Brighton Beach

"It ain't over til it's over" - Yogi Berra. Ladies and Gents, the lifeguards may be gone, but this beach is still in play. 74F swimming weather yesterday and next weekend is 77F, courtesy of climate change. Make it worth something by having a swim or laying out in your suit. These bathrooms are still open and the sweet lady Ms. Hazel is still decorating the walls. She should have an award herself.

Before I begin let me start off by saying that this review is based solely upon my personal experiences and my personal experiences alone, so with that being said let's go!. Brighton Beach, this is a beach that runs along Coney Island boardwalk and beach. Coney Island and Brighton Beach both run along the Atlantic Ocean. The are iconic beaches in the southern part of the borough of Brooklyn. If you have not been there to visit then you are missing out on one of the most beautiful beaches and places in Brooklyn NY! And I am not saying this because I was born here, I may be a little biased but that's neither here nor there!. You will thank me later! Brighton Beach is a place worth the visit if you're ever in NYC and decide to take a visit to Brooklyn!. I will definitely recommend taking a trip there!.

Fairly decent beach, and multiple trains stop here a block away. The sand is fine and clean, and there are a dozen lifeguard stations scattered across the beach. The beach water can be quite cold, obviously. I'd recommend getting some food or drinks at the Uzbek market nearby, since the wandering drink hawkers do upcharge a lot (unless you want to support them, of course). It wasn't too crowded, even on a sunny summer Saturday, and there are plastic blue walkways that lead to the surf from the beachfront. No shade, so bring sunscreen!

This beach is so easy to get to by taking the Q. This is my second time at this beach and it's been great. It's dog friendly and not too crowded. It's relatively clean and a nice getaway. There's also plenty of places to grab a bite or sit down for lunch or dinner. Recommend if you want to go to a beach within less than an hour from Manhattan.

This is a quiet beach. From the train station a rubber walkway allowed one to get to the water without sand exposure. I was caught up a bit in the rising tide and headed back to the boardwalk, which is open late (though the bathrooms along it are not). The boardwalk was a lively place full of various musical endeavors of questionable legality (and audiences that didn't mind). The surrounding area was relatively quiet and residential with only a few restaurants. It was certainly a place where you could swim or site quietly on the beach, even if it lacks the cachet of some of the areas with more development or a clearer view of the setting sun. And it's accessible on the train and free.

Known for its high population of Russian and Eastern European communities, this Brooklyn neighborhood is famous for the beaches and traditional ethnic restaurants and markets. Located next to Coney Island and the New York Aquarium, we were able to walk everywhere. We made it a tourist day and took the Q train subway to the Coney Island, walked the boardwalk, and had dinner in Brighton Beach.

The Beach on Coney Island. We visited Coney Island for some of the famous food items/ restaurants. When we walked down the boardwalk and saw Brighton Beach. Unfortunately we didn't bring out bathing suites, so swimming wasn't an option. But that was okay with us. We were happy to be able to see Coney Island and the Brighton Beach. Very pretty. This has to be one of the cleanest beaches I've seen. I'm used to polluted California beaches lol Sadly, most California beaches have trash and pollution everywhere. So it was nice to see a beach that was well-maintained. We stopped, admired the view, and then continued on with our itinerary. We had lots to see in New York.

I love that Brooklyn's beaches are just a (long-ish) subway ride away from downtown Brooklyn. On a hot day on a recent visit to NYC, walking along the beach was the only thing I really wanted to do! The day was steaming hot and it was a holiday weekend, so we weren't the only ones that had this idea - there were thousands of people enjoying themselves at the beach. If the weather is right and you need a change from the city, take a trip out to Brighton Beach!

A lot of vendors selling water ice cream and liquor. Didn't have to walk far, they are walking around.

Beach day with my bestie and her running buddies after they did their weekend run. I was instructed to come down Brighton 4 after getting off the train. I easily found my crew and we had a lovely day chilling under the sun. It's been years since I've been to the beach here and recall it always being very crowded. The crowds were not bad today. Be sure to grab a gyro from Beyti for lunch!

