Bi-State Beach Bonanza: The Best Beaches in NJ and NY

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Bi-State Beach Bonanza: The Best Beaches in NJ and NY"

ALL Of It with Alison Stewart
Host: David Fuerst
Guests:

• Rosalyn Colgan - Things to Do Editor at TimeOut New York
• Brian Donahue - Jersey Journalist
  Release Date: June 27, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of ALL Of It, host David Fuerst delves into the sun-soaked shores of New York and New Jersey, exploring the best beaches each state has to offer. Joined by Rosalyn Colgan from TimeOut New York and Jersey journalist Brian Donahue, the discussion navigates through iconic spots, hidden gems, family-friendly locations, and surfer paradises. Additionally, listener calls provide personal insights and recommendations, enriching the conversation with diverse perspectives.

Key Criteria for Choosing the Perfect Beach

Rosalyn Colgan (02:11): Emphasizes the importance of having a spacious area to lay towels, minimal crowds, and the presence of a boardwalk. She values beaches that offer cultural experiences alongside sun and sand, citing Coney Island as her favorite for its historical exhibits and vibrant atmosphere.

Brian Donahue (02:42): Highlights a balance of natural beauty, boardwalk culture, and quality amenities like good restaurants. For him, a good beach must have gentle swimming areas to accommodate families with children and older visitors.

Top Recommendations in New York

Rosalyn Colgan (03:54):

• Coney Island: An iconic destination known for its vintage charm, lively boardwalk, and historical exhibits. Despite being crowded, the cultural attractions and family-friendly amusement rides make it worthwhile.

Rosalyn Colgan on Brighton Beach (16:35):

• Brighton Beach: Neighboring Coney Island, it offers a quieter, more relaxed vibe with a significant Russian community. Visitors can enjoy unique shops, authentic cuisine, and a less frenetic beach experience.

Orchard Beach in the Bronx (19:48):

• Orchard Beach: Dubbed the "Riviera of New York," this mile-long beach offers stunning views, diverse dining options, and activities like salsa dancing on Sundays. Rosalyn praises its facilities and unique charm.

Asbury Park (23:25):

• Asbury Park: Known for its vibrant art scene, surf schools, and live music venues like the Stone Pony. It combines beach activities with cultural and artistic engagements, making it a versatile destination.

Top Recommendations in New Jersey

Brian Donahue (05:20):

• Island Beach State Park: Praised for its pristine natural environment, dolphin sightings, and extensive protected land. Ideal for those seeking a tranquil escape with opportunities for fishing, bird watching, and kayaking.

• Seaside Heights Boardwalk: Offers a classic boardwalk experience with entertainment and dining options reminiscent of Coney Island. Brian notes concerns about gentrification but appreciates its enduring cultural feel.

Craig from Morganville (07:16):

• Sandy Hook Beach Park: Features diverse environments with inlets for fishing and swimming. It's part of a larger area that includes trails for bird watching and access to Highlands, NJ for fine dining.

• Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch: Combines beach access with family-friendly amenities like playgrounds and swimming areas. Brian highlights its historical significance and pleasant swimming conditions.

Brigantine (11:52):

• Brigantine: An island beach offering a peaceful retreat with a mix of nature and history. Brian shares anecdotes about local traditions, such as the annual Benny’s calendar featuring cars stuck in the sand.

Specialized Beach Experiences

Surfing Opportunities (20:59):

• Rockaway Beach: Recognized for its accessible surf culture within city limits. Rosalyn encourages visitors to explore local surf schools for lessons.

• Lavalette and Sea Bright: Home to dedicated surf schools like Sam Hammer Surf School, these beaches are ideal for both beginners and experienced surfers seeking quality waves.

Bird Watching (33:53):

• Cape May: Renowned as a global bird-watching hub due to its location on the Atlantic Flyway. Brian recommends it for enthusiasts keen on observing diverse bird species.

• Gunnison Beach: Besides being New Jersey’s only official nude beach, it also serves as a prime spot for bird watching, offering serene environments away from the bustling boardwalks.

Tips for Avoiding Crowds

Rosalyn Colgan (09:43): Suggests exploring less frequented areas like the Rockaways during off-peak times. Staying overnight at hotels nearby can provide early morning access to quieter beaches.

Brian Donahue (10:21): Recommends visiting beaches early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the midday crowds. Bringing family members with incentives, such as treats, can encourage early arrivals and maximize solo beach time.

Environmental Concerns

Cleanliness of Beaches (26:51):
Both Rosalyn and Brian acknowledge the pervasive issue of beach pollution, particularly plastic waste. Brian attributes much of the debris to ocean currents and sewer overflows rather than individual littering. He advocates for collective action to reduce ocean plastics as the long-term solution.

Listener Highlights

• Jason from Brooklyn (13:56): Shares a heartfelt poem about Brighton Beach, encapsulating the serene and uplifting spirit of the location. Rosalyn connects his imagery to Brighton Beach’s unique cultural blend.

• Craig from Jersey City (28:20): Reiterates his fondness for Fire Island and other Jersey Shore beaches, noting facilities like surf schools and family-friendly environments.

• Rachel from Tarrytown (36:47): Introduces Rye Playland and Glen Island Park in Westchester County, highlighting their historical significance and picturesque settings along the Long Island Sound.

