Off-Limits Brooklyn Bridge Beach Grants Public Access for One Day Only

Brooklyn Bridge Beach, a small stretch of sandy coastline at the foot of the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, is rarely opened to the public. This summer, for one day only, the beach will welcome visitors as the Waterfront Alliance celebrates City of Water Day. On July 13th, various waterfront locations around New York City will host special events to get people to, on and in the water. Brooklyn Bridge Beach will open specifically for the annual Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race.

The Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race is a team event where teams are given two hours to create seaworthy vessels using nothing but cardboard and tape. The fifteen participating teams include members from a diverse selection of organizations. Competitors hail from high schools, like the Stuyvesant Science Olympiad Team, to non-profits like Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, as well as corporations like Con Edison. The goal of the race is to raise awareness about the need to increase waterfront access around New York Harbor.

Photograph by David Gonsier, Courtesy of The Waterfront Alliance

This year marks the 12th annual City of Water Day, a harbor-wide series of events organized by the Waterfront Alliance and its partners, with presenting sponsor The Howard Hughes Corporation®. Along with the Cardboard Kayak Race, there will be opportunities to meet local marine life, participate in crafts, science experiments, and other water-related activities as well as to learn about the work of the many organizations that connect New Yorkers to our waterfront, work towards resiliency, and protect and preserve our resources.

Photo by Waterfront Alliance

Brooklyn Bridge Beach is located under the FDR Drive, across Dover Street on the East River. You can use this location to help you get there!

Next, check out The Top 10 Secrets of the Hudson River, NYC and The Top 10 Secrets of the East River, NYC