Yes it's free but you get what you pay for! After an hour subway ride, I arrived to see the bathrooms were locked- where do they expect folks to urinate and defecate? Also not relaxing at all! People have no respect or regard for one another. Laying their towels down and putting up tents less than a ft away from me and blaring their music.. Seriously, how were these people raised? No food on boardwalk sold- you have to walk to the avenue or to Coney Island Truly unpleasant

The ongoing pandemic has definitely taken a toll on a lot of businesses and public places since a consumer's mindset to buy anything outside of essentials or to visit a public place like a park or beach, has crippled down significantly. Now by living with what has become the new normal, it is commendable on how these businesses and public places continue to remain open and cater to the general public by following the safety standards. It is now all the more important that we as customers, support these heroes during these dark hours to mankind. Our recent interest has been Sunset hunting and we looked up the internet for sunset places and that's how ran into this beautiful spot. To start off with the most important part, Don't worry about the parking as they have a dedicated free Municipal parking right by the beach and there also free street parking spots available near the children's park. It was almost 4:35 (sunset time) at Brighton beach that we arrived here and had to run towards the sun to get a better picture. Wish we had arrived here at least 15 mins earlier to watch the fuller sun (May be return for a different day). The sunset still looked spectacular and is one of the best we have seen. The beach looked clean and well maintained and it was surprising for us, considering it's vastness- speaking of which, there's enough social distancing for everyone. There's a Children's park facility adjacent to the parking area that was buzzing with kids. If you are a sunset lover, do check out this place!

Brighton Beach either refers to the beach or the neighborhood in Brooklyn. Either way it's a good place for seeing authentic ethnic culture. The beach is comparatively beautiful for the northern US. It can be reached from the Boardwalk. The neighborhood is close by there. It may be about a mile from Coney Island. It's not referring to the beach in that area, but to the beach past Ocean Parkway. The beach here is fairly clean, and isn't too scary even later. If you're feeling more adventurous, you should head up into the city. The neighborhood of Brighton Beach is one of the best known in Brooklyn, and it's for good reason. It was formerly known for its huge Jewish population. There's a significant amount of Russians. Along Brighton Beach Avenue are fruit stands and shops, with owners calling out their walk up windows to customers. This is a truly authentic experience, one you won't find in the gentrified northern Brooklyn. Above the street are the subway tracks that are awesome to walk along. There's many great ethnic restaurants. Come if you're tired of gentrified Brooklyn. It's not as authentic as it once was but it's still an important part of the borough. The beach is close and it's right off the Q train.

Went to this beach with high hopes. My friends all said it's a nice beach. It isn't. If this is nice, you haven't seen really nice ones. It's near sheepshead bay and the area isn't that great. I've been to way better beaches and this doesn't even cut the cake. I won't be going back.

Lots of older people on the walking path. There are strong winds. If the tide is high, then walking along the coastline is not very comfortable. In the summer there are a lot of tourists and noise from them.

Not the greatest NYC beaches but one of the better ones. Wish they had more staff for maintenance. It's near public transportation, lots of restaurant and stores (which one of the main reasons we come here).

When we went to NYC, I knew we'd trek out to Brighton Beach to check out the Eastern European eats. I didn't think we'd actually find enough to spend the entire day there, but we did. Solid restaurant scene is why we went, but the actual beach is pretty damn clean. Wander up and down the board walk, stop at some of the amusement parks for rides or games, visit the NY Aquarium, and browse the shops by the subway station before heading home. There's a huge variety of people, food, and languages in this neighborhood, plenty to see and do. The area was much cleaner and the people nicer that I'd been led to expect.

