You don’t need to travel out to the Hamptons or the Jersey Shore to get your fix of sand and surf. One of these beaches in NYC should do the trick. Bonus: Traffic is nothing in comparison.

Cedar Grove Beach
The city’s newest beach is located in Staten Island’s Great Kills Park. It’s a converted bungalow colony with views of the Manhattan Bridge. It’s also smaller and somewhat more tranquil than its fellow Staten Island beaches and neighbors Midland Beach (with the brand-new — and small — Fantasy Shore Amusement Park) and South Beach (which has a recently restored boardwalk).

Wolfe’s Pond
Located in Staten Island’s Wolfe’s Pond Park, you can swim and relax by the water, explore hiking trails, and play tennis.

Coney Island
This famous Brooklyn Beach is easy to reach via the F train, and it has tons of attractions besides the sand and surf. There’s the amusement park (with its famed Cyclone and Wonder Wheel) and Nathan’s hot dogs, of course. Take a stroll down the boardwalk, too. You never know what you’ll see.

Fort Tilden
There’s a relaxed vibe at this sparsely populated beach on a decommissioned military base in Queens. It’s also part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and there are lots of trails to discover. New York Beach Ferry provides summer service Fri–Sun from Pier 11 at Wall Street in Manhattan to Rockaway.

Jacob Riis Park
Also part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, this beach features a famous Art Deco bathhouse, and neighbors Fort Tilden and Rockaway Beach. You can catch a New York Beach Ferry to this beach, too.

Brighton Beach
This Brooklyn beach got the nickname “Little Odessa” because of its large Russian population. We suggest you grab some pierogis after your swimming and suntanning. It’s also pretty easy to get to via the B or Q trains.

Manhattan Beach
This Brooklyn beach might appeal to more active beach-goers. There are playgrounds, two large baseball diamonds, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and handball courts.

Orchard Beach
The Bronx’s only public beach is 1.1-miles long, has a promenade, a central pavilion, snack bars, food and souvenir carts, two playgrounds, two picnic areas, and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball, and handball. There are changing areas and showers, too. You can get there via public transportation (but be prepared to take at least one bus).

Rockaway Beach
If you’re looking for a hip beach — and a place to surf — this is probably your best option among the beaches in NYC. There are also activities like yoga on the beach, and lots of great food on and off the boardwalk. You can take the A train, too.

Image Source: Flickr/Eden, Janine and Jim

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]