A la recherce de temps perdu in Rockaway Beach
June 28, 2013 4:51 PM Subscribe
My dad, who has some health problems that limit his mobility and sometimes his mental acuity, asked me to investigate the possibility of spending 3 days at the beach near where he grew up, which is Belle Harbor. I live in Brooklyn but don't know anything about Belle Harbor, including exactly what it is. I think it's more or less the same as Rockaway Beach, and I've found some rental bungalows around Beach 110th Street. My question--is that where Belle Harbor is, and could my mom and dad and I enjoy three days there with no car? Given that leisure activities could basically be the beach and just my dad soaking up the nostalgic vibe of his native 'hood, could we find restaurants, simple groceries, a quiet bar and other essentials within a very limited walking distance?
Beach 110th isn't Belle Harbor, it's Rockaway Park. My sister lived in the high rises at Beach 108th for years until she got married a few years ago, and I spent a ton of time with her there. We could get most places without a car, though if we were hanging out with her friends in Roxbury or Breezy Point, we would drive.
There are a few places that might be out of walking distance for someone with limited mobility but are worth the cab ride from where you are talking about staying. The Wharf on B116th (north side of Beach Channel Drive) doesn't look like much from the front but has a lovely back patio on the water that makes for a really nice sunset dinner. There's a shopping center with a Waldbaum's for groceries just a little east of that on the other side of Beach Channel Dr.
Beach 116th has a bunch of smaller restaurants - Chinese, pizza, there's a good Japanese place there that I can't remember the name of - and there are plenty of bars, but I couldn't tell you which of those would be quiet. Afternoon drinks will probably be plenty relaxed in any of the restaurant/bars near you.
Most of Rockaway can be rowdy on summer weekends so if you're planning your 3 days during that time, you may experience a bit of noise at night, depending on where you're staying. And just as a heads up, you probably don't want to go much further east (= street #s going down) than B105th or so. There are some parts of the Rockaways that are still kind of rough.
Thinking about summer in Rockaway is making me all wistful now. :) Hope you guys have a terrific time.
posted by deliciae at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2013
There are a few places that might be out of walking distance for someone with limited mobility but are worth the cab ride from where you are talking about staying. The Wharf on B116th (north side of Beach Channel Drive) doesn't look like much from the front but has a lovely back patio on the water that makes for a really nice sunset dinner. There's a shopping center with a Waldbaum's for groceries just a little east of that on the other side of Beach Channel Dr.
Beach 116th has a bunch of smaller restaurants - Chinese, pizza, there's a good Japanese place there that I can't remember the name of - and there are plenty of bars, but I couldn't tell you which of those would be quiet. Afternoon drinks will probably be plenty relaxed in any of the restaurant/bars near you.
Most of Rockaway can be rowdy on summer weekends so if you're planning your 3 days during that time, you may experience a bit of noise at night, depending on where you're staying. And just as a heads up, you probably don't want to go much further east (= street #s going down) than B105th or so. There are some parts of the Rockaways that are still kind of rough.
Thinking about summer in Rockaway is making me all wistful now. :) Hope you guys have a terrific time.
posted by deliciae at 8:27 PM on June 28, 2013
It just occurred to me that I haven't been in Rockaway since Sandy hit - I know there was a lot of damage in that area but I don't know what specifically, nor what's been fixed and what hasn't already.
posted by deliciae at 8:33 PM on June 28, 2013
posted by deliciae at 8:33 PM on June 28, 2013
Belle Harbor.
The major commercial street is Beach 116th Street, which is also where the last station on the A train is.
The last time I was there, there are several good restaurants.
But that was before Sandy. Many places are closed now, and houses damaged, businesses closed. I don't know what its like now. As long as you stay within walking distance of 116th, you should be fine for restaurants and groceries. The best diner in the city is now an HSBC, so no luck there.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:29 PM on June 29, 2013
The major commercial street is Beach 116th Street, which is also where the last station on the A train is.
The last time I was there, there are several good restaurants.
But that was before Sandy. Many places are closed now, and houses damaged, businesses closed. I don't know what its like now. As long as you stay within walking distance of 116th, you should be fine for restaurants and groceries. The best diner in the city is now an HSBC, so no luck there.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 1:29 PM on June 29, 2013
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posted by nightwood at 6:09 PM on June 28, 2013