Top 10 Long Island Beaches

From the rocky shores of the Long Island Sound to the plush sands of the Atlantic Ocean, nothing says summer like the beaches of Long Island. Find the best beach for you and your family with our list of the best Long Island beaches.

Suffolk County

Sunken Meadow State Park, Kings Park

Fees: $10 per car on weekends and holidays, May 27 through Sept. 10. Free with a New York State pass.

Hours: Hours vary by beach and season. Check park website for details.

Sunken Meadow State Park offers miles of beautiful beachfront along the Long Island Sound. The calm waters make it ideal for less-experienced swimmers as well as kayakers, windsurfers and stand-up paddleboarders. Visitors who wish to burn some calories can play a game of soccer or baseball on the activity fields. Other amenities include food stands, picnic areas, playgrounds and a launch site for kayaks and canoes.

Robert Moses State Park, Babylon

Fees: $10 per car from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Free with a New York State pass.

Hours: Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Ocean swimming hours vary; 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays and
8 a.m. – 8 p.m. weekends and holidays.

Among the most popular Long Island beaches, Robert Moses State Park offers visitors five miles of beachfront along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Popular water activities include swimming, surfing, fishing, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing and boating. For boaters, the park offers a basin capable of holding up to 40 boats during the day. Other amenities include concessions, picnic area, playgrounds, sports fields and pavilions. And whether you are a golfer or not, everyone can have fun or brush up on their game during a casual round at the Robert Moses State Park Pitch and Putt Golf Course.

Orient Beach State Park, Orient

Fees: $10 per car during beach season. Free with a New York State pass.

Hours: Lifeguards on duty daily from 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. during beach season.

The beach at Orient Beach State Park stretches across 45,000 feet of Gardiners Bay. Here, beach-goers can swim, fish, canoe, windsurf and stand-up paddleboard. The park, which spans 360 acres, offers pavilions, athletic fields, horseshoe pits and bocce ball and shuffleboard courts. Nature enthusiasts can hike, bike or jog along the scenic trails and spot plentiful wildlife. As a designated Audubon Important Bird Area, it is a prime destination for birdwatchers. Guided tours with park rangers are also available.

Main Beach, East Hampton

Fees: Free all season for village residents with parking permit. $50 daily for non-residents or $750 for seasonal pass.

Season pass: Free for village residents, $750 for non-residents.

Hours: Beaches are open weekends and holidays only starting Memorial Day until the last Saturday in June, then daily through Labor Day. Lifeguards on duty daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. during beach season.

The village of East Hampton’s Main Beach is one of the most popular and highly acclaimed beaches in the Hamptons. Often commended for its cleanliness, facilities and high level of lifeguarding, when it comes to Long Island beaches, this one checks off all the boxes. Parking passes can be hard to get as the daily passes are limited. However, the beach is about a 20-minute walk away from East Hampton’s Main Street, where ample parking is available.

Cupsogue Beach, Westhampton

Fees: $9 daily for Suffolk County residents with Green Key cards / $18 daily for non-residents.

Hours: Parking rates apply from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Lifeguards on duty daily from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. during beach season.

In the winter this Westhampton beach is a hotspot for seals, but come summer, the people move in for swimming, fishing and even scuba diving. Camping is also permitted along the outer beach with a permit. The Cupsogue Beach pavilion provides restrooms, changing rooms and showers for anyone who wants to wash up after a long day in the water. For a bite to eat, head down to the Beach Hut for breakfast, lunch or a quick snack. While you’re in the area, be sure to check out the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center for plays, concerts, comedy shows and more.

Ocean Beach, Fire Island

Fees: There are no beach fees in Ocean Beach. It is only accessible by the Fire Island Ferry from Bay Shore. See ferry website for hours and prices.

Hours: This beach does not have set hours.