As far as NYC beaches, this is probably as good as it gets. Easy to reach by subway, bike, or car, Brighton Beach is pretty clean, and it certainly feels very safe. There are a lot of lifeguards, not only lifeguards on the usual towers, but also lifeguards on the rocks[1]! Police patrol the beach aboard an electric car. The water is less choppy than at other beaches on the Rockaway peninsula, and also slightly warmer. Although most of the beach goers are Russian and Ukranian, it's pretty diverse. Definitely good for people watching. There are many vendors going around the beach and selling corn on the cob, empanadas, knishes, cold drinks (including beer), and kites. And after spending a day lazying around on the beach, take a walk on the boardwalk towards Coney Island before going home. And watch the sun go down over the parachute jump tower while sipping a beer and eating some greasy seafood. Quintessential NY. ------------------------------------------ [1] Meaning those artificial barriers made of rocks and concrete, not some sort of beach cocktail.

Poor neighborhood lots of old people. Really rarely you see young people for of cause here. Jobs are hard to find everyone speaks Russian. If you're not Russian you do not belong here .. 2 stars.

I live right across the street from this beach and I grew up in the area so I may be a bit biased but I love this beach. They really cleaned it up in the last decade. The beach itself is nice and wide so even when there are a lot of people it doesn't feel that crowded. Sand and water are usually pretty clean for a NYC beach and it's really convenient to get to wether you live in the city or in North Brooklyn. Just hop on the Q or B train. Food options are great both on and off the boardwalk. The one thing i'm not a fan of are the bathroom facilities. Looks like they need to add more because they always seem crowded. If you go on a weekday morning this beach seems downright peaceful and a true respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

A nostalgic place for me -- dating back to the 1950's and 60's. But for the parachute ride dominating the skyline in the distance -- it bears little resemblance to what it once was -- but in a good way. In my youth -- this beach and nearby Coney Island is where New Yorkers of few means enjoyed sand and surf in the summer for the cost of a subway token. For those better heeled -- a short jaunt down the boardwalk got you to the Coney Island rides, amusements and of course Nathan's hotdogs, crinkle fries and well buttered corn. Back then NYC also dumped its raw sewage and all sorts of other nasties in the ocean -- which had a way of washing up on shore. Despite the pollution -- the beach was almost always jammed with humanity -- most of us just trying to escape the dog days of summer and tenement life without AC. Getting tar glued to your body after a swim was expected -- as was risking some sort of bacterial infection from the rancid waters. Better than standing in front of an open fire hydrant in alphabet city on the LES. Today the boardwalk is brand new -- the ocean is much cleaner -- the sand is raked and looks pristine. Restaurants flanking the beach are Eastern European and upscale and the surrounding neighborhood is like a middle eastern souk -- chock a block full of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Central Asian foods and wares you cannot easily source anywhere else. I worked in nearby Bensonhurst for many years and remember the Russian/Jewish migration to Brooklyn that started during Jimmy Carter's presidency -- and how the Brezhnev era Soviets peacefully invaded what was then mostly an Italian/Jewish/Latino neighborhood. It wasn't long before Brighton was conquered by the newcomers and renamed "Little Odessa" in honor of the Ukrainian Black Sea port and favorite vacation destination for Soviet masses. Like so many parts of NYC these days -- Brighton Beach has gentrified -- with luxury high rises abutting the beach with ocean views in place of the low income tenements that once dotted the area -- some of which are still around. Rents are high and real estate prices are off the charts -- despite the cacophony emanating from the elevated train that snakes through the neighborhood like blood through a clogged artery -- just blocks from the beach. I like to walk this beach in winter. It is a pleasing respite and counterpoint to our infrequent -- calorie heavy -- cultural food immersion trips to the area. If you want to experience a little of what the multi-ethnic Soviet cultural experience was like without visiting Russia -- there is no better destination than Brighton Beach. Spend the day. Walk around. Buy some cool stuff. Sample authentic food and traditions from cultures spanning the Mediterranean to the Far East. Share a few drinks with some locals. It is still only a subway token ride away from most anywhere in the City -- and still worth it.

