Open-water swimming in New York & the Northeast
A short, intense season — and a crowd that keeps swimming all winter. Coney Island and Brighton Beach, Long Island’s ocean and Sound beaches, Cape Cod’s kettle ponds and the lakes of New England and the Adirondacks, with live conditions and the best window to swim.
Best water right now
SwimScore out of 100 for a typical swimmer, updated .
The spots swimmers actually use
Researched one by one — access, lifeguards, water quality and hazards — with a live SwimScore.
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is home water for CIBBOWS, whose swimmers meet at Grimaldo's Chair at the foot of Brighton 4th Street and swim parallel to shore past the rock jetties toward Coney Island Pier. Currents run along the shore and can be tricky around the jetties. Start your swim against the current so the return is easier, and stay well inside the offshore boat channel.
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.
Walden Pond
Thoreau's kettle pond drops to 102 feet and is ringed by wooded trails, and it has a loyal following of open-water swimmers. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, distance swimming is allowed only outside lifeguard hours, from the designated swim lane and with a bright tow buoy. On hot days the lot closes once the park reaches capacity, so plan to arrive early.
L Street Beach
L Street Beach is the stretch of Carson Beach on Dorchester Bay in front of the L Street Bathhouse, where the L Street Brownies have swum year-round since 1902 and still lead a New Year's Day plunge. It is a free state beach with DCR lifeguards on Carson Beach in summer, and Save the Harbor advises staying out for 24 hours after heavy rain.
Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach runs along the Atlantic from Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway to Beach 149th Street in Neponsit, and it holds the city's only legal surfing beaches, so swimmers and surfers use separate zones. The A train and the NYC Ferry both reach the peninsula. Swim in front of an open lifeguard stand and check which sections are flagged closed that morning.
Jones Beach State Park
Jones Beach stretches 6.5 miles along the Atlantic, with lifeguarded ocean swimming at several parking fields, the Central Mall and both bathhouses, plus the sheltered bay water of Zach's Bay for small children. Swimming is allowed only when lifeguards are on duty, and hours vary by field through the season. Without a car, take the LIRR to Freeport and the summer n88X bus.
Jacob Riis Park
Jacob Riis Park is the National Park Service's ocean beach at the west end of the Rockaway peninsula, backed by a 1930s Art Deco bathhouse and a long boardwalk. Swimming is limited to the bays where lifeguards are posted, and erosion has kept some eastern bays closed in recent seasons. Check the Gateway beach page before you go, since the guarded bays shift during the summer.
Sandy Hook – Beach C
Sandy Hook's ocean side is a long, undeveloped run of sand at the top of the Jersey Shore, with the New York City skyline in view from North Beach. Beach C is the first guarded beach you reach, and the park allows swimming only where and when lifeguards are on duty. Summer ferries run from Manhattan, and drivers who arrive early can park in fee lots free until collection starts at 8.
Mirror Lake Beach, Lake Placid
Mirror Lake is a small, mostly spring-fed lake in the middle of Lake Placid village, closed to motorboats and home to the swim leg of Ironman Lake Placid. Swim lanes stay in through the summer for training. The town beach on Parkside Drive is the only public swimming beach on the lake, guarded 10 to 6 from late June to Labor Day, and swimming is allowed only when it is staffed.
Million Dollar Beach, Lake George
Million Dollar Beach is the large state-run beach at the south end of Lake George, a 32-mile, low-nutrient lake at the southeastern edge of the Adirondacks. Swimming is allowed only in the designated area while lifeguards are on duty, from late May to Labor Day. It is a short walk from the village, parking is $10 per car, and the public boat launch sits right next door.
Coast Guard Beach
Coast Guard Beach is where Thoreau's Great Beach begins, an open Atlantic strand beside the former Coast Guard station with Nauset Marsh behind it. Lifeguards cover it from late June through Labor Day, and summer water on the Outer Cape usually runs 60 to 70 degrees. In summer, park at Little Creek and ride the shuttle, since the beach lot is reserved for Eastham residents and placard holders.
Race Point Beach
At the tip of Cape Cod, Race Point is a National Seashore beach with the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station behind the dunes and both sunrise and sunset views. Lifeguards are on duty from late June through Labor Day, and white sharks swim in these waters, so heed the flags and swim close to shore with company. A large lot sits at the end of Race Point Road, with a daily fee in season.
Nauset Beach
Nauset Beach faces the open Atlantic on Cape Cod's outer shore and at times has some of the biggest waves on the Cape, so swimmers share it with surfers and bodyboarders. Summer water usually runs 60 to 70 degrees, and white sharks hunt seals close to shore here, so swim near the lifeguards and with others. Walk-ins and cyclists enter free, while cars pay $35 a day in season.
