The finest New York beaches – for a holiday combining city with sea and sand

They’re hardly the first thing that springs to mind when you think of New York, but beaches are plentiful in and around the city. They provide an antidote to Manhattan’s vertical grey sprawl, and many can be reached easily from the tourist centre for day trips.

Drive an hour or so out of the city and New York can feel positively exotic. Here are the best beaches to explore in the state, whatever you’re looking for.

Best for foodies: Brighton Beach

The wooden-slatted grand promenade at Brighton Beach feels unnervingly British, just without a stick of rock in sight. The Riegelmann Boardwalk, as the stretch is formally known, was opened in the 1920s to connect almost three miles of beachfront along the Atlantic Coney Island shore. Like much of New York, this part of Brooklyn is culturally diverse: Uzbek, Russian, Georgian and Turkish communities put down roots here, and informal seafront restaurants fuse their cuisines. Start with the fried manty Turkish dumplings at the Kashkar Cafe then wander inland for a baklava chaser from one of the cheap but high-quality counter shops such as the Tashkent Supermarket.

How to do it: Take the B Train from Manhattan to the final stop, Brighton Beach ($2.90). Or drive it in under an hour.

Best for a long weekend: Fire Island

This 32-mile long strip of sand feels more like the Caribbean than cacophonous New York. It’s easy to find a deserted stretch even in the peak summer months, and the maze of boardwalks adjacent to the sun-baked sand feel properly escapist. There is limited accommodation, owing to the size of the island, but there’s better availability in the late summer through to September and October when the weather still averages in the 20s. Do absolutely nothing for the weekend, or head to Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines, a favourite of the LGBTQ community, to find drag shows, cocktail bars and waterfront dancing spots. LGBTQ and liberal-minded crowds have been coming here since the 18th century.

How to do it: Take a ferry from Long Island Bay Shore (30 minutes; $11); it’s around a two-hour drive to the ferry port from Manhattan. Or Subway connections take around two hours; take the A and E to Jamaica in Queens, from where you can catch a train to Sayville.

Best for families: Coney Island

If you’ve got kids to entertain, try Coney Island. There’s a feeling of whimsy about this Brooklyn amusement park was revived in 1985. The water and beach aren’t the cleanest (only the hardy swim here) but Coney Island is about thrills, not luxury. Expect all the fun of the fair, from rickety old wooden roller coasters to a Ferris wheel built in 1920 that’s still in operation. In the middle of the last century the beach was a go-to destination for freak shows: times have moved on, but the Coney Island Circus Sideshow offers a 21st-century version featuring amazing tricks and stunts. There are two amusement parks, Luna Park, New York City’s largest amusement park with more than 50 attractions, and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park with the 100-year-old wheel. In general, Coney Island can feel a little rough around the edges, but you’ll see a true cross-section of New York City society, from blue collar workers to city-dwelling hipsters who go “ironically” at weekends.

How to do it: Take the F or Q Train from Manhattan to the end of the line, Coney Island-Stillwell Av (one hour; $2.90). Or drive it in around 50 minutes.

Best for hipsters: Jacob Riis

At the Rockaway Peninsula in the borough of Queens, military buildings mix with some very vibey beaches. On the thin strip of land is Jacob Riis Park, named after the Danish-American journalist who used photography to help some of the city’s poorest residents. Jacob Riis beach itself boasts a mile-long stretch of Atlantic Ocean coastline sand. First, take a short stroll through the buildings just behind the beach that were used by the Navy during the First World War, then collapse on the sand where there’s a food and drink concession (burgers and hot dogs as well as small plates with a seafood focus) and some interesting Art Deco buildings from the beach’s 1930s heyday. But go mainly to be among a high concentration of young, fun New Yorkers who gather here in large groups to share picnics and margaritas at the weekends.

How to do it: Take the NYC Ferry from Wall St/Pier 11 to Rockaway Beach (around 52 minutes; $10). Or it’s around an hour’s drive from Manhattan.

Best for swimming: Coopers Beach

Ranked highly in polls for best beaches not just in New York but the whole of the United States, Coopers Beach, in the Hamptons village of Southampton, knows exactly how good it is. Parking costs a prohibitive $50 per day, so it’s hardly the cheapest option, but the 500-ft stretch is certainly one of the cleanest. Look out for diverse birdlife, including snipe, egrets and waders, perfect quartz sand. With the average cost of property in the area at $3.75 million, you can also take a walk past the row of glitzy Hamptons mansions lying right behind the beach’s sand dunes for some serious real estate envy.

How to do it: Take the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station (from $19; two hours); or drive from Manhattan which takes the same amount of time.

Best for sunbathing: Montauk

The Marram hotel in Montauk offers a pool if you can’t be bothered with the faff of the beach, and complimentary surfboards if you can. Towards the easterly tip of the Hamptons, the waves are some of the best in the area, and private lessons are bookable with the hotel, named after the attractive beach grass that lines the stretch of sand in front of the property. The hotel also programmes events including nature walks, or just wander the dunes yourself.

How to do it: Take the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station (from $23.50; three hours and 40 minutes) or the Hampton Jitney bus ($30) from 40th or 59th St, which takes three hours; around the same time as driving from Manhattan. Marram (marrammontauk.com) offers doubles from $229.

Norse Atlantic (flynorse.com) flies from London to New York from £348 return.