Brighton Beach is pretty cool but my check in for was the neighborhood itself. This neighborhood is dominated by mainly Russians. It has changed a lot over the years, a lot of old businesses are no longer here and lots of new businesses have surfaced. I love to shop here because the clothing and coat selections are totally unique here. I love how Russian women dress. I don't visit as often as I used to when I was younger but every once in awhile I like to come back to sightsee.

If you live in Lower Manhattan and want to go the closest beach to NYC, this is your sweet spot! It takes only 45 minutes to get here from Union Square! And, it's BEAUTIFUL & CLEAN ALL THE TIME!!! I bring a bag filled with the essentials (towel, small FM Radio, snack, Small folding umbrella for shade, baby oil mixed with coca-cola and some cash). I buy bottled water once I get there, usually from one of the Mom & Pop stores that line Brighton Beach Avenue -- but on weekends there are people selling bottled water right on the beach. I think they also sell shots of booze, but ya didn't hear it from me! It's the best. As good as NY gets in the Summertime.

A-OK for a day in the sun. This is residential area that has a nice beach in a convenient location. Police patrol on bicycles so be careful if you have an open container as you can get a ticket. The Q express train will get you there. Just get off at Stillwell Avenue.

Great spot to relax after a busy day in NY/Brooklyn. Russian area. You'll see some quite stereotype old man russian mobster style, that look like the only thing they do is hanging around at the beach.

Out of all the other beaches in the area- this one is by far the best in Brooklyn. Coney Island is too crowded, Plumb Beach is where the mafia buries their casualties, and don't even bring up Manhattan Beach in my presence. You got body issues? Not an issue in this beach. You think you're too pale? No one cares. You wanna throw a ball around? No one will yell at you. You wanna sunbathe nude? Go to Jacob Riis Park. Anyway, this place is accessible and there's a lot of food options on the boardwalk and if you walk farther down to Brighton Beach Avenue.

There is Brighton Beach the beach and there is Brighton Beach the shopping district. The beach is much less rowdy than at the Coney Island end (usually) and overall quite clean. There is also Brighton Beach along Brighton Beach Avenue and as long as you are prepared for some people who are arrogant and pushy, dirty streets, obnoxious drivers, sales people who only speak Russian until they want money from you and waiters who will come out of the restaurants to bring you in, then act like you don't exist until it is time to pay, you will be just fine! I worked in Brighton Beach for a year and it was definitely a unique experience. Of course there are also many very nice people here and the stores offer many items that are difficult to find elsewhere and usually at pretty good prices. So if you haven't been to Brighton Beach, ride the B/Q train and visit...it is an experience you will not soon forget!

Not as rowdy or crowded as Coney Island (which is a stones throw away) so it's a popular family beach. A plus for me and my two littles. Cleaner than the Coney Island end as well. I mean you will find trash scattered around but that's to be expected for a NYC beach. There are your run of the mill foot vendors that patrol the beach looking to get all your money. Icee lady, cotton candy guy, cold water dude and can not forget the cold beer and nutcracker dude. The last time we came he was so eloquently shouting "if you don't drink a nutcracker today you will DIE!!!" Which was a little humorous but annoying after having to explain that to my very literal six year old. All in all I love hanging out at Brighton Beach, it's very low key and when you are ready for more excitement simply stroll on down the boardwalk!!

