Coney Island Beach

The beach at Coney Island is part of a continuous 2.7-mile strand shared with Brighton Beach, running in front of the boardwalk, the amusement parks and Steeplechase Pier, with four subway lines ending at Stillwell Avenue. Rock jetties divide the shore into bays. Give the jetties and the pier a wide berth, and check the NYC Parks beach map for closed sections before you go in.

Directions

Photo: Steven Lek · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 74/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 19°C, wind 21 km/h, waves 1.7 m, UV 2. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Best conditions: Swim in open, lifeguarded sections during guard hours; CIBBOWS suggests starting against the current so the return leg is easier.
Getting in: Free public NYC Parks beach from W. 37th Street to Ocean Parkway, continuous with Brighton Beach and served along its length by the Riegelmann Boardwalk.
Parking & transport: Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue is the terminal for the D, F, N and Q trains; W. 8th Street-NY Aquarium is served by the F and Q. NYC Parks lists metered street parking.
Lifeguards: Lifeguards on duty daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during beach season; swimming is prohibited when they are off duty and in sections closed with signs or red flags. NYC Parks updates a beach status map each morning after 10 a.m.
Water quality: NYC Health samples Coney Island at multiple points for enterococci and places it under a 12-hour preemptive advisory when rainfall tops 2.5 inches in 24 hours, since combined sewer overflows can affect the water.
Season: NYC Parks beach season runs Memorial Day weekend through September 13, 2026; the Polar Bear Club swims here weekly from November through April.
Who swims here: The Coney Island Polar Bear Club, founded in 1903, takes Sunday plunges from November through April and hosts the New Year's Day Plunge, which is open to the public. CIBBOWS also trains along this beach.
Watch for: Jetties near the pier and Wonder Wheel can have strong currents
Do not swim around the end of Coney Island Pier, where people fish
Boat and jet ski traffic farther offshore
Facilities: Riegelmann Boardwalk (closed 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.) · Concession stands · Public restrooms · Spray showers · Beach mats and reservable beach wheelchairs · Free SPF 30 sunscreen dispensers