Unique Beach Features

• Gunnison Beach (31:47): As New Jersey’s official nude beach, Gunnison offers a unique and friendly environment. Brian discusses its controlled setting within a federal park, ensuring a respectful atmosphere for all visitors.

• Jones Beach (28:26): Celebrated for its expansive six-mile stretch, Jones Beach provides meticulously maintained facilities, live concerts, and diverse recreational activities, making it a quintessential summer destination.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with enthusiastic plans from both guests to enjoy upcoming beach activities, encapsulating the joy and anticipation associated with the summer season. Rosalyn and Brian express their excitement for revisiting favorite spots and discovering new ones, encouraging listeners to explore and cherish the diverse beaches of New York and New Jersey.

Notable Quotes:

• Rosalyn Colgan (02:11):
  "It's gotta have a nice spot to lay out your towel, not too crowded, and a nice boardwalk with a bit of culture."

• Brian Donahue (02:42):
  "The sweet spot is finding a place that has great nature, funky boardwalk culture, and quality restaurant options."

• Brian Donahue (27:54):
  "The ocean is full of plastic and garbage, and it washes up on the beaches. It's distressing and upsetting to no end."

• Rosalyn Colgan (16:35):
  "Rockaway has a pretty cool surf culture within an hour and a half of midtown Manhattan. It's inspiring!"

This comprehensive discussion not only highlights the best beaches in the bi-state area but also underscores the importance of balancing leisure with environmental responsibility. Listeners are encouraged to explore these destinations thoughtfully, embracing both the natural beauty and cultural richness they offer.

Transcript

[Rosalyn Colgan]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

[David Fuerst]

It's all of it on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst and for Alison Stewart, this week was a scorcher in our area with a heat wave that put the feels like temperature up around 100 degrees. But there's only so much air conditioning we can blast ourselves with before we decide we have to endure the heat and get back outside. And one of the best ways to do that is to avail ourselves of some of the many beaches in our area. And whether you're looking for something family friendly or if you're looking for good surfing or maybe a well apportioned boardwalk, you can find plenty of sunny and sandy options in New York and New Jersey here. Now, to help us pick the best beaches for our own particular wants and needs, let's welcome Rosalyn Colgan, the things to do editor at TimeOut New York.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Glad to be here.

[David Fuerst]

It's great to have you here. And for the New Jersey side of things, we have Jersey journalist Brian Donahue. Good to see you again.

[Brian Donahue]

Good to be here.

[David Fuerst]

And listeners, what are your favorite, favorite beaches and why? What do you look for in a good beach? The lines are open, 212-433-WNYC. You can also hit up our socials at all of it. Excuse me, at all of It. Wnyc. We want to hear about your go to spots, maybe how you prep for a fantastic time at the beach. And maybe you have questions for our guests today who are both wearing their local beach expert hats. The number again for your beach day calls is 212-433-9692. And Rosalind, let's start with you. What are some of the things you look for in a good beach?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Good question. Well, it's gotta have a nice spot to lay out your towel, not too, too crowded. And then I love a nice boardwalk and I also love a beach where there's a little bit of culture as well, not just the beach. So for example, I love going to Coney island and checking out some of the history exhibits and the mus getting a little break from the sun every once in a while.

[David Fuerst]

So there is a plan B lurking somewhere.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

That's right. In case of rain or in case you just get too hot.

[David Fuerst]

Yes, Brian, what about you? What makes a good bee similar?

[Brian Donahue]

That mix. I have sort of a calculus in my brain of the three things that Jersey Shore towns could or should have or some combination. One is sort of great nature, you know, ocean swimming, bird watching, whatever your thing is. The other is that funky boardwalk culture that I really love. And then the third is kind of more bougie creature comforts like good restaurants. And you can find a place that has all three. It's almost impossible to find one that has all three, but you can kind of mix and match and build a day or a weekend or a vacation around those three things. And that's, I think, the sweet spot in trying to find a place to go. And then the other thing I really look for in a beach is good swimming. Like not a beach that drops off right into the water where you have, you have little kids or older people and they're going to just all of a sudden be pummeled and be pile driven into the sand where you have a nice slope.

[David Fuerst]

You can get the stim kind of body surfing in there before you swim or wading.

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah. And people overlook that. That's a huge factor in my book.

[David Fuerst]

Good swimming is key. So how do we find that sweet spot? If you're going to each nominate a New York beach, maybe to go up a New Jersey beach for the gold medal here, what would you pick in New York?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Well, it's probably one of the most iconic, and I mentioned it before, but I'll tell you a little bit more about why I think Coney island is worth it. It's worth braving the crowds I mentioned. You need a spot to spread your towel out and see. Sometimes that can be tough at Coney, but it's worth going. As I said, it's iconic, it's vintage, it has the energy of an earlier era. So of course, when I'm there, I'm laying out in the sun, I'm swimming. But as I mentioned, I'm also going to some exhibits. There's a great one right now at the Coney Island History Project, which is free to visit. They're doing a photography exhibit. And these photos are from 1965 to 1975 of Coney island going through a pretty difficult time. So you really can learn about the history of the area. Well, then you get to go out and enjoy it. And of course, if you're visiting with family, there's a lot of amusement rides to check out as well.