Brighton born and raised. To all these haters complaining about the beach get over yourself seriously. BB is the hidden gem of NYC hands down and I will tell you why! The community itself is so diverse and loving. I know all my neighbors and several have become adopted 'aunties' as my family has been natives of the area for 25+ years. After the disaster that was Sandy the community has rebuild and come back stronger than ever. From September to May Brighton Beach is beautiful, clean, serene, quite, and lovely. As soon as June to August rolls around tourist absolutely destroy the area! The masses do no respect the neighborhood and its beaches and it hurts it truly does. During peak season the cleaners roll around after 10pm and the absolute best time to hit the beach for a clean unique experience is from 11pm to 11am. That 12 hour window grantees you a great opportunity to experience BB at its finest during the summer months. There are several areas on the stretch that are secluded and empty during peak hours known by the diehard locals and will remain that way! Listen I may be bias but this is my home i grew up in the water, playing in the sand. The water is clean people! Please refer to the Natural Resource Defense Council's rankings of beach water quality for Brighton Beach if you need proof! TO ALL NATIVE NEW YORKERS! Get off your bum and make the trek out to Brighton during the off season! You will not regret it! The water is warm from late September to November with 50-60 degrees being the mean temperature. As a cold water swimmer with a wetsuit if you have the gear hit up BB during the winter months especially for the polar bear dives! The community during the holidays is so cute! There are decorations and festive atmospheres, great restaurants, and convenient specially shops with an array of jewelry, clothes, and shoe shopping. I love my neighborhood. I love Brighton Beach and it is honestly one of the reason I have not left NYC for college. Have an open mind and be respectful of your surroundings! Come ready to swim in the atlantic ocean because that is what beaches are for! I hope next time you visit Brighton you have a great time!

NO! I don't speak Russian! So stop asking me where "sldflashfjhadlfhla" is, because that's exactly how it sounds when you speak to me! Any who, I really like BB. It's definitely much better than Coney Island especially on the weekends. It's a chill place to get baked under the sun and the water isn't as gross as you think it'd be. Also, it seems like the kids are much more behaved at BB than at Coney Island. I come here a lot during the warmer months to be left the EF alone and it works wonders. It's also a lot cleaner than it used to be years ago. Even as a smoker, I like that they banned smoking from beaches, however, there are the d-bags who still smoke and bury them in the sand. Bro, I don't want to step on your aids ridden cig whilst running into the water like a child! Put that away! If I can hold out, so can you!

Located not far from Coney Island (yes, you can see it even from a distance!), this is a really beautiful and wonderful beach in South Brooklyn. Very convenient to get here by subway (Q and F lines) and it's free and also great on a hot summer day. I got here by 9 AM on a Sunday morning and my were the shorelines already lined with beach-goers right at the ocean. The beach is clean overall for the most part and there's lots of space for everyone. Good luck if you're coming by car!

Non-residents, adjust your expectations. Part of me loves that you all come here to enjoy the beach and spend money on our businesses, but damn it all if you aren't the most needy, complicated, whiney people ever .... No, we don't HAVE to speak English. That's the beauty of New York, particularly South Brooklyn ... English is optional, and yes, we do talk in our languages about how ridiculous you look in your Crocs and khakis. Just like you think we don't understand you when you make fun of our elderly in their speedos and brightly dyed hair (we do, we just don't care) ... it's a give-and-take, and when you're at this beach, we're mostly giving, so you need to sit down and take it. Some will smoke on the beach, because even the police officers have learned to turn a blind eye. They know where they are, they know the majority ethnicity they're dealing with ... you should, too. I KNOW it's a law that's been enforced for ages ... but, also, no one here cares. So get over yourself. Some will also drink on the beach - and then proceed to NOT make fools of themselves and vomit on the nice, quiet people tanning next to them because they know how to handle our liquor. The beach is dirty at times, particularly as the day closes ... this is a free space in New York. Assume all things that are free, public gathering spaces will be dirty. People are animals in free spaces. The good thing is, you get to go home to your over-priced apartments in the cool areas of the city and never think about it again - this is our home, and you left your garbage behind for us. Spasibo bolshoe. Yes, the bathrooms by Brighton 1st leave a lot to be desired - coincidentally, they're also shared with the entire amusement park and beach area of Coney Island, so don't judge the entirety of Brighton just because its public restroom was gross. Brighton Beach is the best beach in the city. The further down the boardwalk from Coney Island beach and that monstrosity they call an amusement park, the true-er this is. It's free, there's sand, there's water, there's space, no one is going to bother you, you have all the time in the world to just soak it up and watch a great collection of natives get together and enjoy some good weather. So stop complaining and lower your expectations. Life is a whole lot better that way.

