Long Island Beaches: A Local's Complete Guide
Long Island has more public beach mileage than any region of New York — Atlantic Ocean South Shore, Long Island Sound North Shore, the East End's dramatic dune beaches. Here's a local's complete guide to the 20+ beaches worth knowing, parking realities, swim conditions, and which ones to skip on summer Saturdays.
Long Island’s beaches are the region’s signature asset — 120+ miles of coastline split between Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound shorelines, plus the East End bays. This guide covers the 20+ beaches actually worth knowing, organized by region, with practical information on parking, swim conditions, amenities, and the rhythms locals plan around.
The three beach environments
Atlantic Ocean South Shore is what most non-Long-Islanders picture: big waves, wide flat beaches, long boardwalks, Jones Beach and Robert Moses as the anchors. This is where you go for ocean swimming, surf-casting, and that classic beach-day experience. Lifeguards on the main beaches. Strong rip currents possible. Water temperature peaks at 72-76°F in August.
Long Island Sound North Shore is the more sheltered, family-friendly environment. Calm water (the Sound is essentially a giant protected bay), pebble-and-sand mixed beaches, smaller crowds, mature trees often coming right down to the water. Best for kids who aren’t ready for ocean waves and for kayaking/paddleboarding. Water temperature peaks at 70-74°F.
East End ocean beaches are the Atlantic but with dramatic dunes, fewer crowds (because they’re 90+ minutes from Western Long Island), and bay-side options on the Peconic. The Hamptons + Montauk make up most of the East End beach inventory.
Atlantic South Shore beaches (Nassau + western Suffolk)
Jones Beach State Park (Wantagh, Nassau) is the marquee. 6.5 miles of Atlantic beach, the iconic 1929 Robert Moses bathhouse architecture, Field 6 with the working boardwalk + concert venue. Summer Saturdays the parking is full by 10 AM and the West End fields close to vehicle entry by 11 AM. Locals’ move: Friday afternoon arrival, Field 6 or Field 10. $10 state-park parking fee.
Robert Moses State Park (Babylon, Suffolk) is Fire Island’s western terminus — accessed via the Robert Moses Causeway. Five separate beach fields, the cleanest of the Suffolk Atlantic beaches, the famous Robert Moses Field 5 (clothing optional, far less crowded than the others). $10 state-park parking.
Long Beach (City of Long Beach, Nassau) has a 2.2-mile boardwalk, summer concerts on Thursday evenings, the West End bar strip a few blocks back, and the city beach itself ($15 daily admission for non-residents). LIRR Long Beach station is a 5-minute walk to the boardwalk. The car-free Atlantic beach option.
Tobay Beach (Town of Oyster Bay, Massapequa) is the Nassau resident-only beach — Saturday + Sunday in summer they check IDs. Weekdays + early/late season they’re more relaxed. Locals love it for the smaller crowds and the protected swim area.
Cedar Beach (Town of Babylon, Suffolk) is the South Shore family beach for Babylon-area residents. Standard town-beach rules: resident-only weekends in season, open weekdays. Calmer surf than Jones Beach (closer to the bay).
Smith Point County Park (Mastic Beach, Suffolk) is the eastern Suffolk Atlantic beach — Fire Island’s eastern terminus. Less developed than Robert Moses, more wild dunes. $25 non-resident parking fee. Best for groups looking to escape Western LI crowds.
Long Island Sound (North Shore)
Sands Point Preserve (Sands Point, Nassau) has Sound-side bluff trails leading down to a quiet pebble beach with Sound views. Family-friendly because the water is calm. $15 grounds admission.
Caumsett State Park (Lloyd Harbor, Suffolk) is the local secret. 1.5-mile forest walk from the parking lot to an undeveloped Sound beach. The walk filters out casual visitors — the beach is genuinely uncrowded. Free admission.
Sunken Meadow State Park (Kings Park, Suffolk) is the most-developed North Shore beach — 3-mile Sound shoreline, picnic areas, the famous Sunken Meadow boardwalk (concrete, not wood, but the locals love it). Strong family destination. $10 state-park parking.
Crab Meadow Beach (Northport, Suffolk) is the locals’ North Shore pick — small, sandy, the Sound calmness, the kind of beach you go to with a book. Town of Huntington residents only on weekends in season.
Centerport Beach (Centerport, Suffolk) is a smaller cove beach — quieter still. Town of Huntington residents only summer weekends.
Asharoken Beach (Asharoken, Suffolk) and Eaton’s Neck Beach are the deep-cut local-favorite Huntington Bay beaches. Quiet, small, residential-feeling.