[David Fuerst]

Do you brave the rides?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

I have to say, I am not a fan of Braving the rides. Braving. You know, going in the ocean is the most for me.

[Brian Donahue]

The Cyclone at Coney island is great. I mean, it is, and it's harrowing because it really feels like you could come out of flying out of that thing in a second. Like it. You know, you're rattling around and the shaking. It's not like these modern roller coasters, which are all on these. They're smooth, you know, they don't feel like it's perilous.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Maybe this will be my year. We'll see.

[Brian Donahue]

Gotta do it. Gotta do it.

[David Fuerst]

The rattle adds to the thrill. Okay, so if you're going to nominate a New Jersey beach, Brian, where are you going again?

[Brian Donahue]

It's this sort of mixing and matching because the towns and the beaches in New Jersey are all very distinctive, one to the next. So if you've gone. If you've gone to the shore maybe once and didn't like it, you've just gone to the wrong place. Each place is so distinct, and that's what makes the shore great. So you maybe want to mix and match. My perfect beach day would be Island Beach State park, which is just complete nature. You know, it's just miles and miles of protected land. State park, and it's just phenomenal. The ocean is beautiful there. There's. There's dolphins almost every time I go out in the morning. And then, you know, a couple of miles away, you have the Seaside Heights boardwalk. And that is that, you know, like Coney island, that funky boardwalk culture. And now it is. You should get there, because I feel like it's disappearing, you know, I mean, a lot of these places are being gentrified, Seaside Heights included. A lot of the old motels are being replaced with condos, but it's still there. The boardwalk still kind of can feel like it did, you know, 50, 60, 80 years ago. And if you do a day on the beach in Island Beach State park and then roll over to the boardwalk and do some people watching and have a beer in one of the boardwalk bars and go on the Ferris wheel, that's perfection.

[David Fuerst]

And those two worlds are very close to each other, as you're saying. And yeah, Island Beach State park in New Jersey. I mean, seven miles of uninterrupted beach and state park land on that barrier island leading down to the Barnegat Inlet. It's just amazing.

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah. All times of year, too.

[David Fuerst]

All times of year. If you want to join this conversation, if you want to nominate your own beach and talk about your favorite New York, New Jersey beaches, experiences. 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. Let's hear from Craig in Morganville, New Jersey. Welcome to all of it.

[Craig]

Hey, guys. One is Sandy Hook Beach Park. There's lots of little inlets and private areas. You can go fishing. You can go in the water. I'm also, as a Hamptons kid, I love Flying Point beach in Southampton and Seven Presidents beach in Long Branch, New Jersey. Thanks.

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah, Seven Presidents is great. Long Branch, I call this sort of Jekyll and Hyde beach because the old funky boardwalk there is gone. The amusement pier was burned down in the 80s and it's been replaced by some really upscale apartments. It's not the same, but you do have Seven Presidents park, which is a county run park, which is just parking and beach and bathrooms and some amenities there. And a great playground for little kids. I love that spot. I learned to surf there in the 80s right at the white wall there just north of Long Branch, actually, there's a white concrete wall and Sandy Hook as well is maybe one of my favorite places on the planet. It's such a great mix of nature and old crumbling history. You know, it was a military base from the Revolutionary War right through the Cold War. And I never go out there without seeing something amazing. And it's phenomenal. Fishing, bird watching is incredible. And the history, the military history out there is incredible.

[David Fuerst]

If you want to join the conversation, 212-433-9692. Steve from Lynbrook. Excuse me, Lynbrook. Writing in to say my favorite beach is Fire island beach by the lighthouse. Not only is the water beautiful, but it's also a great area for fishing.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

I have heard that. I have not personally been there, but I've heard Fire island is a great spot for, for, for fishing in the summer. Of course, it also has this reputation as being a really popular spot for the city's LGBT crowd. And with Pride weekend, I imagine Fire island is going to be very popular this weekend. As long as we get some sun. That is.

[David Fuerst]

Well, right. And. But you know, it's not 100 degrees outside, so.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

That's right. We have that going.

[David Fuerst]

For us, that's a big plus. Now, we've been talking about a lot of beach communities that have kind of bustling towns around them, which can add a lot of sense of fun and community. Sometimes it can be overwhelming in the summer as you're fighting big crowds and maybe looking for parking that doesn't exist. Are there some beaches in the area where you that you can point out where you can really feel like you've gotten away from it all. You're both looking at me with a blank stare.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Well, I can start. This does have a little bit of a depending on the part you go to. But I also have to recommend the Rockaways. I try to get out there as often as I can in the summertime. If you are looking for a little bit of a quieter experience, you can find that out there. But you also can find some amenities nearby as well. My ideal weekend situation is I actually would recommend staying at the Rockaway Hotel. So I'll stay there overnight and then be able to get to the beach in the morning. I was just there a few weeks ago and there was only two other people on the beach, so being able to have the beach to myself felt amazing. And then I could go back to the pool at the hotel anytime I wanted to and relax there as well.

