Explore NYC with Me: Rockaway Beach

My husband and I played hooky one day last week and headed to the Rockaways. Come explore NYC with me as I travel to Rockaway Beach!

The Rockaways are one of my favorite places. Located on a peninsula in the far reaches of Queens, the Rockaways are part of NYC, however the beachside community has a much more laid back vibe than most of the city.

Rockaway Beach stretches from Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway to Beach 149th Street in Neponsit. We took the train from Manhattan and got off at 116th Street, the last stop on the Rockaway Park Shuttle. The station is surrounded by restaurants and convenience stores. We picked up snacks and drinks and made our way to the beach, just a couple blocks away.

Joel couldn’t wait to check out the ocean! It’s the only place to surf in NYC, and there are some decent waves.

Since we weren’t planning to do a lot of swimming, we chose a spot in a no-swim zone. The rest of the beach was crowded, but it was quiet surrounding us.

The wind kept catching our umbrellas and threatening to blow away our chairs!

Our neighbors had quite the set up … at least three umbrellas and countless mats! At one point, it looked like they were building a fort.

I forced Joel to take some pictures of me before we settled down.

shirt: similiar; shorts: same/diff. color, similar; hat: similar; sunglasses: similar

This chambray popover is one of my all-time favorite pieces. I wear it year round, and it’s the perfect swimsuit cover-up, too.

What do you think of my hat? I can’t decide if I like it or not. The high crown makes me feel a little Pharrell-esque;)

You can see how crowded it was toward Beach 116th Street!

We finally settled in and started relaxing. The weather was amazing that day, and I didn’t move until my butt started hurting (ha).

I attended an event earlier this summer and one of the giveaways was this Land’s End tote. It was a major score, and I’ve been carrying it everywhere this summer.

We finally got up to do a little splashing. The water was cool and refreshing.

The only thing sharing the beach with us at that point  were the seagulls.

After a few hours in the sand, we started to make our way back to civilization.

The Rockaways were badly damaged during hurricane Sandy, and you can see the effects throughout the community. The beach and boardwalk are still being restored, but a lot of the beach facilities have reopened.

We stopped by Caracas for a few beers before saying adieu to the beach. Next time, I want to try their arepas. They looked so good!

We had other plans though and headed to Tacoway Beach. Last September when we visited the beach, it was closed. We’ve been waiting a year to try their tacos!

It was so good that I sent Joel back for another round. The guac and drinks were delicious, too.

At that point it was getting dark, and we headed home. I had such a great time that I’m hoping we’ll make it back at least once more this year!

Other Things to Do in NYC

Now that you’ve spent the day at Rockaway Beach, check out some of my favorite NYC activities:

• Domino Park – While you’re in Brooklyn, head over to Williamsburg and visit Domino Park. This unique park was built on the site of an old Domino Sugar factory and features lots of industrial remnants.
• Central Park – No visit to NYC is complete with a stroll through this world-renowned park! My favorite time to visit is in fall, but it’s stunning anytime of year.
• High Line – A visit to the High Line, an elevated park that was built on a deserted train track is never a bad idea. You’ll be treated to public art, great NYC views, yummy food, and more.
• Heading to NYC during the holidays? It’s magical … before you go, make sure to check out my comprehensive guide to Christmas in New York. And you’ll also want to take a tour NYC’s best Christmas windows!
• Visiting in spring? Here’s where to find the best Cherry Blossoms in NYC.
• Governors Island – If you want to escape the city for a bit, head to Governors Island. This unique park / National Monument is only a 10 minute ferry ride from Manhattan and Brooklyn.
• Brooklyn Bridge – Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is one of those activities on everyone’s NYC bucket lists, and my guide has tons of tips to help you do it!
• Want more ideas? Check out my A to Z guide to visiting (or living in) New York, as well as my list of NYC favorites after living there for my first eight months!

Did you make it to the beach this summer?