Robert Moses State Park
Robert Moses State Park covers about five miles of ocean beach at the western end of Fire Island, with lifeguarded swimming off four parking fields, each with its own bathhouse area and concession. Field 5 is closest to the Fire Island Lighthouse. If you would rather not drive the causeway, the seasonal S47 bus runs from the Babylon LIRR station.
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city beach with four miles of sand and a 2.1-mile boardwalk, about 50 minutes from Manhattan on the LIRR. Lifeguards mark the swimming area with green flags and keep bathers well away from the rock jetties. In season everyone 13 and older needs a beach pass, and there is no swimming at all when the guards are off duty.
Main Beach, East Hampton
Main Beach sits at the foot of Ocean Avenue in East Hampton Village, a wide ocean beach with lifeguards on duty from 10 to 5 on open days. The village flies colored flags to show surf conditions, and no flag means no swimming. Non-residents can pay for daily parking in Lot 2 through ParkMobile, or ride the free seasonal Hamptons Circuit shuttle from the long-term lot.
Coopers Beach
Coopers Beach is Southampton Village's guarded ocean beach at 268 Meadow Lane, a broad stretch of sand with a pavilion, showers and a concession. It is the only village beach with lifeguards, and the only one where day visitors can buy a daily parking pass from the booth attendants. Swim between the guard stands during posted hours, and note that weekday coverage ends at five.
Revere Beach
America's first public beach, opened in 1896, runs for more than three miles about five miles north of downtown Boston, and it is easily reached on the MBTA Blue Line. DCR lifeguards cover it daily in midsummer, and it rated 95 percent in Save the Harbor's report card for the 2025 season. Take the T, since boulevard parking is time-limited.
Singing Beach
Named for the sand that squeaks underfoot, this half-mile beach on Cape Ann is a half-mile walk from the Manchester stop on the Rockport commuter rail line. Lifeguards run the swim area in summer, and rafts, boogie boards, diving off the rocks and swims out to the island are all prohibited. Take the train if you can, since non-resident parking is weekday-only.
Crane Beach
Crane Beach is the white-sand ocean front of the Trustees' Crane Estate, backed by dunes and the North Shore's largest pitch pine forest on Castle Neck. Lifeguards and EMTs are on duty from 9 to 5 daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the beach stays open year-round from 8 in the morning until sunset. Book an advance pass for weekends, since the gate turns visitors away at capacity.
Narragansett Town Beach
A half-mile town beach on Rhode Island Sound that looks south to the stone arch of The Towers, with a designated surfing area for the local surf crowd. The Narragansett Ocean Swimming Enthusiasts swim here through the summer. Stay clear of the submerged barge 50 to 100 yards off the beach just south of the main pavilion; it sits near the surface at low tide.
Asbury Park Beach
Asbury Park has a mile of guarded ocean beach in front of the boardwalk, Convention Hall and the Casino. During staffed hours the swim zones are marked with buoys and ropes; watch the conditions flag and follow the guards when they call swimmers in from rough water. The stretch between the Eighth Avenue and Deal Lake Drive jetties is surf-only, and NJ Transit trains stop in town.
Cape May Beach
Cape May's oceanfront is one continuous stretch of sand from The Cove to Poverty Beach, about 2.5 miles, guarded by a beach patrol that dates to 1911. The patrol suggests staying within chest-deep water, so check in at the nearest stand before any distance swim. You need a beach tag from 10 to 5 in summer, and one tag works at every entrance.
Easton's Beach (First Beach)
Newport's three-quarter-mile city beach faces the Atlantic along Memorial Boulevard, with a boardwalk, the start of the Cliff Walk, and rolling waves that draw surfers and bodyboarders. On summer Sundays the Sachuest Ocean Swimmers often swim from here to Second Beach. The state has closed the swimming area for high bacteria at times, so check the RIDOH beach status before a swim.
Old Orchard Beach
Seven miles of sand on Saco Bay, with the wooden pier and Palace Playland at its center and a seasonal Amtrak Downeaster stop a short walk from the water. The town warns of big tidal swings and rip currents; red flags on the lifeguard stands mean rip conditions. Swim where the guards can see you, and check the Maine Healthy Beaches status after heavy rain.
Ogunquit Beach
A barrier beach of fine pale sand that runs about three miles from Main Beach past Footbridge to North Beach, with the tidal Ogunquit River behind the dunes. Ogunquit Ocean Rescue staffs seven stations from late June to Labor Day, but long stretches sit far from a guard. Swim near a staffed stand and check its flag before you enter the ocean or the river.
