Long Beach, New York

Long Beach is a barrier-island city on the south shore of Long Island, just east of New York City and well known for its broad beach and long, wooden boardwalk. Its jetty-lined shore holds some of the better and more reliable surf in the wider metropolitan area.

The wave is a beach break organised by the many rock groynes strung along the strand, which gather sand into defined peaks that break both ways. It offers approachable waves for beginners and intermediates on typical days, with a more powerful, hollow wave forming near the jetties whenever a strong groundswell pushes in from the Atlantic. The peaks vary sharply from one groyne to the next, so surfers walk the boardwalk checking each jetty before paddling out.

Easy to reach by train from Manhattan, Long Beach draws a committed local surf community alongside a big summer beach crowd. Water is cold for much of the year, calling for a wetsuit, and the sandbars shift with the seasons and storms, so quality varies from one jetty to the next on any given day.

Autumn is the standout season, when Atlantic hurricane swells combine with cleaner offshore winds and lighter crowds. Beach access requires a seasonal pass in summer, with parking and flat entries all along the boardwalk. Rebuilt after major storm damage, the boardwalk is once again the town's spine, lined with cafes and rentals, making Long Beach a convenient and dependable surf destination close to the city. The town has hosted professional contests on its better sandbanks, drawing the wider surf world to the doorstep of the city.