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah, you mentioned that. That's the absolute key is, you know, in July and August at the Jersey shore, weekends you're not going to avoid crowds. But if there's one thing I would tell people, it's avoid the peak times, try to avoid the weekends. And if you can get there really early or stay late on the beach, that is the ideal time. I mean, I would get my kids up when they were little. I would bribe them with Dunkin Donuts on the way to the beach and say that works. If you get up by seven, we get to the beach by 7:30. And now you have three, four hours at the beach and it's by yourself. I'm not advocating swimming when the lifeguards are not there. That is definitely. No, no. But if you can get there a couple hours before they go on duty, get your swim in when they first come on duty and then haul out of there when the crowds are arriving, or vice versa. My family would do a lot of times, would we go to the beach around 5 o' clock, maybe like in Seabrite. We'd get some good pizza from Seabrite Pizza and then we would get an evening swim in and then just chill on the beach as the sun went down. And it's not crowded. That's the way to do it.

[David Fuerst]

I used to love getting to the beach first thing in the morning in Cape May when the family was still asleep and going down to the water. There would be a guy out there practicing the trumpet, playing into the wind at the edge of the water. Just beautiful in the morning.

[Brian Donahue]

Those mornings are spectacular.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, let's take another phone call. 212-433-WNYC. We're talking about the best local beaches. Carolina in New Jersey. Welcome.

[Carolina]

Hello.

[David Fuerst]

Do I have your name right?

[Carolina]

Carolina.

[David Fuerst]

Oh, thank you. Carolina. Welcome.

[Carolina]

Thank you so much. I think Brigantine, New Jersey, is the best beach. It is on an island and there's a bridge, and on the other side is Atlantic City. So you can go escape. It's very. There's a boardwalk that doesn't have anything on it and a little nature place, and a beach is a little bit more quiet. And then if you really want to, you can go to Atlantic City. It's raining. You can go shopping. There's casinos. I don't support gambling, but it's a good mix of both.

[David Fuerst]

You don't support gambling, but you support that beach?

[Carolina]

I support the beach. And if you, you know, if it rains, there's things to do nearby.

[Brian Donahue]

I do love Brigantine. That is a. There's a beautiful beach. You have the inlet there, and then Atlantic City itself, too, right across the causeway there. I really feel like Atlantic City's beaches get short shrift. A lot of people just kind of turn their noses up at them. But Brigantine really is beautiful. You know what's crazy about Brigantine? There's the bait shop in Brigant. And every year that guy publishes a calendar with photos of people who got stuck in the sand in their cars. It's hilarious because the locals all laugh at the Benny's and the Shoobies as they derisively recall the Bennys.

[David Fuerst]

That's terminology.

[Brian Donahue]

Who come down in their cars and pull their Lexus right into the sand and get stuck. And somebody goes out, takes a picture, and this calendar sells out every year. Wow. The bait shop there in Brigantine, and they're all Benny's.

[David Fuerst]

Is New Jersey terminology for people who.

[Brian Donahue]

Are not shore tourist.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, shore tourist.

[Brian Donahue]

The origin of that term can be debated forever. No one knows where it came from, but. Yeah, but that calendar. So if you're in Brigantine, beautiful beach, and try to get an order in for that, the calendar.

[David Fuerst]

Brian Donahue, New Jersey reporter. We're also speaking with Rosalind Colgan, Things to do editor at timeout New York. Let's take another one of your calls. Oh, let's see here. Let's hear from Jason in Brooklyn. Welcome to all of it.

[Jason]

Hi. Hi. Hi. How are you? I'm so excited about talking about my local beach. And P.S. by the way, if you're interested, I wrote a poem about it.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. Well, first of all, what's the beach?

[Jason]

The beach is the Brighton Coney island beach here in Brooklyn, New York. It's accessible through the trains, fast transportation. It's easy to get to. It's about, Gosh. Well, the good, the wonderful things about the boardwalk and the beach there is that when they built the boardwalk, they also put in place these rest areas from the sun where they have benches and they're covered and you get to see the boats. You get to see everything. You get to see the beach, but you're out of the sun and they place it like every quarter mile. Okay, well, Coney island is wonderful. Yeah.

[David Fuerst]

Well, let's hear a little, a little taste of the poem that you've written about the beach.

[Jason]

Hey, sure.

[Brian Donahue]

Okay.

[Jason]

Can we fly? Can we hold onto our elbows and fly, being careful of not being careful of not searing our faces with speed and wind? Are you still there?

[David Fuerst]

Yes, we're here. And, and it sounds great because I.

[Jason]

See, I, I thank you. I received another call, so I didn't know if I lost you or not. Okay, let me just, I'll continue along. I'll start again. And it's the seagulls flying. It's the seagulls. Can we fly? Can we hold onto our elbows and fly, being careful of not searing our face with speed and wind? Soothing. Can we lightly hold our hands as a warm embrace dance at the edge of air? Let's sing like birds do. Let's sing like flowers do when they open up the very first time. Well, sing at the. Yeah.

