Rockaway Beach

A vast, sandy beach and 5. 5-mile boardwalk draw throngs of families to Rockaway Beach in summer for swimming, sunbathing, and sports like volleyball and skateboarding. Seasonal vendors sell pizza, arepas, and Italian ice, and bars have lively patios. Surfers catch year-round breaks all along the coast. Pastel condos and houses, many rebuilt since 2012's Hurricane Sandy, line the streets, as do 1960s apartment towers.