NYC beaches open for the season

New York City’s public beaches reopen for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 23, giving swimmers legal access to city surf and sand with lifeguards back on duty. NYC Parks says the city maintains 14 miles of beaches across the five boroughs, and the season will run through September 13, 2026. Lifeguards are scheduled daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the city says swimming is prohibited outside those hours and in closed sections. The reopening marks the city’s annual start of supervised ocean and shoreline swimming ahead of Memorial Day weekend. ### When can people actually get in the water? Saturday, May 23, is the first day of the season for New York City public beaches, according to the city’s events calendar and NYC Parks. The city says beaches open Memorial Day weekend, with supervised swim hours running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. NYC Parks says swimming is prohibited when lifeguards are not on duty and in any section marked closed. (nycgovparks.org) Closed sections are identified with signs or red flags, the agency says. ### Which beaches are included in the city season opening? NYC Parks lists beaches in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island among the city’s public swimming sites. (nycgovparks.org) Those include Coney Island and Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midland Beach, South Beach, Orchard Beach, Rockaway Beach and Cedar Grove Beach, according to the agency’s beaches directory. Time Out New York reported this week that all New York City public beaches would reopen May 23, pointing readers to sites from Coney Island to Rockaway as the season begins. The publication described Rockaway as the city’s only legal surfing beach and noted continued summer traffic to major waterfront destinations including Orchard Beach and Staten Island’s boardwalk beaches. (nycgovparks.org) ### How does the city decide whether a beach is open, under advisory or closed? The New York City Health Department says it monitors and inspects beaches, water quality and beach facilities during the season. The agency says each beach is classified as open, advisory or closed based on water sampling, sanitary surveys, rainfall and other environmental conditions. (timeout.com) An open classification means swimming and wading are allowed, according to the department. An advisory means swimming and wading are not recommended, and a closure means they are not allowed. The department says signs are posted at beaches when an advisory or closure is in effect. ### Where should beachgoers check conditions before leaving home? (nyc.gov) The Health Department says beachgoers can use the city’s beach water quality map to check current conditions before heading out. The agency says it collects water samples at all beaches weekly, except Rockaway and Breezy Point, where sampling is done biweekly. (nyc.gov) NYC Parks and the city’s events page also direct New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC beach notifications for real-time opening and closing alerts. That gives swimmers a city-run source for same-day status changes tied to water quality or other safety conditions. ### What rules are in effect once the season starts? NYC Parks says all city beaches are free and open to the public during the season. (nyc.gov) The agency also says swimmers must stay in designated sections and follow posted flags and signs. The city’s beach pages say free sunscreen remains available at all eight beaches through NYC Parks’ sunscreen program. (nycgovparks.org) That program is listed alongside beach safety guidance on the agency’s main beaches page. ### How long does the 2026 beach season last? September 13, 2026, is the listed end date for the city beach season on the NYC Parks beaches page. (nycgovparks.org) Between May 23 and that date, supervised swimming hours remain 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, according to NYC Parks and the city events calendar. Memorial Day weekend begins the season, and city agencies say beach status updates will continue throughout the summer through Notify NYC and the Health Department’s monitoring system. (nycgovparks.org) New Yorkers planning a first trip this weekend can check those city alerts before heading to the shore. (nyc.gov)