NYC Beaches Official Season Opening May 23

New York City will open its public beaches for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 23, according to NYC Parks. The city says lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and swimming will be prohibited when lifeguards are not on duty or when sections are closed. NYC Parks says its beaches are free and open to the public, and the season will run through September 13, 2026. ### When can people actually swim? Saturday, May 23, is the first day of the season, and NYC Parks says swimming is allowed only during staffed hours. The agency says lifeguards will be on duty every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed sections will be marked with signs or red flags. NY1, in a city weekend guide published May 21, told readers to “mark your calendars” for the May 23 opening and repeated that swimming is prohibited during off-hours. (nycgovparks.org) That matches the city’s public event listing for NYC Public Beaches, which lists the opening on May 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ### How long will the beach season last? (nycgovparks.org) NYC Parks says beaches are open from Memorial Day weekend through September 13, 2026. On individual beach pages, the department also describes the season as running through the Sunday after Labor Day, which falls on September 13 this year. The city’s event page says Parks maintains 14 miles of beaches across the five boroughs. (ny1.com) NYC Parks’ main beaches page uses the same figure and says all city beaches are free to the public. ### Which rules matter once the beaches open? NYC Parks says swimmers must stay out of the water when lifeguards are not on duty and avoid any closed sections. The agency says closures are identified with signs or red flags. (nycgovparks.org) NYC311 says that outside beach season, people may sit, stroll or jog on beaches but cannot swim or wade in the water. During beach season, the service says, swimming is allowed only while lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (nycgovparks.org) ### Where can people check beach conditions? The New York City Health Department says public beaches will reopen for Memorial Day weekend in 2026 and directs residents to the NYC Beach Water Quality Map and NotifyNYC’s “Beach Notifications.” The department says it classifies beach conditions throughout the bathing season and collects water samples weekly at all beaches except Rockaway and Breezy Point, where samples are taken biweekly. (portal.311.nyc.gov) (nycgovparks.org) NY1’s local guide also points readers to city beach information as the season begins. For beachgoers planning a first trip this weekend, the official city sources provide the operating hours, beach rules and condition updates in one place. ### Which beaches are included in the city system? NYC Parks’ beach pages list city sites including Coney Island and Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, and South Beach. (nyc.gov) Those pages repeat the same core rule set: seasonal opening on Memorial Day weekend, lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and no swimming in unstaffed or closed areas. (ny1.com) September 13, 2026, is the scheduled end of the season on the NYC Parks beaches page. Until then, beachgoers can check the Health Department’s water-quality map and NotifyNYC alerts before heading out. (nycgovparks.org) (nycgovparks.org)