New York City is full of skyscrapers towering over the smoldering streets, an excessive amount of heat-emitting cars, and shoulder-to-shoulder foot traffic. When your environment is defined by concrete, sometimes the only recourse is to point a finger at any semi-open space with a breeze, and say, "That's a beach."
Sure, the city has eight actual beaches (about a 14-mile stretch), but they can be tough to get to on a regular basis for many New Yorkers. Plus, they tend to have their own problems: overcrowdedness, sudden closures, shark sightings, sand flies. So, because we are a city of dreamers, we have our own rules—and one of those rules is that anytime a New Yorker goes outside in the sun in an environment with a 30/70 nature-to-concrete ratio, that's the beach.
That being said: Here are some beaches.
The pedestrian islands on Eastern Parkway
Who needs Prospect Park when you can take a load off here? Come to think of it, shout out to the traffic islands on Albemarle Road, too. A lawn in the middle of the road is a good idea.
The benches outside of Sharlene's
There's nowhere better to drink a fine martini and performatively or normally read a book while you wait for your friends (or not) than this oasis on Flatbush Avenue. And when Karolina's bartending? Classic night loading…