2. Cedar Grove Beach
Cedar Grove Beach
Cedar Grove Beach in New Dorp, Staten Island, is New York City’s newest beach, brought under city management in 2010. The small sandy beach, stretching for only 2,000 feet, is located in Great Kills Park. The beach is a converted oceanfront bungalow colony that existed for over a century. As a bungalow colony, the beach was technically open to the public, yet it had no lifeguards or restrooms, and many New Yorkers thought that the beach was privately owned.
The Parks Department demolished most of the beach’s 41 bungalows, which was met with disapproval and anger from many Staten Island residents. However, the so-called “Poor Man’s Bermuda” is now a rather quiet escape from the urban environment that remains obscure to many New Yorkers.