Well I've come here a lot and it's alright. Suuuper crowded as you'd expect from a New York beach. Less so in May / September because they're less popular months even when the weather's hot. So maybe give that a shot :) Has a reputation of being Russian, and it holds true! There's the Russian club Tatiana, Russians shops and Russian speakers everywhere, and an old lady that sells delicious potato, cabbage and meat pirojki :D Worth it coming just for that! =P Aquarium is right by here too! They were renovating it when I went and the line was super long, but could be a fun activity to check out :) Plus the amusement park is not far too!

We went last night to eat and walk the board walk. It is cooler there so it seemed like a good idea. The crowd did not seem to be too wholesome for the most part. The last 2 years it has changed. Now places that I used to use the bathroom for free on the board walk charge $2.00 to use the bathroom. The board walk still has great and unique food. It is still a quirky and unique community which I love. But there was just a shooting today. I do not think I will be going for a while. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/five-people-shot-on-boardwalk-in-brighton-beach/ It is really sad that a great neighborhood with great food has to be subject to animals who do not have respect for life! I hope the shooters will get the help that they need! As for me I think I will stay away for a while.

If you're someone who enjoys some quite peaceful time by the shore, then is your best option close to Manhattan. This beach is between Coney Island beach on the west and Manhattan beach on the east. It takes an hour to get here from Midtown Manhattan via B subway line, but the good thing is that the beach is just a block away from the Brighton subway station. It's a narrow, pretty beach with a promenade full of benches. The restaurants along the boardwalk offer good food but are also expensive. Weekday evenings are usually crowded with old people who come there for a swim or for dining.

Many of the shops outside of the Brighton Beach subway station were Russian, which was pretty cool to see. One of the cleanest beaches I've seen in a while. However, my family and I felt quite uncomfortable while we were there. Being the only Asian family, we felt that the local community was not happy with our presence.

This is a great option if you want to visit the beach in NYC. The subway stop for the Q and B is a five-minute walk from the beach. The beach itself is very clean, has clean bathrooms, and has lifeguards on-duty at all times, and the water is gorgeous. Yes, it gets crowded in the afternoon, but it's a public beach in NYC, so that's a given.

The boardwalk is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Nails poking out and broken boards everywhere while kids, seniors and shoeless patrons walk and look around. I myself almost fell after tripping on a nail sticking up so high it hurt my toe! But other than that scary moment, this place is so worth the trip.. just don't go in the water! Ew

TAUT VOLLEYBALL NETS ya heard? Hop on the air-conditioned Q in Manhattan and get transported to this beachy otherworld in under an hour? God, yes. I love NY. Do not compare this beach to the white sand resorts of your favorite Caribbean landing. That's not the point. This is your 1/2 day getaway, to detox from a crowded stinky city, and retox on an almost-as-crowded and stinky beach. UV rays, sea salt + garbage air, quality beach volleyball courts, ice cold Corona peddlers, tetanus + glass and cig butts in the sand... Ignore everyone else and do your own thing. Don't go barefoot. Water's chilly. Weed smells abound. Plan on amazing, cheap Ukrainian Jew food (or one of any of the other fantastic Eurasian fusions -- Korean/Russian?!?!?! Uzbek/Chinese??? GIMME DAT!) in the neighborhood for lunch/dinner. As the food coma wears off peel yourself off your towel and get back to volleyballin. It's a wrap.

If you live in Manhattan than this beach is probably your safe bet in terms of hassle to get to. The D, Q, F or B will get you here. It's quieter and less touristy than the beach along Coney Island except for the few that still carry around an old boom box blasting Russian pop music. The water is typically calm here but there are some rather strong rip tides so use caution if it's really hot out and you want to jump in the water. Other than that, you can lay out on the sand and have a nice retreat from the heat in the city here.

