Looking for lovely view around NYC (no car)

August 17, 2013 6:17 PM

Can I get to a view like this (which happens to be Douglaston, Queens) without a car, coming from Manhattan, NYC? Where there might be a bench or I can bring my little sand chair? Most important things are (1) that I need to be able to get there by public transportation, and (2) that I not require a resident's permit or any such thing to be allowed in.
posted by DMelanogaster to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (16 answers total)

I'm a little confused about what's so special about this view. Is it that you can see water and/or boats? On Manhattan Island you have several tens of miles of coastline for that... Probably my favorite view with a bench accessible to you is Brooklyn Bridge Park.
posted by telegraph at 6:29 PM on August 17, 2013

Have you been to Hudson River Park on the west side? It is accessible by bus.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:46 PM on August 17, 2013

Brooklyn Heights Promenade? Easily accessed by subway, plenty of benches, no permit needed, and a pretty amazing view.
posted by dayintoday at 6:57 PM on August 17, 2013

Riverside park on the UWS is easily accessible by public transit and has lovely views although you do have to look past the Henry Hudson Parkway.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 7:03 PM on August 17, 2013

On the water in Bay Ridge where there's a park and you can see the Verrazano?
posted by mlle valentine at 7:20 PM on August 17, 2013

Response by poster: okay -- yes I can always see a river -- the East River or the Hudson River. What is special about that view is that it's Long Island Sound.

So that's where I want to get to. Since my mother died I can't get to Steppingstone Park in Great Neck anymore. Someplace in Bayside/Douglaston with all those boats, that's what I'm looking for.
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:24 PM on August 17, 2013

so you can walk to the water in douglaston from the LIRR station. You could also walk to the water from the Port Washington Station pretty easily. Its also about a mile right down Sea Cliff Avenue from the Sea Cliff station to this (the harbor is filled with boats in the summer, and Sea Cliff Ave is basically a street filled with old Victorians until you get to the little village). The Oyster Bay Station is literally right on Oyster Bay.
posted by JPD at 7:34 PM on August 17, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I was going to chime in with the LIRR to Port Washington suggestion as well. A short walk takes you to a very nice public area with a small park and boats and even little beachy bits. Good luck.
posted by The Biggest Dreamer at 7:39 PM on August 17, 2013

Well, it's a bit east of Queens, but the LIRR will get you to Long Beach in under an hour. It's a ten minute walk to the sea! It does cost, hmmn, eight bucks or so to get on the beach.
posted by thinkpiece at 7:44 PM on August 17, 2013

Port is easier, Sea Cliff is much much prettier - but I'd prefer either to Douglaston and the Port Washington line on weekends is twice an hour as opposed to every 2 hours for the Oyster Bay line - which is the line Sea Cliff is on.

(Long Beach is not on the Sound)
posted by JPD at 7:46 PM on August 17, 2013

Response by poster: Thank you. I can get to the beach with my Metrocard (Brighton or Coney Island). I was looking for the Sound. Port Washington sounds just right, with Sea Cliff something to do on a Special Day.

Answers much appreciated.
posted by DMelanogaster at 5:54 AM on August 18, 2013

If it is the LI Sound and boats view you are after, you can also do this from the Metro North trains to Connecticut or even Westchester.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:26 AM on August 18, 2013

Response by poster: JOhnnyGunn, specific stations with L I Sound public access? thanks.
posted by DMelanogaster at 9:28 AM on August 18, 2013

As I recall, most of the Connecticut town 'town beaches' enforce residency for parking, not for walking onto the beach. Certainly Stamford and Norwalk are that way. I'd go to South Norwalk, I think, and walk over to Veterans Park. For the Stamford waterfronts/beaches, you'd have to take a bus from the station.
posted by janell at 1:02 PM on August 18, 2013

You can take Metro North from Grand Central to Rye, NY. At Rye, a Westchester bus meets the train, accepts Metrocards, and goes directly to Rye Playland Amusement park, on the Sound. The beach and main boardwalk are open (though some parts are still closed due to Sandy repairs).
posted by xo at 2:55 PM on August 18, 2013

Sorry for the delay. If you take the New Haven Line, most of those stations are within a mile of the beach. I have experience with Mamaroneck. There is a terrific park, Harbor Island Park at the end of Mamaroneck Ave. There are also a lot of restaurants between the train station and the park. I have also been from the Westport station to a park I think called Westport Longshore park that sits looking at the sound. If you google map one of the stops on the New Haven line, and zoom in and follow it up from around Mamaroneck to Connecticut, you will see many stops that have a close access to the sound.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:44 PM on August 18, 2013 [1 favorite]