The Atlantic Ocean Beach at Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
Ocean air! Seagulls! The second of three Atlantic Ocean beaches in Brooklyn is the patch of sand and surf located in a neighhborhood known as Brighton Beach. If you didn't know, you wouldn't expect there to be a beach right here, in a largely immigrant Russian neighborhood centered around a sunless shopping street nestled under the overhead subway tracks. But just one block from this bustling, mom-and-pop-filled Brighton Beach Avenue is a wonderful oceanfront, complete with boardwalk, sand, the surf, boardwalk cafes, and entertaining people-watching.
Beach Facilities at Brighton Beach
- Beach stuff: You can rent beach mats available at Brighton 2nd Street.
- Boardwalk: The boardwalk at Brighton Beach is along the Atlantic Ocean, and it runs W. 37th Street to Corbin Place. (Find out what you can and can't do and expect from Brooklyn's boardwalk)
- Bathrooms: There's a public bathroom on the boardwalk at Brighton 2nd, and some places to wash the sand off your feet. However, there are no full changing rooms and no showers at this beach.
- Playground: Kids might enjoy a break at Brighton Beach Playground, located between the Boardwalk and Brightwater Court, near Brighton 2nd Street.
- Other: There is no outdoor public swimming pool at the beach in Brighton Beach.
About the Area
Sometimes referred to as “Little Odessa,” Brighton Beach is a well-established Russian enclave in New York. Since 1989, over two hundred thousand people from the old Soviet Union have settled in New York City, and many of them started here. The main thoroughfare, Brighton Beach Avenue, is peppered with Russian delis and restaurants, Russian-run clothing shops, and Russian-language-newspaper stores and shop signs in Cyrillic.How to Get to Brighton Beach by Subway
Take the Q and B trains to Brighton Beach Avenue (Brighton Beach).Or, take the F train to West 8th Street (Coney Island) and walk the 30 minute hike on the boardwalk back to Brighton Beach.
Special Places to Eat
Treat yourself to a meal at one of the boardwalk-side outdoor cafes. You can sit at a table outside, slurp your borscht and enjoy grilled meats, and imagine yourself in another country altogether. No passport needed. The people-watching is fabulous, as is the vodka.What's Nearby
- Two blocks from the beach, Brighton Beach Avenue is a fascinating short shopping street, worth a visit. Check out the Russian restaurants and food shops.
- It's about a twenty minute walk along the boardwalk from Brighton Beach to Coney Island if your drink of choice is caffeinated, a half hour if it's laced with Russian vodka.
- If driving, you can easily get to interesting ethnic and fish restaurants on Emmons Avenue in Sheepshead Bay.
Special Summer Events
Brighton Jubilee, a street fair along Brighton Beach Avenue featuring local crafts, international food, and four stages of entertainment the last Sunday in August.To Be on the Safe Side...
Always check on beach safety. Call 311 or check this site for status of this and other NYC beaches, to make sure the beach is open and that it is safe to swim.
