Review Highlights
“Sure Tilden can get crowded, but nothing like Riis next door.” in 3 reviews
“Not a crazy place like coney island and not with the city right on top of you like the rest of Rockaway.” in 7 reviews
“s.- to all the chicks posing and fluanting topless, we get it, you have breasts.” in 6 reviews
Location & Hours
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Amenities and More
Ask the Community
Q:
Is it a topless beach or completely nude?
A:
Gateway Nation Recreation Area isn't part of New York state, but federal land. At Fort Tilden, the U.S. park police can ticket people for nudity. "Nudity, outside the traditional use area [which is in Sandy Hook, NJ], may be considered Disorderly… more
Esgred I.1 person found this helpfulQ:
Can I bring my dog?
A:
The pups are not welcome at Fort Tilden proper, but are welcome by leash in some of the surrounding areas. Much of the area they are doing their best to keep natural growth going so it's pretty specific where they are and are not welcome… more
Jacquie C.4 people found this helpful
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- kaitlyn m.Windham, NY01Jul 21, 2024
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
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Esgred I.Yonkers, NY46201Mar 13, 2023Updated review
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.htmHelpful 2Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0May 15, 2016Previous reviewPROHIBITED: Dogs on the beach (from March 15 to Sept. 15), nudity, fires, barbecues, glass bottles, balloons (all kinds), entering areas cordoned off with string (bird nesting areas), alcoholic beverages, going near or walking on the beach grass, and kites (from March 15 to Sept. 15). Take walks on the wet sand only, please!
Please, stay away from and do not walk on BEACH GRASS, or other vegetation on the beach! If you take a walk on the beach (in non-string areas) in the Spring/Summer, please, stay on the WET SAND. While American dune grass is a plant that can tolerate a very salty environment, it is FRAGILE and cannot withstand people walking on it. Treading on the grass breaks the stems, and then the plants die. The beach grass that you see at Fort Tilden was planted by volunteers (on their hands and knees) in 2013 after Sandy wiped out the sand dunes and the vegetation on them.
Leashed DOGs are allowed on the beach from Sept. 15 to March 15th (NOT in the Summer). DOGs are never, ever allowed off-leash anywhere in Gateway National Park.
Please, don't swim, wade, or bathe at this beach. This is a FISHING BEACH, and the fishermen/women pay for permits to use this beach for surf fishing. There are life guards at Jacob Riis Park, which is literally a few yards away. Bicycling is only allowed on active roads, not on hiking trails or abandoned roads.
A simple call to the U.S. Park Police to report any violations (718-338-3988) is always a good idea. Also, keep your privates covered up (or the park police will drag you off the beach and drive you to their office). The barbecues are for use by permit-holders only.
https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/management/upload/2015-GATE-Compendium-Approved_with_Appendix_A_sm.pdf
https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/upload/TildenBeachRackCardForWeb.pdf - Jul 19, 20203 check-ins
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/aHelpful 12Thanks 0Love this 13Oh no 0 - Jun 8, 2021
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.
Helpful 7Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 0 - Digital-Drifter M.FOREST HILLS, NY0456Jul 14, 2021
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.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 0 - 4373416194May 7, 2018
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.Helpful 8Thanks 0Love this 7Oh no 0 - Jul 2, 2018
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 againHelpful 4Thanks 0Love this 5Oh no 0 - Billy J.New York, NY03Aug 28, 2021
Bunker with graffiti makes me happy :), much bugs and other creatures lurking about too!
Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 1 - Jul 24, 2017
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!
Helpful 4Thanks 0Love this 5Oh no 0 - Sep 9, 2012Updated review
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.Helpful 26Thanks 1Love this 14Oh no 0Sep 9, 2009Previous reviewWho wouldn't want to play Indiana Jones in NYC for a day?
Everything started with this NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/21/arts/21tild.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=fort%20tilden&st=cse
I am very much into urban exploration and industrial archaeology, so this sounded almost too good to be true: an abandoned Army base in the Rockaway peninsula in Queens, that once housed nuclear missiles, and is now covered in thick vegetation?! I am SO there!
VH and I headed south by car, driving along Utica Avenue (btw, if you like scenic drives, this is NOT for you; Utica Avenue must be one of the ugliest places in NYC), then Flatbush Avenue all the way to the end. After the Marine Pkwy Bridge ($2.75 each way) you turn left and park at Jacob Riis Park beach ($5/day). From there you walk to the beach and then west.
The beach is very nice; if you like solitary places away from the crowds, you will like this beach. Keep in mind that there are no facilities, no lifeguards, and no places where to buy food and drinks, so come prepared (and please take the trash with you!). The further west you walk, the fewer people. We walked all the way to the end of the path, but the beach keeps going. The day we were there quite a few surfers were out enjoying the waves.
It's not too difficult to find the two large concrete bunkers of Battery Harris, but it is not so straightforward either since they're covered in vegetation. The one that is eastward has a wooden staircase that leads to a deck with a wonderful panoramic view of the ocean, Coney Island, and the Manhattan skyline 10 miles in the distance. If you can locate the staircase then you've found Battery Harris East. The two concrete structures are massive and eerie, definitely impressive; you feel like you are in an alien movie or something. Each building once housed a 70-foot-long cannon, apparently. It is possible to go inside Battery Harris East, although there isn't much inside apart from empty bottles and cans, and a few poor quality graffiti. Bring a flashlight, though.
We couldn't find the pond (there are turtles in it, apparently), nor the four silos that until 1972 kept 40-feet long missiles with 30-kiloton nuclear warheads (they are fenced off, apparently). But there are a few trails that cut through the woods that likely lead to some constructions and stuff.
Next time I think I'll come here by bike: there are several concrete and dirt paths just behind the beach, and really by foot we could only explore that much (we walked around for about 2.5 hours). If you come here in the off-season keep in mind that parts of Fort Tilden are going to be pretty desolated. Also, my cell phone (T-Mobile) didn't get any reception while we were there.
Finally, don't forget to bring insect repellent; we didn't have any and got eaten alive by mosquitoes...
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