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Summer technically starts on June 20, but every New Yorker knows that the real start of the season coincides with beach reopening day.
Lucky for us, that time of year is here: starting this weekend, NYC Parks is officially re-opening its 14 miles of shoreline.
RECOMMENDED: The best beaches in NYC for fun in the sun
The beaches reopening on Memorial Day weekend include Coney Island and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, Cedar Grove Beach in Staten Island, and Orchard Beach in the Bronx.
The other piece of good news is that the weather this weekend looks pretty promising.
We’re starting off strong on Friday with sun and a high of 80 degrees. While we might get some rain on Saturday, Sunday is going to be sunny again with a high of 78 degrees. If you want to catch the sunset, which you should, keep in mind that it is scheduled to happen around 8:15pm this weekend.
Back to the beaches: there are a lot of great ones to visit, but our favorites in the NYC area include Jacob Riis, which is LGBTQ-friendly; Fort Tilden Beach in the Rockaways; and Jones Beach in Long Island, which boasts some of the whitest sands around.
There is one thing that could put a temper on this weekend's beach openings, though: The current shortage of lifeguards means that some beaches might cut their hours or not open at all. The city has hired 230 lifeguards this season, which is far short of the 1,000 lifeguards needed to man the beaches, per Gothamist. If you want to try becoming a lifeguard yourself, here's how.
If your go-to beach spot is in Queens, keep in mind that up to 15 blocks along Rockaway Beach will remain closed for much of the summer as the Army Corps of Engineers continue construction work along the shoreline.
Lifeguard crisis and ongoing construction aside aside, NYC outdoor pools are scheduled to open towards the end of June. If you can’t wait until then, though, there are plenty of outdoor hotel and rooftop pools that are opening sooner. Some of our favorites include the pool at the William Vale, The Rockaway Hotel and Spa and the Hotel Indigo pool in Williamsburg. Make sure to contact the hotels before you go to verify that their pools are open for the season.
NYC beaches are going to be accessible through September 8, although the city has been considering keeping them open for a few months longer in the future. If a proposed bill by City Councilman Shekar Krishnan actually goes through, New York City pools and beaches could stay open until the second Sunday of October, effectively extending the season by several weeks.
If you plan on dipping your toes in the water this weekend, keep in mind that lifeguards are only on duty from 10am until 6pm and, of course, make sure to wear lots and lots of sunscreen.