Wildwood State Park (Wading River, Suffolk) is the eastern North Shore Sound beach — 700+ acres, camping, the Sound cliff trails are spectacular. $10 state-park parking.
East End Atlantic beaches (the Hamptons + Montauk)
Main Beach (East Hampton) — one of the most-photographed beaches in America. Wide, white sand, dramatic dunes. Resident-only parking summer weekends; non-residents need to park elsewhere and bike/walk in or book lodging that comes with beach access. Lifeguarded.
Coopers Beach (Southampton) is regularly ranked among the top US beaches. Public access with paid parking ($50/day summer weekends — pricey but real). Lifeguarded. Concession + bathrooms.
Cooper’s Beach is sometimes confused with Indian Wells Beach (Amagansett) — also stunning, easier to access for day-trippers. $25 non-resident permit; permits sell out by mid-summer.
Ditch Plains (Montauk) is the East Coast’s surfing capital. The waves are real (3-5 ft typical, larger with offshore weather). Even non-surfers go to watch. Free parking but full by 8 AM in summer.
Hither Hills State Park (Montauk) has a dramatic 2-mile Atlantic beach, camping, and the Walking Dunes natural area. $10 state-park parking.
Camp Hero State Park (Montauk Point) wraps around the Montauk Lighthouse — Atlantic beach with bluff access and the famous abandoned Cold War radar tower. Less swimming-focused, more scenic.
Wiborg Beach (East Hampton) and Two Mile Hollow Beach are the more locally-known East Hampton options — Two Mile Hollow has a non-resident permitted parking program.
Bay-side East End beaches (Peconic + Shinnecock)
Long Beach Bay (Sag Harbor) — Peconic Bay side, calm water, family-friendly, less of a scene than the Atlantic.
Ponquogue Beach (Hampton Bays) — Atlantic with a fishing pier. Less crowded than the major Hamptons beaches.
Shinnecock East County Park (Southampton) is the local-favorite bay-side park — kayak launches, the inlet, sunset views.
The summer rhythm — what to know
Parking is the constraint everywhere on summer Saturdays. State park lots (Jones Beach, Robert Moses, Sunken Meadow) fill by 10 AM. Town beaches restrict to residents on weekends in season. Hamptons resident beaches check stickers aggressively.
The locals’ weekday move: Friday afternoons (especially in June/September shoulder weeks), Sunday evenings (after 4 PM, when day-trippers have left), and any weekday. Tuesday + Wednesday are the cleanest beach days in summer.
Lifeguards: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day at all state and major town beaches. Outside those windows, swim at your own risk. The Atlantic has strong rip currents — never swim alone.
Water temperature: South Shore Atlantic peaks at 72-76°F in late August. North Shore Sound peaks at 70-74°F. East End Atlantic similar to South Shore but the dunes can produce colder pockets. Pre-July ocean water is genuinely cold (mid-60s).
Beach permits and stickers: Town of Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton all have resident parking sticker programs. Annual residents-only stickers are typically $30-60. Non-resident permits where available are $50-200.
What to bring
Bare minimum:
- Sunscreen (the Atlantic UV is real, especially July + August)
- Reusable water bottles (beach water service is patchy + expensive)
- Hat + sunglasses
- Cash for snack bars (some are card-light)
- A real lunch if you’re staying past 1 PM
Family additions:
- Beach umbrella (renting at concession is $20+/day — buy one for $35 and break-even by day 2)
- Sand toys
- Wet bag for soaked towels + swimsuits
- Snacks beyond what concession sells
Atlantic-specific:
- Boogie boards / body boards (the waves are right for them most days)
- Surf for actually-rough days only — Robert Moses + Ditch Plains have real surf, the others have ankle slap
Day-trip itineraries by region
Western Nassau day trip (from NYC): LIRR to Long Beach. Boardwalk + beach + lunch at Speakeasy or The Riptide + boardwalk walk home. 8 hours start to finish, fully car-free.
Central LI family day: Drive to Jones Beach Field 6, set up by 9:30 AM, beach until 1 PM, boardwalk + lunch at Field 6 restaurant, second beach session, leave by 4 PM (beat traffic back).
North Shore quiet day: Caumsett State Park — pack lunch + water for the 1.5-mile walk to the beach. Read on the beach, swim, walk back. Half-day or full-day depending on pace.
East End full day: Out by 7 AM, breakfast in Sag Harbor at 9, Two Mile Hollow Beach by 10, lunch in East Hampton Village, second beach session at Indian Wells, dinner at Lulu (Sag Harbor) or Almond (Bridgehampton), home by 11 PM. Brutal driving day but the beaches are worth it.
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