or even a Summer Friday, you'll have so much more sand to yourself.

Third: I'm going to say this with love. The Rockaways are special because of their proximity to the city and the fact that New Yorkers can get to the beach within an hour. If you are from out of town and looking for a BEACH VACATION, this is not that. If a true beach vacation is your ambition, might I recommend Mission Beach in San Diego, Folly Beach in Charleston, the Outer Banks, or Rosemary Beach in Florida.

If you're new to surfing, Locals Surf School offers beginners lessons with wetsuits included.

With that out of the way, let's discuss the logistics for your New York City Beach Day!

GETTING THERE

When I moved to New York, someone told me that I could ride the subway to the beach. This alarmed me. Doesn't it feel wrong to ride a subway...to the beach? But I am here to tell you: This is a real thing people do - and its not hard! Take the A train toward Howard Beach/JFK Airport. There, transfer to the S train and get off at Beach 90th Street. You'll be steps from the shops and just a few blocks from the sand of Rockaway Beach.

But here's an ever better way to get to the Rockaways: Take the NYC Ferry. It's almost an extension of the beach day to spend about an hour on the deck of a boat, enjoying the sunshine and tour of lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens (and did I mention there is a bar onboard?). The Rockaway - Soundview Line runs many laps back and forth between Manhattan and the beach each day, and its only a 61 minute route from Wall Street. If you're in Long Island City or Greenpoint, take The Rockaway Rocket, which gets you there on an express route. Download the NYC Ferry app to check the timetables and get your tickets in advance (they do sell out!). And heads up, The Rockaway Rocket is seasonal, operating only in peak summer months.

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From both the Beach 90th Street Station and the ferry terminal, if you are headed to Jacob Riis Beach, I recommend calling an Uber or Lyft to make the final 10 minute journey.

Now this goes against the whole "public transportation to the beach" ideal that I just credited The Rockaways for, but if you have a group, a lot of heavy gear, or are simply feeling like a door-to-door diva, Uber or rent a Zipcar for the day. You can pick up Zipcars on the street on in local garages, without waiting in the rental car line. Jacob Riis has a massive parking lot for $20 a day, just book ahead of time and show your ticket on your phone as you enter.

AMENITIES AT JACOB RIIS BEACH

When you arrive at Jacob Riis Beach, you'll likely enter via the path next to the main building. Inside, you'll find lots of public restrooms.

And while Jacob Riis Beach has less boardwalk than Rockaway Beach itself, you don't have to go far for lunch. Walk a few minutes down the beach from the area outside the main building to find the "concessions". Here there are about a half dozen vendors selling order-at-the-counter fare, which you can take to one of the many picnic tables covered by yellow umbrellas.

I got a fish taco from Space Burgers, which was a slightly petit serving but had crispy fish and a juicy, drippy salsa which for some reason is perfect for the beach. And because rules don't apply at the beach, I also got a coffee and acai bowl from Jake's Java, which felt like a Lower East Side dive bar with cheetah print decor and a very grungy staff.

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Importantly, there is also a bar and an ice cream counter at the concessions area.

All in all, have I been to nicer beaches? Yes. Queens, New York is not quite the same as the pink sands of Bermuda or the crystal clear waters of Playa del Carmen. But if you're a New Yorker fantasizing about the people who live in Miami or Charleston or San Diego who can just jet off to the beach each weekend...plot twist! So can you.