Fort Tilden

I'm a yessir on that going to the chapel mints to be like with a butterflies came out at they end before say I do's

Beach-goers are not allowed to park, or swim/bathe/wade at Fort Tilden. Dogs are not allowed on the beach in the Spring and Summer. Dogs are never allowed off-leash here, or anywhere else in Gateway National Recreation Area. Please, see my 2016 review below for all of the details! :)

There is a nice bathroom with water fountains at Fort Tilden, but it closes around 5 pm (or sometimes earlier). There is no parking without a permit, unless you are there for a sports league, the community garden, theater, fishing (permit required), or some other official business.

Where you can swim: https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/beaches.htm
Safety: https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/safety.htm
Dogs: https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/pets.htm
Why you cannot let your dog off-leash, or on the beatch: https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/news/pet-restrictions-during-plover-season.htm
Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.nps.gov/gate/frequently-asked-questions-gateway.htm

BOTTOM LINE: crowded alternative adjacent to Jacob Riis Park
TIP/S: go early, exit early
...WHO: party of 1
WHY: curiosity

WHAT: (Deets) I followed the crowd across the ball field to this beach. Compared to other beaches, there is less space to spread out because much of the land is roped off for nature preserve. Family friendly but folks were too close to one another IMO. I will say though, that the water seemed less littered with plastic and random waste, and I didn't have to tread through rocks and sharp shells to go in waist deep. That was a welcome surprise.

WHEN: 7/12/20
WHERE: beach
HOW: bike/ public transportation Q35
BATHROOM: 2 options, just off the water are port o johns. In the park area closer to the stables are separate gender restrooms. I used neither.
WIFI: beats me
DRESS CODE: as you wish
SERVICE: n/a

Probably one of the best beaches in the city, simply because no one comes here. And the people that do are really nice and respectful. It's a serene spot, and you can find some naturalists and hipsters along the way. There are lots of rules, which can be a little annoying and they are heavily enforced, like no dogs on the beach and no alcohol. I hate that there are park rangers all over the place. There are no lifeguards on duty, so even if you're a good swimmer, don't go out too far in the water. The beach is immaculately clean with little trash, although it would be nice to see some more trash cans set up.

I grew up on Long Island, so my idea of a beach runs along the lines of Fire Island, Gilgo Beach and other points east. Living in the City made traveling out to the island for a day at the beach more like work. A friend brought me to Riis Park and while I was initially grossed out by the people, over time I got use to it. About 5 summers ago, I rode my bike down instead of driving and soon discovered Ft Tilden.

This is the only beach I will go to now in the Rockaways. It tends to attract a younger crowd. Generally everyone minds their own business and you never have to worry about some asshole showing up with a boom box. Of course, don't be surprised if some hipster shows up with his girlfriend and after a couple of PBR's starts playing his ukulele. It's a natural beach, so don't expect the beach to be groomed. Just clean up after yourself. Yeah, you might see some ugly boobs, get over it.

I'll call here "The Thinking Beach"....


Artists can get lost here. As a matter of fact anyone can, it simply takes you and your breath away.

One early spring Sunday with a chill in the air but ever so calm, so peaceful. Waves, non-existent on my visit, picturesque, oh yeah!
I understand there's a lot of history here at the park and beach but I didn't get into it. I was too busy enjoying the moment AND trying to capture pictures to tell the story which I failed at miserably.

I dare anyone to visit here and not be taken away. Come on, bring the children, let's make some sandcastles!

I'll be back.

The End.

5 stars because this beach is Chill!!!

I don't know about parking, came with friends who parked where they knew they would get a ticket but it was worth it, the beach is awesome. Ticket is 60.

We came and knew it was going to be busy because it was the hottest day of the summer in nyc this year.

Spent about 7 hours here and everyone was friendly, the beach wasn't dirty every seemed to pick up after themselves after they left.

Not many kids were here which was nice, I counted maybe 5.

I will be coming again

Bunker with graffiti makes me happy :), much bugs and other creatures lurking about too!

The best beach in NYC as far as I'm concerned! It's a little hard to get to because the subway doesn't let you off very close to this beach. It's best to drive, or better yet bike. The beach is less busy and more secluded. It's also topless for you ladies trying to get a good tan. But everyone's cool and there's no creepers or uptight women shielding their children's eye's, ha! You can also try to find the abandoned fort and climb to the top. At the top you can see a 360 view of Rockaways, the city and really everything and it's spectacular!

At the bus stop near Beach 169 St. there are minivans that take people back to Williamsburg; that says something about who likes to come to Ft. Tilden. But this should not deter the explorer in you, since Ft. Tilden has a lot to offer. A beautiful area to discover, with a pristine beach, sand dunes, a maritime forest, and an abandoned military base.

There are no facilities here: no lifeguards, no bathrooms, no trash cans, and no food, (apart from the occasional push-bike cart).

The beach itself is pretty narrow. Last time I was there there were some pretty big-ass waves that ate up about half of the beach. It was fun in the water, but all the people on the beach were squeezed in a narrow band by the fence near the dunes, and it felt pretty crowded.

Unfortunately there's a lot of trash on the beach, mainly in the form of cans and trash bags neatly closed and then abandoned by the fence. If you come here, please be respectful of this place and take all your trash back with you.

The dunes are a fragile ecosystem, and should be left alone. There are plenty of paths that take you across the dunes. And if you're into urban archaeology, this is one of the most interesting (and spooky) places NYC has to offer. Right behind the beach, in fact, there are the remains of a military installation, built around the time the US entered WWI and closed in the late '70s, was supposed to defend NYC from an attack coming from the sea[1]. The two massive 16-inch cannon buildings of Battery Harris (East and West) are the two most impressive remains: it truly feels like you're right in the middle of Planet of the Apes. Between the abandoned military buildings engulfed in vegetation, and the silent forest, the atmosphere is definitely eery. You feel that this would be a good place where to dump a corpse, or to meet a herd of hungry zombies.

Unfortunately most of the buildings are covered in graffiti. It would be great if the city could actually reclaim the area and preserve it. There is also a lot of trash around. If you take the beautiful wooden ladder that take you on top of Battery Harris east, you can enjoy a 360 degree view over the ocean, the Rockaway peninsula, and the skyline of the city. Surrounded by cans and broken glass, unfortunately.

This is definitely a five star place. Too bad too many people that come here are just unable to enjoy it in a respectful manner.
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[1] If this may sound like cold war paranoia, consider this: during the months leading to the invasion of Iraq, I had arguments with several people supporting the war who were convinced that Iraq was ready to invade the US.