Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Brooklyn, New York
At the more remote, easternmost tip of Coney Island, Manhattan Beach is one of those locally kept secrets. Urbanites from all walks of life, are counted among the loyal Manhattan Beach weekenders. Just a train or bus ride from downtown Manhattan, Manhattan Beach is an affordable, appealing, and convenient escape from New York City's concrete throng. To take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean, squish soft sand between your toes, and soak up some rays New York City-style, Manhattan Beach is one of your best bets.
Founded in the 19th Century as an urban resort by Austin Corbin, president of the Long Island Railroad, Manhattan Beach has remained faithful to Corbin's vision. On any given summer weekend, the tennis courts on Manhattan Beach are popping with pick-up matches, barbecues fired up for hot dogs, and picnics spread across sturdy wooden tables. But it's not just the family-beach atmosphere that makes Manhattan Beach so appealing. Its somewhat remote promenade affords beautiful views of Breezy Point, the tip of Rockaway Peninsula, and a collection of stately million-dollar mansions.
But here is a little-known secret that even many Manhattan Beach regulars don't know; Manhattan Beach is horseshoe crab mating ground. Every May and June, female horseshoe crabs crawl out of the Atlantic Ocean and onto Manhattan Beach with their male suitors literally hanging onto their hard-shelled tails. Once on the solid shores, the female crabs burrow into the sands and bury close to 20,000 tiny green eggs, then stand aside to watch the male horseshoes compete to fertilize them.
To get to Manhattan Beach from New York City, take the B or Q train to Brighton Beach and then catch the B1 Bus to Oriental Blvd (a five-minute bus ride). Another option is to head to Coney Island and take a two-mile stroll down the wide, lively Riegelmann boardwalk until you hit Manhattan Beach. Walk the promenade, swim the friendly waters of the Atlantic ( Manhattan Beach has a lifeguard station), or witness the horseshoes mating game, Manhattan Beach is a city seashore that is worthy of your weekends.