Last Stop on the Rockapulco

For a two-buck subway ride, you can swim in the same crisp Atlantic Ocean as the label whores on the far east end of Long Island. Rockaway Beach is to the Hamptons what Williamsburg is to the Meatpacking District, so shake off your Saturday morning hangover and head to Queens this summer. The Rockapulco peninsula juxtaposes urban grit with classic seashore. You won’t have to shell out $51 for the Jitney, and you won’t have to sleep in an overcrowded, overpriced summer share that reeks of body odor and cigarette smoke.

The Basics Before you go, check the local weather. A gorgeous day in Manhattan or Brooklyn doesn’t necessarily equal a gorgeous day on the coast. The main indicator of an idyllic beach day is wind direction and speed. Most weather websites provide this information. Light winds from any direction are fine, but a north or offshore wind is primo. A strong southerly or onshore wind will make the ocean a foamy cauldron, driving the sand into skin crevices you never knew you had. Rockaway Beach, unlike Coney Island, has a distinctive beach town aura. Don’t let the Hudson River fool you; the ocean is unpolluted and refreshing. There are more than seven miles of clean, overlooked shoreline, but most beachgoers stick to three general areas.

To reach the federal beaches of Riis Park, take the 2 or the 5 train to Flatbush Avenue (in Brooklyn) and hop on the Q35 bus for a 30-minute ride, or take the A train to Beach 116th Street and jump on the Q35 or Q22 for a six- or seven-minute ride uptown to the Gateway National Recreation Area. Parking is also available for $4 a day. Riis Park has bathroom facilities, food stands, playgrounds and seasonal lifeguards. Bay One (near the softball field) is famously gay-friendly. For exhibitionists and people who don’t want unsightly tan lines, Riis Park also offers topless bathing.

For the municipal beaches of Rockaway, take the A train to Beach 116th Street and walk two blocks south toward the ocean. On the way, you’ll find vendors selling everything you need for the beach, from sunscreen to beach chairs to sliced watermelon. Don’t even think of driving because of extremely limited, metered parking. Beach 116th Street is typically mobbed with people. In-the-know visitors walk two or three blocks north on the boardwalk to avoid non-stop lifeguard whistles and blasting reggaeton. The drawbacks are lack of public bathrooms and eating establishments, but for a serenity-now experience the short walk will be more than worth the effort. For lunch, grab a slice at Ciro’s Pizzeria (171 Beach 116th St. 718-634-6800) or a legendary hero sandwich at 101 Deli (100-16 Rockaway Beach Blvd, 718-634-1121). At 101, order the special.

Finally, if you’re a So-Cal transplant—or you simply like to watch hot surfers—take the A train two more stops to Beach 90th St. and walk two blocks to Beach 92nd St., aka Richie Allen’s Way, the first official surfing beach in NYC. You can watch the surfers drop in on East Coast waves or, if you’re in the mood for adventure and have some cash, buy some coconut surf wax and rent a surfboard for $35 a day or $25 for four hours at Boarders (192 Beach 92nd Street, 718-318-7997, open 10am-6pm). Long time waverider and store manager, Dave, will set you up with a classic longboard. At the end of your beach day, please collect your trash and belongings. Help keep New York shorelines healthy and natural. Leave nothing but your footprints behind.

Bonus: If you love the smell of salt water but prefer ramps and grinding rails to swells, check out the free beachfront skate and BMX park also located at Beach 92nd Street.  If you’ve still got $20 to your name, it’s time for a Piña Colada or Cuba Libre…

Aprés-Beach Connolly’s Bar (187 Beach 93rd St., 718-474-2374), is open until Labor Day and caters to local lifeguards. The famous “frozens” are the favorite drink and vary from day to day, typically gimlets, white Russians and margaritas. Sip a Red Stripe and check out the kitschy decor and photos from summers long past. Stop by for the annual bikini contest in August or pop in during a short-lived thunderstorm and meet the lifeguards who know they have 30 minutes from the last strike of lightning to be back on their towers, sober.

The Wharf (416 Beach 116th St., 718-474-8807), a waterfront restaurant, is hidden behind a Getty gas station. There is no apparent signage and you would never know it was there…unless you knew it was there. Two blocks north of the A train on Beach 116th Street, this casual clam shack offers fresh fish and cold beers right on Jamaica Bay. Go at sunset for a view of the Manhattan skyline.

Finally, Jamesons (421 Beach 129th St., 718-474-9364) occasionally hosts local beach bands such as Indaculture covering Sublime. Everyone wears flip-flops and faded Quicksilver T-shirts— you’ll swear you’re in San Diego . Five minutes down the road: Breezy Point, The Irish Riviera Only for the bravest visitors, this tight-knit private cooperative is inaccessible by public transportation. Inside this intensely private and insular community, people will know you are not a local and may be territorial but the area is home to a beach bar and two restaurants not typical of the Northeastern coast. Breezy is rumored to have the highest beer consumption in NYC.

First, some general guidelines: Your bicycle will offer you easy access to Breezy, especially if it’s a cruiser and not a pretentious racing bike. By car, drive west down Rockaway Point Blvd, more commonly known as “the main road,” towards Breezy Point. Tell the security guard at the booth on the right what restaurant you are visiting (see below). Be sure to put the parking pass on your dashboard and park in the appointed lots to avoid otherwise certain towing. If you don’t have a bike or a car but would really like to check this place out, use your cell phone and call one of the reasonably priced taxi services (Belle-Rock, 718-634-8282; Shore Car Service, 718-474-7100; Beach Car Service, 718-945-2222) from the beach.

Don’t bother washing the sand off your feet to visit the Sugarbowl (Bedford Avenue & Oceanside [the beach], 718-945-1409). Weave down narrow footpaths past tiny bungalows and sprawling honeysuckle bushes towards this almost impossible to find bar. Your best bet is to stay under the radar and follow the clusters of tanned locals still wearing their bathing suits. After “The Bowl,” head for late night at the Blarney Castle (202-24 Rockaway Pt. Blvd.,718-474-9474). A classic dive bar, the party here goes on ’till the early morning.

If you’re interested in a meal that doesn’t include the word fried, try Kennedy’s on the Bay (406 Bayside, Beach 210th St. & Rockaway Pt. Blvd., 718-945-0202) or The Bayhouse (500 Bayside, 718-318-9660), both offer waterfront views and plenty of fresh fish specials. But don’t go in your bathing suit, these restaurants are only semi-casual. After this day at the beach, you’ll never feel like hopping the ferry to Fire Island again.