Ocean Beach is the largest village on Fire Island and is home to many shops and restaurants as well as over a mile of sandy ocean beachfront. The beautiful surroundings combined with an abundance of dining and nightlife options have made it Fire Island’s most popular tourist destination. Often regarded as having the best restaurant scene on Fire Island, Ocean Beach is home to more than a few popular restaurants, including the Island Mermaid for seafood and Rachel’s Bakery and Restaurant. If you have a sweet tooth, the ice cream shop Scoops is not to be missed.

Nassau County

Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh

Fees: Parking is $10 from 5/25 to 9/2. Free with a New York State pass.

Hours: Hours vary depending on the parking field and time of the year. Check park website for details.

Founded in 1929, Jones Beach State Park is one of the most famous Long Island beaches. It’s known for its four-mile-long boardwalk, six miles of sandy oceanfront beach, historic bathhouses and Memorial Day Weekend air show, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. And a summer on Long Island would not be complete without catching at least one concert at Jones Beach Theater.

The park is split into “fields” based on the closest parking lot. The boardwalk stretches from Field 2 to Field 6, along which you will find concession stands, playgrounds, a mini golf course and many tennis, basketball and shuffleboard courts. Field 10 is home to fishing piers and a full-service bait and tackle shop, and it is a launching spot for kayaks and sailboards. Ocean swimming is available at several lifeguarded locations, and for those prefer calmer waters Zach’s Bay (located near Fields 5 and 6) is also patrolled by lifeguards.

Nickerson Beach Park, Lido Beach

Fees: $15 daily for Nassau County residents / $37 daily for non-residents.

Hours: Lifeguards on duty daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. during beach season.

A true community beach, Nickerson Beach Park offers a ton of activities and fun ways for the family to spend the lazy days of summer. The beach stretches a half-mile along the Atlantic Ocean and is connected to a 155-acre park, which has swimming pools (extra fee required for admittance), tennis courts, soccer field, beach volleyball courts, a baseball field, a dog run and campgrounds. Cabanas and cabinettes are available to rent during the season, but they are a hot ticket, so you’ll have to be put on a waitlist to become eligible. The park also has a concession stand, playground, skate park and two basketball courts.

Ocean Beach Park, Long Beach

Fees: $12 daily for City of Long Beach residents or $85 for seasonal pass / $15 daily for non-residents or $170 for seasonal pass. See all prices.

Hours: Lifeguards on duty 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays during beach season, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Ocean Beach Park is made up of four miles of sandy oceanfront beach in Long Beach. It features a 2.2-mile boardwalk, which was largely rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy. Condominiums and hotels line the landward side of the boardwalk. The LIRR station is just a short walk from the beach, making it one of the most convenient Long Island beaches, especially if you are coming from New York City.

Besides swimming, popular activities at Ocean Beach Park include volleyball, biking and inline skating on the boardwalk, and surfing. There are a number of food trucks and concessions offered along the boardwalk and a variety of restaurants just up the block on Park Avenue.

Town Park, Point Lookout

Fees: $12 daily for Town of Hempstead residents or $138 for seasonal pass / $55 daily for non-residents.

Hours: Open daily from May 27 through Sept. 4. Lifeguards on duty daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. during beach season.

Point Lookout occupies the eastern end of the barrier island home to Lido Beach and Long Beach. Surrounded by water on three sides, the town has long been a popular summer destination for locals. The public beach, Town Park, occupies 1,800 feet of land along the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an ideal place to sit in the sun with friends and family. The beach also has picnic tables and a playground for the little ones.

When you’ve had enough sun, make sure to enjoy the quaint summer destination of Point Lookout. The town has a number of restaurants and shops worth visiting. With an area of just 0.2 square miles and a 15-mph speed limit, the town is easy to explore on foot. Catch a fresh seafood meal at one of the many waterfront restaurants or pop into a local shop for something unique to take home.

What are some of your favorite Long Island beaches? Tell us in the comments. 

Find top beaches throughout the Northeast at AAA.com/BeachGuide.

This article has been updated and republished from a previous version.