Cedar Beach

A landscape as far from the skyscrapers of New York City as it’s possible to get, New York State’s Cedar Beach in Babylon lies on the long and narrow Jones Beach Island, itself off the southern shores of Long Island. Facing out into the waters of the New York Bight, Cedar Beach comprises a huge area of broadly flat pale sand.

Home to numerous beach volleyball courts (used by the local league on Monday nights), and easily traversed thanks to a boardwalk running parallel to the shoreline, Cedar Beach is accessed via the 17 mile Ocean Parkway. At 3/4 mile in length, the beach has become a playground for all things coastal, with sunbathers and swimmers as welcome as surfers, kitesurfers and those cutting through the waves on a yacht.

A shuttle service connects beachgoers with the waves, while lifeguards remain on duty throughout daylight hours from May until September. Its picnic area is open year-round.