[David Fuerst]

Rosalind, does that give you some of. Bring some of the imagery to mind of this beach?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Absolutely. What a beautiful poem. Thank you so much for sharing that. So I'm so glad that you mentioned Brighton Beach. I was hoping we'd get an opportunity to talk about it. It's, of course, a neighbor to Coney island, but, you know, less frills, a little quieter, a, A little more of a chill energy, I would say. And I'm so glad that the caller mentioned the boardwalk, too. There's a really big Russian community in that area. You're going to find some cool shops. I have not found this, but I've heard you can find hard to find vodkas in this area and as well as you can get pierogies. So that's pretty cool. Yeah.

[David Fuerst]

Pierogies by the beach is a.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Who doesn't love that?

[David Fuerst]

Huge thumbs up.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Yeah, absolutely.

[David Fuerst]

In my book. We're going to continue this conversation in just a moment talking about your favorite beaches in New York and New Jersey, excuse me, New York and New Jersey. To join the conversation, 212-433-9692. We're speaking with Brian Donahue and Rosalyn Colgan, all of it here on wnyc. This is ALL of It on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst in for Alison Stewart. We are talking about beaches in New York and New Jersey. If you'd like to join the conversation, perhaps you have a question for one of our guests, Brian Donahue, New Jersey reporter, and Rosalind Colgan, Things to Do editor at TimeOut New York. And we have a lot of calls coming through right now. Let's hear right now from rupa, talking about Asbury park or in Asbury Park. Oh, I'm sorry. I think we just lost rupa. Let's hear Danielle from Leonardo, New Jersey.

[Carolina]

Hi. I just wanted to build upon what your guest said about Island Beach State park and Sandy Hook is that you can't discount the Bayside, which is in walking distance. It's just across the way. And you can launch a kayak on Island Beach State park and go clamming and crabbing and fishing. And then up in Sandy Hook, the same thing. You go over to the bayside, full of wildlife in nature, and you can crab, you can fish, you can swim. And it's also quite easy if you have small children or older people. And then just across the river is Highlands, New Jersey, which has some of the best restaurants on the Jersey shore. And there's a ferry boat that goes from Manhattan to Sandy Hook on the weekends. So it's beautiful.

[David Fuerst]

Brian, we're hearing a lot of good advice right there. And yes, we're talking a lot of these places we're talking about are barrier islands. So it's very easy to walk to the bay side of the island or the ocean side.

[Brian Donahue]

Right. And Sandy Hook has that really great when the tide goes out to tide pools for kids to play in. There's kayak rentals out there. Now there's bike rentals at Sandy Hook. I mean, if I lived in New York City, the ferry to Sandy Hook would be for me the way to go. Because then you get off the ferry, you can rent a bike, you can tool around. There was one. There's some food trucks out there. There was one eatery out there called Seagull's Nest that got destroyed in Sandy. So there really was not a restaurant or a place to get drinks. But in the past year or two, a place has opened up out in Sandy Hill called the Mule Barn in an old mule barn that was actually used to house mules back when it was an old military base. And that's a fully operating outdoor seating. So you can not only do all that, but you can have a place to eat at the end of the day and get a drink as well, which is kind of a new, old thing for Sandy Hook. But that bayside is fantastic.

[David Fuerst]

Fantastic. And Rosalind, this is going to be a question for you or maybe for both of you. This is a text. I have no car. I can get to Coney by Subway, Rockaway on the ferry. Any other good options for someone without a car?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

I also don't have a car, so I totally endorse Coney and Rockaway as well. Ferry and Subway are super easy. The other one I want to recommend, and I haven't been there either, so maybe this caller and I should go there together this summer. But Orchard beach in the Bronx, I have heard it described as the Riviera. The Riviera of New York. I don't know if either of you have been there, but we can debate whether that's true. So it's a mile long, 115 acres. It doesn't have as huge of a waterfront as some of the other beaches that we've talked about, but it does have some cool restaurants and bars, concession stands. So that one being in the Bronx, I think that would be another good option to look into for this year.

[David Fuerst]

And let's hear from Margaret from the Bronx. Welcome to all of it.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Oh, hi.

[Brian Donahue]

You know, I had to start driving again, so I don't think I could take the call.

[Rachel]

But I wanted to say Orchard beach.

[Brian Donahue]

On Sunday, Salsa dancing is incredible.

[David Fuerst]

Okay.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Fabulous Sundays.

[David Fuerst]

Let's not keep that going with driving.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

But yes, you endorse that sounds like something we all need to add to our checklist for this summer. Salsa's dancing on Sundays at Orchard Beach. Let's go.

[David Fuerst]

Let's go. All right, Brian, how about this? Any good resources or particular places that are good for learning to surf?

[Brian Donahue]

So there's surf schools that have popped up all over the place. I mean, just go on the web and look and find one that that's for you. You know, learning to surf as an adult is a tough thing to do, but I would definitely hire somebody who knows what they're doing, feel it out, you know, get some recommendations. You know, it's just these places have cropped up all over the place. So some of them might be better than others. But also, kids, group setting is probably great. There's camps that have Been set up. But for an adult, you probably want some little more attention. There's one on one people you can hire. There's a guy in Monmouth county, prosurfcoaches.com He's a guy that I see out there all the time who has. I have seen him actually turn adults into surfers. It's a tough thing to learn when you're not young, unemployed and stupid.

[David Fuerst]

Are you allowed to tell us the best beach for surfing in New Jersey? I understand you have signed on to a surfers.