North Beach, Burlington
Burlington's largest beach faces Burlington Bay on Lake Champlain, with the Adirondacks across the water, and it is the only city beach with lifeguards: 11am to 6pm, early June through August. On the city beaches, cyanobacteria blooms cause far more closures than bacteria counts, and staff inspect the water every summer morning. Check the city's swim-water status page before you drive over.
Weirs Beach, Lake Winnipesaukee
The wide public sand beach at The Weirs, on Lake Winnipesaukee's southern shore beside the boardwalk and the MS Mount Washington's summer port. Laconia did not staff lifeguards here in 2026, so treat it as an unguarded swim and bring a buddy. Kayaks and paddleboards launch from the far left beyond the bathhouse, which keeps boats out of the designated swim area.
Sand Beach, Acadia National Park
Acadia's largest sandy beach sits in a small cove surrounded by cliffs on the Park Loop Road, reached by a 37-step staircase from the parking lot. The Park Service says the water normally runs 50 to 60°F even in summer, and strong tides and rogue waves can catch out experienced swimmers. There are no lifeguards; take the free Island Explorer bus when the lots fill.
South Edison Beach, Montauk
South Edison Beach is one of the Town of East Hampton's guarded ocean beaches, a short walk from downtown Montauk at the end of South Edison Street. It faces the open Atlantic, with lifeguards on duty from 9 to 5 and a surf wheelchair available while they are on. Nearby street parking is sold in four- and eight-hour sessions by phone, so a day swim does not need a town permit.
Hammonasset Beach State Park
Connecticut's largest shoreline park has two miles of sandy beach on Long Island Sound, where Long Island blocks most ocean swell and the water tends to stay calm and clear. State lifeguards work the beach from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, and DEEP tests the water weekly over the same stretch. Parking is free for Connecticut plates; out-of-state cars pay a daily fee.
Orchard Beach
Orchard Beach is the Bronx's only public beach, a 1.1-mile crescent of sand on Long Island Sound built in the 1930s inside Pelham Bay Park. You are swimming in Sound water rather than open ocean, with changing areas, showers and a wide promenade behind the beach. After heavy rain, check NYC Health advisories before swimming, since combined sewer overflows can affect the water.
Gull Pond
Gull Pond is a 109-acre kettle pond about 19 meters deep and the busiest of Wellfleet's ponds, with a shaded town beach that fills on summer afternoons. Kayaks, canoes and paddle boats launch from the landing, and a sluiceway links it to Higgins Pond, so wear a bright cap if you swim out from shore. You need a Wellfleet beach sticker to park from the third Saturday in June through Labor Day.
Hampton Beach State Park
New Hampshire's busiest beach is a long sweep of Atlantic sand below the Ocean Boulevard boardwalk, guarded by the NH State Beach Patrol's ocean lifeguards from May into September. The patrol names rip currents as a primary safety concern on this coast, so swim near a staffed stand and be wary of calm-looking gaps between breaking waves. Summer guard hours run 9am to 5:30pm.
Island Beach State Park
Island Beach is the largest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in New Jersey, and its guarded ocean swimming area sits mid-park, about 3.5 miles past the entrance. Expect open Atlantic surf backed by dunes rather than boardwalks, with swimming allowed only where lifeguards are posted. Leave the float at home, since tubes and rafts are not permitted.
River Pool at Beacon
The River Pool is a floating, rainbow-colored pool with a netted bottom, moored off Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park so you can swim in the Hudson itself with a lifeguard on duty. Admission is free and no reservation is needed. It opens Tuesday to Sunday afternoons in July and August, a short walk from Metro-North's Beacon station on the Hudson Line.
Joseph Sylvia State Beach
This two-mile barrier beach between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown separates Sengekontacket Pond from Nantucket Sound, and its usually small waves suit steady swims along the shoreline. There are no lifeguards, and motorized craft are barred within 300 yards of the beach. When wind stirs up the Sound side, the pond side of the beach is usually calm.
Surfside Beach
One of Nantucket's most popular beaches, Surfside is a wide, flat south-shore strand with rolling surf over a shallow sandbar, shared by swimmers, surfers and bodyboarders. Lifeguards are on duty in summer, but rip currents and heavy surf build on windy days, so check conditions before you go in. The Wave shuttle runs from Washington Street in town to the beach.