Beautiful beach! Maybe I was nostalgic since it was finally warm in March and this is the first beach I've been to in NY, but I dig it. It's free (I hear they charge in some beaches, whack), they have a nice Boardwalk to walk/skate/rollerblade, and it's right next to Coney Island & the NY Aquarium. Ahhhh. Walked along the Boardwalk, walked across to the water, laid down in the sand, and enjoyed soakin' in the rays. I liked how there were signs to stay off the rocks yet everyone was on 'em (sometimes, you have to break the rules).

Quite and peaceful during quarantine, not that many people come those days mostly locals so every one is spread up

To all the haters for what they wish and can never acheive. This is the place. This is the playground for Little Odessa mobster want to be`s and the Warrior fans to run on the boardwalk. Breathe in that salty water air and enjoy the smells of brighton beach. Watched Brighton Beach Memoirs,Requiem for a Dream,Little Odessa,Lord of War....? Come down to the reality, I dare you. Just can`t get enough. "A car is useless in New York, essential everywhere else. The same with good manners."

Great beach but full of a lot of tourist and even has a boardwalk full with restaurants and homes near by, the area is really nice and the beach and sand is also really nice. There was very few lifeguards when I went and a security person but other then that it looked like it was swim at your own risk type beach. The females in this area are beautiful and the people seem pretty happy. The price for anything around this area is pretty high,I payed $3.00 for a powerade because I was so thirsty. If you want to go to a nice beach in New York this a good spot to come.

Once darkness sets in, Brighton Beach becomes magic. The edge of the sea here is far enough from the roads and the buildings to forget the existence of the hustle and bustle, and yet close enough to the city so that you don't have to travel miles and miles. The feeling is almost like you are standing in a doorway, right in between the light of the city and the darkness of the sea, and it's mesmerizing. I don't like Brighton Beach Ave itself, I always feel a bit unsafe here if I'm walking by myself at night, plus I have reason to be, I've had a few unpleasant moments here, but with a friend it's always fine.

This is the beach I go to when it's a beach day. Sure, it's not "as nice" as Rockaway, Jones Beach, Long Beach, or Robert Moses but come on, at the end of the day this is NY, we're not on a tropical island like Hawaii so none of these beaches have crystal blue water. I used to live in Hawaii so compared to that, I don't think any of the beaches are amazing in NY. Back to why I gave 4 stars for Brighton Beach...I love the fact that I can just hop onto the Q line or F line (transfer at coney) and get there in an hour instead of driving in traffic or taking the LIRR from Penn Station (the commute back home SUX when you have to take the Lirr to pennstation then, to hop on a subway home or cabbie home) I love the fact that you don't have to pay to get on the beach. I love the Russian fruits and veg market by the subway where I always buy my donut peaches. I love the fact that there's dudes hustling beers and water on the beach..yep Corona's on your demand. I've lived in NY for 16 years and I think I took a dip in the water maybe like twice...I just strictly go there to tan and relax. So the next time you missed the express train to Long Beach, or do not have a car to drive to Jones beach, Brighton is the way to go!

Compared to Rockaway Beach in which I visited last week, I thought the sand there was finer and nicer than Brighton's. Also, more ecological species (shellfish remnants) were found ashore in the former, but only seaweeds in Brooklyn. However, neighborhood-wise, Brighton Beach is ethnically colorful with its abundant Russian and Eurasian restaurants and shops. For those reasons, it is still worth the trip to this part of town. The beach felt safe during the daylight when I went (lifeguards and other public servants were on duty) and even the ladies bathrooms were decorated with plastic flowers and walls dressed in feminine drapes? Interesting... PS The water felt colder than Queen's water...

Best beach in nyc.very clean and safe.no animals in the sea.you can enjoy and spend your time in this beach.I rented my apartment right by the beach because of this beach

The most Russian place in NYC! A great place to find whatever the Russian version of knishes are. The lady at one of the backeries was selling them outside "Potato, Beef, Cabbage" she said slowly when she learned we did not speak the language of the czars. These pasteries were certainly fit for a king and at a buck fifty who could argue with the doughy goodness! Also the beach is a lot of fun and a great place to dip your feet on a hot day.