[Brian Donahue]

The two parts of my brain, the journalist part of my brain, which is you're here to disseminate information for the public's benefit. Really conflicts with the surfer side of my brain, which is sworn to secrecy. When you have a good spot to.

[David Fuerst]

Surf, okay, maybe, maybe a popular spot. How about that?

[Brian Donahue]

You can DM me people, if you know, you can find me on social media and maybe I'll tell you. I mean the popular spots, honestly, July and August or the two worst months of the year for surfing New Jersey. I mean, you really want to go off season if you're learning. You want to go when the weather is warmer and the water is warmer. But really, you know, any place is fine to learn. You want small waves, which we have in the summer, and you want a good teacher.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

I just wanted to shout out briefly, Rockaway has a pretty cool surf culture. I love that. You know, within an hour of hour, hour and a half of midtown Manhattan, you can find that surf culture. I believe they have a couple surfing schools. You know, I've never tried it, but maybe, maybe we should. Maybe I should lear be inspired by you. Yeah. But it really does have kind of a surf energy there, which is cool that it's right within the city limits.

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah. Long Branch, Asbury Park, Lavalette. There are surf schools all up at Sea Bright. There's surf schools popping up all over the place.

[David Fuerst]

Now. Let's take another call if you want to join the conversation. We have a lot of questions and heads up about different beaches. Right now. 212-433-9692. Oh, we can hear from Rupa in Asbury Park. Welcome to all of it.

[Brian Donahue]

Hello.

[Rachel]

Thanks for giving me another chance.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Sure.

[Rachel]

So, yeah, Asbury Park. Greetings from Asbury Park. We have so many of the things that were mentioned. We do have surf schools. We're easily accessible from public transit. You can take a train down to Asbury Park. But it also has one of the most unique ways to beat the heat. There's something called the Asbury Art club, where you can come in off the. Off the hot sand and you can do art projects. So you can sign up to do watercolor, mosaic, jelly prints, all kinds of stuff like that. And Esber is also home to the wooden walls project, which is a series of amazing murals that rotate every now and then. But it's got everything you could want and great art to do.

[David Fuerst]

And some really cool pinball, too.

[Brian Donahue]

Oh, the Silverwall Pinball Museum. One of the greatest places. Just a whole bunch of pinball machines. You pay one price. That's a great place to go in winter, too, because it's right on the boardwalk and you're playing pinball. But, God, I love Asbury Park. I had a magical night there Tuesday night. Friends from out of town, we had a drink at the bar around the boardwalk. Halfway through my smoky Paloma Mojito or cocktail, I jumped in the Ocean. It was 100 degrees. I came back and finished it. And then one of my favorite things with the Asbury park boardwalk is when there's a Stone Pony summer stage. The stage is right there, not far off the boardwalk. And if you're a cheapskate like me, you can just hear it from the boardwalk. And a lot of people do set up chairs. And Sunday night, is George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic playing there? I cannot. I mean, it's going to be magical. I get a couple of surf. I get a couple of tacos from Mogo. Korean tacos right there. Hang out and listen to the music for free.

[David Fuerst]

You're advocating for the free beach? Listen there.

[Brian Donahue]

Yes. Or, you know, or buy a ticket and go in. You know, buy a ticket.

[David Fuerst]

Let's take another call. Bo in New Jersey. Oh, we mentioned Lavalette. Beau, you're also pro Lavalette.

[Rachel]

I am. I'm very much so pro Lavalette. I'm actually in Lavalette right now at the beach.

[David Fuerst]

Oh, you're at the beach. What's going on?

[Rachel]

It's a little nasty here, but the town of Lavalette, I cannot say enough good things about it. I love it here. The lifeguards are always super kind to you. The surfing is great. I know you guys mentioned the surf school here. It's Sam Hammer Surf School. They run out of here, and they're fantastic down there. They really help out a lot.

[David Fuerst]

That's great. Thank you. Let's go straight to another phone call. Matt in Blue Point, you wanted to call out some beaches?

[Brian Donahue]

Yes, hi. I wanted to call out the Fire Island National Seashore. I know a caller earlier mentioned the Robert Moses State park, which is a great accessible beach via a car. But I also wanted to point out the Sunken forest and Watch Hill, which are part of the national seashore. They're a little further east, and they're accessible via ferries, but they're really nice day trips.

[David Fuerst]

Great. Thank you for that. Heads up.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Wow. You stumped me on that one. I haven't heard about that. I've got to add that to my list this year. The one I was going to recommend on Fire island was Cherry Grove beach, which, you know, has kind of the same beachfront as a lot of the other Fire island spots, of course, but it's more laid back, a little bit more affordable. But thank you for that recommendation. That's amazing.

[David Fuerst]

We have a question here for both of you. Rosalind, I'll start with you. This is a text. Can either of your guests recommend a clean beach? One that is not littered with plastic bottles, bits of Styrofoam cooler? Signed, traumatized New York City Jersey shore visitor.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Gosh, I. What a sign of the times. I wish I could answer that question better, but I do feel that I unfortunately often find little bits of plastic and garbage on the beach. What do you think?