Misquamicut State Beach
Rhode Island's most popular state beach is a half mile of lifeguarded Atlantic frontage on the barrier beach that separates Winnapaug Pond from the ocean in Westerly. Guards sit from 9am (8:30am on weekends) until 6pm through Labor Day. The lot often fills on sunny summer days, so buy a state parking pass online beforehand and use the express lane.
Fred Benson Town Beach (Crescent Beach), Block Island
The lifeguarded heart of Crescent Beach, the arc of sand that runs from Old Harbor toward Clay Head along Rhode Island Sound, a short walk from the Block Island ferry dock. It is popular for family swimming and is the only stretch of the island with both lifeguards and a public pavilion. Plan your swim between 10am and 5pm in summer if you want guards on the stand.
Sebago Lake State Park
Sandy beaches on the north shore of Sebago, Maine's deepest lake, in a forested park split by the Songo River, with swimming at the east-side day-use area and at the Naples Beach and Witch Cove campgrounds. The lake is known for sudden weather changes, so keep an eye on the sky. Text SEBAGO to 888-514-7527 for park condition alerts before you drive up.
Sunken Meadow State Park
Sunken Meadow faces Long Island Sound rather than the ocean, with about three miles of beach, a three-quarter-mile boardwalk and views across the water to Connecticut. Lifeguarded swimming runs at the Main Beach off Field 1 and the East Beach off Field 3 from late May into September. The East Beach drops to weekends only after Labor Day, so check the posted hours for a late-season swim.
Lake Willoughby North Beach
A fjord-like glacial lake in the Northeast Kingdom, over 300 feet deep between the cliffs of Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor, and known for its clarity and chilly water. The public North Beach runs about a quarter mile along the north shore at the outlet, looking straight down the gap. Swim with a partner and a bright tow float, and keep early-season swims short until you know how the cold affects you.
Echo Lake State Park
A 15.7-acre lake at the foot of White Horse Ledge, with Cathedral Ledge rising just to the north and a small sand beach at the state park's day-use area. It is a short, scenic swim rather than a distance venue, and there are no lifeguards, so bring a partner. Parking is limited on fine weekends; reserve a day-use spot online up to 30 days ahead.
Horseneck Beach
Horseneck's two miles of barrier beach face Rhode Island Sound at the western end of Buzzards Bay, backed by dunes and marsh, with Gooseberry Neck at the eastern end. DCR lifeguards cover it daily in midsummer, and out-of-state plates pay $40 to park. Patches of cobblestones line the waterline, so water shoes help.
Ocean City Beach
Ocean City has eight miles of ocean beach, and the boardwalk stretch between 12th and 20th Streets hosts the Beach Patrol's one-mile Masters Swim, held since 1979. Guards work 10 to 5 on weekdays and until 5:30 on weekends, and they shift stands to the safest water. Tags are required from early June through Labor Day for anyone 12 and older.
Ship Bottom Beach, Long Beach Island
Ship Bottom is where the Route 72 causeway lands on Long Beach Island, and in summer its ocean beaches are guarded at street ends from 3rd to 30th. Guards set their stands wherever the water is safest, so the guarded area may sit a little north or south of the listed street. Coverage runs 10 to 6 daily through Labor Day, and 20th Street stays guarded through September 30.
East Matunuck State Beach
A long, gently sloping sand beach on Block Island Sound that the state notes for its strong surf, with the stone breakwater that protects Point Judith Pond jutting out at its east end and the Block Island ferry passing offshore. Lifeguards sit from 9am (8:30am on weekends) to 6pm in season. Arrive early on summer weekends, when the large lot fills quickly.
Rocky Neck State Park – West Beach
Rocky Neck's West Beach is a half-mile crescent of soft, stone-free sand on Long Island Sound, where Long Island and Fishers Island keep the waves small. Swimming is allowed at West Beach only, with state lifeguards in summer and weekly water testing. Out-of-state drivers can save by arriving after 4 p.m., when parking drops to $7.
Moreau Lake State Park Beach
Moreau Lake is a small, forest-ringed lake between Saratoga Springs and Lake George, with a sandy state park beach on its western shore. The swim season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, daily from 10 to 6, weather permitting. Expect an $8 vehicle fee in summer, and look at the park's campsites and cabins if you want to stay by the water.
Local guides
Swimming Walden Pond and Cape Cod's Kettle Ponds
How to swim Walden Pond and Cape Cod's kettle ponds: what a kettle pond is, DCR and town rules, parking, cyanobacteria advisories and water temperatures.
Where to Swim in NYC: Beaches, Water Quality, Groups
Open-water swimming in New York City: Coney Island, Rockaway and Orchard Beach, lifeguard rules, rain and sewage advisories, water temps and swim groups.
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