3. Stuyvesant Cove has one of Manhattan’s only beaches

Photo by Karen Loew of No Man’s Land

When you think of beaches, Manhattan isn’t exactly the first place that comes to mind. But there is indeed a beach on this island: a stretch of sand at the edge of Stuyvesant Cove Park.

This beach is not a commercial beach, and you won’t find sunbathers. What you will find are moss-covered rocks, kelp and algae, and a beach strewn with trash and treasures that the sea has washed up.

The beach offers magnificent views of the Queensborough Bridge and the sunset. Many New Yorkers value the beach as their own private oasis, a place to catch a breath of fresh air and to meditate to the sound of water lapping against the shore.

There’s another hidden sandy beach in Inwood. Check it out here.