[Brian Donahue]

The ocean is full of plastic and the ocean is full of garbage, and it washes up on the beaches and the Jersey shore, especially the northern part of the Jersey Shore. I spent a lot of time on those bay beaches in Sandy Hook fishing. It's a giant funnel. Anything that goes down a sewer grain grate in anywhere north of Lower Manhattan is going to flow out past that point. It lands up on the beaches. It is distressing. It's upsetting. Balloons. I go out in the morning and I'll walk in with. If there's a northeast wind, I'll come in with five, ten balloons every time. You know, they do rake the beaches in the morning, and it's really nice. They have these big sand rake machines, and a lot of the towns will do that and get stuff up. So when you get there in the morning, it's clean. But there's this mis. I think people are mistaken in thinking that a lot of the stuff that's on the beaches is left there by beachgoers. But a lot of it just washes up in the ocean. It is upsetting to no end.

[David Fuerst]

Upsetting to no end. So you don't have a real magical answer to that question?

[Brian Donahue]

No. Let's all get active and get the plastics out of the ocean. That's the answer. And, you know, cleaning it up with a surf rake is kind of like, just covering up the problem. I think we should all face it and try to do something about it.

[David Fuerst]

Join this conversation right now. 212-433-9692. Let's hear from Joe in Manhasset. Welcome to all of it.

[Craig]

Hello there. I love the show. I had to call because I do love the beach.

[David Fuerst]

What do you have?

[Craig]

Yeah, I wanted to highlight the wonders of. I think you might have mentioned Jones beach already. Just, I wanted to mention how we love being the family and friends. We love the entire scene on the south shore of Long island, particularly Jones beach and all those different fields. And especially in the summer when there are concerts. I mean, there's nothing like a late afternoon dip in the beach in the ocean and then going to a show and you're not getting burnt and you can smell the water and see boats. It's just fantastic.

[David Fuerst]

Joe, I think you're speaking our language.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Yeah, that sounds like a perfect day. I have to agree with you. Perfect summer day. But, yeah, Jones beach is great. Six miles. It's really an expansive beach. And then it is. You know, despite what we were saying earlier about beaches having plastic, Jones beach is typically pretty well manicured. And they have a lot of cool amenities. Mini golf ball court, shuffleboard. So if you've got a family that you want to entertain, it's a good spot for that. Absolutely. And the live music, as you mentioned, great as well.

[David Fuerst]

We're talking New York and New Jersey beaches. Let's hear from Howard in Jersey City. Welcome.

[Craig]

Hello. Hi. Thank you for taking my call. So I grew up on Long island in Bayshore, which is the town where you get the ferry to Fire Island. So I spent all my youth at Fire island, at Robert Moses State park, et cetera. And we always put down the Jersey beaches, Jersey City beaches, they're awful. They're nothing like New York beaches. Well, now I live in New Jersey, and even though I still like Fire island, we rent a house there in the summer, I do spend time at Island Beach State park, at Asbury park, et cetera, because it's closer. It's an hour, an hour and a half away. And I have to save the Long island beaches for when I have more time. But it's taken some time to get used to the Jersey Shore beaches because of our attitude when we were young.

[David Fuerst]

It's hard to get up. Oh, how the table have turned. It's hard to get over those attitudes, though, right? Those ones that are burned in young.

[Brian Donahue]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I've been a surfer for 40 years. And I rarely go out to Long Island. I mean, I've spent so little time. It's just you have to drive around New York City and you have to go do all these bridges. But you mentioned something too about it taking time. And that's one thing about the Jersey shore is I think, I know people have come and maybe visited once or twice and they didn't have a great experience, but you have to kind of like, like do a little homework and find your spot. Each place is so different from the next and you can. I had a friend visiting from out of town a couple years ago. We were on the beach and her brother in law was from Florida and he was kind of a hunting, fishing guy. And he was in the middle of the packed Asbury park beach on a summer day and music was blaring and he was just completely out of his element. And I was like, man, there's other spots I wish I could take you to. He goes, you would love, you would love the shore, I swear, you know, we could dig clams, you know, so there's spots. You gotta find your spots. And like you said, it does take some time to figure it all out.

[David Fuerst]

That's exactly right. I wanna get to some texts too. Let's hear. This is Mike in Union, New Jersey, seconds a caller's recommendation for Sandy Hook, but specifically Gunnison Beach. Lot G says it is the only official nude beach in New Jersey. Super cool, super friendly. What about that?

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah, there used to be two. There used to be another one way down in South Jersey, but former governor Christy Whitman wiped that out a couple years ago. So Gunnison beach is, you know, there's signs, Beware, you know, you may encounter nude sunbathers beyond this point. And that is a big scene. And if you like, you know, there's, there's big, you know, it's big in the summer, even early in the spring, people are going out there. That's a great. It's very rare, right? Because it's federal. It's a federal park. So the state laws did not apply. And so Gunnison lives on.

[David Fuerst]

What about New York?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

I don't know of any, if any callers know. You can tell me. All I know is Gunnison, which I've heard used to be a military base and the soldiers were known to skinny dip there. And we can, everyone can continue that tradition, I suppose.

[Brian Donahue]

There is a giant gun battery when you, when you walk in there, like there's a giant, you know, these, these protected New York Harbor. So you're going to A nude beach, but you have to walk past giant.

