Official Opening of NYC Beaches for Summer

New York City's public beaches reopen on Saturday, May 23, for the 2026 summer season, restoring lifeguard service and regular swimming hours ahead of Memorial Day weekend. NYC Parks says the city's beaches are free and open to the public, with lifeguards on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 13, 2026. The city says swimming is prohibited when lifeguards are off duty and in sections marked closed with signs or red flags. Time Out New York listed the reopening among its picks for things to do in the city this week. ### When do New York City beaches officially open? Saturday, May 23, is the first day of the city's 2026 beach season, according to NYC Parks and New York City Tourism. NYC Parks says beaches are open from Memorial Day weekend through Sept. 13, 2026, while the tourism listing gives the same May 23 to Sept. 13 season window. Memorial Day weekend has long marked the city's beach opening, but the practical detail for visitors is the start of guarded swimming. NYC Parks says lifeguards begin daily coverage at 10 a.m. and remain on duty until 6 p.m. ### Which beaches are included in the city's summer opening? NYC Parks says it maintains 14 miles of beaches across the five boroughs. The main public sites listed by the agency include Coney Island and Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midland Beach, South Beach, Cedar Grove Beach, Orchard Beach, and Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk. The borough spread matters for weekend visitors choosing between ocean and bay beaches. Brooklyn includes Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach; Queens includes Rockaway Beach; the Bronx has Orchard Beach; and Staten Island includes South Beach, Midland Beach and Cedar Grove Beach, according to NYC Parks. ### What hours can people swim? NYC Parks says lifeguards are on duty every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during beach season. The agency says swimming is prohibited outside those hours and in closed sections. Red flags and posted signs mark closed areas, according to NYC Parks. The city also says all of its public beaches are free to enter. ### How does the city decide whether a beach is open, under advisory or closed? The New York City Health Department says it monitors water quality and beach conditions throughout the season and assigns each beach one of three classifications: open, advisory or closed. The department says it collects water samples, tracks rainfall and reviews other environmental conditions including signs of pollution. NYC Health says an advisory means swimming and wading are not recommended, while a closure means they are not allowed. If a beach is under advisory or closed, the department says signage is posted at the site. ### Where should beachgoers check conditions before heading out? NYC Health says beach status, including water quality and advisories, is available on the city's beach information page. NYC Parks also directs visitors to sign up for Notify NYC beach notifications for real-time opening and closing alerts. NYC311 says status information covers water quality, beach safety and whether a swimming or wading advisory is in effect. The city notes that the Coney Island beach status applies to both Coney Island Beach and Brighton Beach. ### Why is the reopening showing up on this week's events lists? Time Out New York included the return of beach season in its roundup of things to do in the city this week, reflecting the timing of the opening just before the holiday weekend. New York City Tourism also lists "Public Beaches Open" as a citywide seasonal event running from May 23 through Sept. 13. Sept. 13, 2026, is the scheduled last day of the city's beach season, according to NYC Parks. Until then, beachgoers can check daily conditions through NYC Health and Notify NYC before making plans for Coney Island, Rockaway, Orchard Beach or the city's other public shorelines.