[David Fuerst]

Guns threatening.

[Brian Donahue]

It's amazing. The place is fascinating.

[David Fuerst]

We have a text question here. Do you know of any pet friendly beaches?

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Pet friendly is tough. The only one I know of, and this is in New Jersey, I believe. Bayshore Waterfront park allows pets on leashes at certain times. That's the only one I've heard of, though.

[Brian Donahue]

Though Asbury Park. Now, I could be wrong. Things change, like rules and laws change from year to year. But I think they had a dog beach on the north end of town. Yeah, I'm pretty sure. And now Sandy Hook has restrictions, especially during the summer because there's birds nesting on the ocean side. But dogs can go on the bayside. They don't want the dogs going and messing with the birds that nest on the oceanside. But look at those rules. There are a couple dog beaches. I think there's a bay beach in Manasquan that people refer to as dog beach. You know, do some homework on that. I know there's a few of them out there.

[David Fuerst]

And while we're talking about animals, this, this question is for all of its senior producer, Kate Hines, although she probably already has dozens of answers for this one. Can you tell us about a great beach for birding?

[Brian Donahue]

Oh, of course. Kate would have that. Yeah. Bird watching. I mean, Cape May is one of the bird watching capitals of the world. It's right on the Atlantic Flyway. It's incredible the diversity of species you can see there, especially in the spring and the fall migrations. One of the locals once down there told me that they love to watch the bird watchers. So if you'd like to watch the bird watchers, that's also a great spot. And you know any of those state parks, Courson's Inlet State park is another one that's really, really cool. In Southern Jersey, there's no swimming allowed there, which always never a beach state park with no swimming. But that makes it all the more better for bird watching and also Sandy Hook for bird watching. I have seen incredible stuff out there. I once saw a bald eagle take down a ring billed gull on a pathway there.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Rosalynn, I've got one more. We just talked about Gunnison as a spot where people can go skinny dipping, but it's also a great spot for bird watching. So you can add that to another mark in Gunnison's corner.

[David Fuerst]

And while we're talking about birds, what about those? I mean, there it is, the laughing gull. I mean, it's one of the absolute signature Sounds of being at the beach. But these birds are known for what? Their aggressive nature, Their next level, hide your french fries. Their next level, food stealing skills. Are there any particular beaches that are known to be especially under the sway of the local gull population?

[Brian Donahue]

Yeah, so I actually did a story, my TV segment a couple years ago explaining why, you know, people know when they go to the shore in New Jersey, they often comment about how much more aggressive the gulls are in south Jersey versus the beaches in North Jersey. And it's always been just something like wildwood. In Ocean City particular, if you go to wildwood, all of the seating areas when the food outlets are, they're, they're covered with this netting and screening to keep the gulls away. There's a pizzeria on the boardwalk there that says there are no refunds if a gull steals your pizza. In Ocean City, they had to hire a falconer a couple years ago and the falconer is still there. I think they paid like 50 grand for the summer to keep this. So the falcon flies around and keeps the gulls away. But my, I feel like I explained this. You know, the, the laughing gull is the most aggressive species of gull. They're smaller, they're spunkier, they have that sound that you just, just, just played. And one of the largest breeding colonies of laughing gulls is just in the marshes kind of west of Wildwood and Ocean City. In the marshes. Wow. So you have the biggest breeding colony in the world of the most aggressive species of gull a couple of miles away from an orgy of pizza and french fries. And it's, it's disaster. It's a recipe for disaster.

[David Fuerst]

Eat quickly. Okay, I think we have time for what we'll call Rachel in Tarrytown. Welcome to all of it. Do you have a beach you want to mention?

[Carolina]

Hey, everybody. Nice. Thank you for taking my call. I didn't hear anyone mention Rye Playland has an awesome beach just to camp out. It's really unique, historic, beautiful buildings. And that's in Westchester county in Rye, New York. And the second one is right after Rye is Glen Island Park. And there's a drawbridge that was built in 1920. It's in New Rochelle and it's one of Westchester's unique jewelry. It was initially developed as a summer resort and the original design exhibited five cultures of the western world. So anyway, now it's all filled in. It's a big crescent shaped beach and has stunning views of the Long Island Sound.

[David Fuerst]

Rachel, thank you for adding to our conversation today and thank all of you for all of the calls. The lines have been packed throughout this discussion. So many calls and texts we could only get to some of them. I'm seeing people talking about gulls stealing their french fries right now just as we wrap up. Do either of you have beach plans this weekend?

[Brian Donahue]

Brian I will be at aforementioned Sandy Hook probably setting the alarm for 4:30 tomorrow morning and I'll be probably hopefully in the water by 6 o' clock and then that George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic concert on Sunday night.

[David Fuerst]

Oh that's.

[Brian Donahue]

I mean it's perfect weekend.

[David Fuerst]

That's a perfect weekend.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

Rosalind that sounds fabulous. I'm planning another trip to the Rockaways for July, so I'm counting the days to give back there.

[David Fuerst]

Counting the days. Well, it is time for the flip flops. New Jersey journalist Brian Donahue and TimeOut New York's things to do editor Rosalyn Colgan. Thank you so much for the tips and thanks for joining us.

[Rosalyn Colgan]

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