Lake/River Beaches

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Explore All Lake/River Beaches in NYC & Vicinity

Unfortunately there are no lakes and rivers to swim in the 5 boroughs of NYC, but there are lots of spots just a short trip away…

Jump to Lake/River Beaches in: Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Upstate NY, Pennsylvania

LONG ISLAND

  • Lake Ronkonkoma County Park– The only freshwater swimming area in LI. Has large grassy areas, grills and a playground. Definitely check if beach is open before you go as there has been blue algae etc…

WESTCHESTER

  • Croton Point Park– Unique beach on Hudson, tucked away in a bay. Camping, kayak rentals and hiking trails near-by…

CONNECTICUT

  • Bantam Lake– Cute little beach and great for smaller kids, also has a raft with a slide for added fun…
  • Lake Waramaug– A scenic lake with a tiny beach. No lifeguards, but lots to do around like kayaking and hinking and camping…
  • Indian Well State Park– A no-lifeguard river swimming area in one of the most beautiful state parks in the area…
  • Candlewood Town Park– Gorgeous lake, but a small beach and very expensive for non-residents like all others around Candlewood Lake…
  • Squantz Pond State Park– Gorgeous lake and a life-guarded beach close to parking with grills and picnic tables near-by…
  • Burr Pond State Park– Great place to go with family, grassy areas, grills, kayak rentals and a sandy lake beach, although a bit packed in the summer afternoons…
  • Mount Tom State Park– Hike to the tower and swim at the lake beach afterwards…
  • Black Rock State Park– Bridges, waterfalls, meadows and mountains to wander around in and a lake beach to swim in…
  • Wharton Brook State Park– Trout stocked brook for fishing and Allen Brook Pond for swimming, although can be noisy…
  • Stratton Brook State Park– Small sandy beach for swimming, close to parking and restrooms…
  • Wadsworth Falls State Park– Sandy swimming area at the pond and a short walk to the falls if you feel like it…
  • Chatfield Hollow State Park– Hiking and picnic spots along the creek with covered bridges and waterwheel, plus a lake beach for swimming…
  • Day Pond State Park– Swimming area at the pond, which is also stocked with trout for fishing, peaceful and quiet…
  • Gay City State Park– Usually quiet small treasure of a beach with lily pads around…

NEW JERSEY

  • High Point State Park– Lake Marcia is a wonderful mountain lake with grills, sandy beach, bathhouse and a great lootout mountain-top near, and there’s lots do do around as well, like hiking and camping
  • Lake Wawayanda– Great easy beach to go to with grills, boat/kayak rentals and a small food truck on premises, plus a great park to wander around in…
  • Lake Hopatcong State Park– Everything’s there, just show up and have fun…
  • Round Valley Recreational Area– Swimming in the clear waters of the second deepest lake in NJ isn’t half bad, all the usual park amenities around too
  • Wharton State Forest– Atsion Lake: Clean facilities, sandy beach and clean water, although it looks like wine sometimes…
  • Cheesequake State Park– Huge Hooks Creek Lake is the place to swim on a nice lake beach. including playground and facilities near-by…
  • Tomahawk Lake– Like a mini amusement park with a bar, it has everything from water slides to bumper boats and of course some nice lake side swimming…
  • Spruce Run Recreational Area– Even if it’s in need of some TLC, it’s a great lake side beach area to hang out with fam…
  • Swartswood Lake State Park– Nice little lake beach with boat rentals near-by and friendly staff…
  • Ringwood State Park– There’s a beach area at Sheperd Lake, but lots else to do in this massive park… verify if beach is open before going…
  • Lewis Morris Park– Sunrise Lake Beach Club is the place to be when weather is hot, great water attractions for kids…
  • Bass River State Park– Lake Absegami has a swimming area in this massive pinelands park…
  • Belleplain State Forest– Lake Nummy has a swimming beach with bunch of trees close to water…
  • Darlington County Park– A gem of a place and family oriented. Not too big and not too small fun swimming area for all kids…
  • Delaware Water Gap– Turtle beach is a small swimming area on the Jersey side of DWG, no crowds, no frills, no problem…
  • Parvin State Park- Lifeguard staffed beach at Parvin Grove @ Parvin Lake, everything near-by…
  • Belmawr Lake– Like a “little overpriced camp lake from 70’s”, but has food, a bar and (sometimes open) water slide and diving board for kids…
  • Hospitality Creek Campground– Not really a beach, but rather a campground, but has a pool, lake beach and RV (rentals available) sites besides all the other summer camp fun…

UPSTATE NY

  • Lake Taghanic State Park– A pretty awesome lake (Taghanic) beach with lots of parking, canoe rentals and a (snack)bar where you can get a beer to drink on the beach…
  • Clarence Fahnestock State Park– Canopus Lake is the place to cool off, has all the regular beach amenities, sans life-guards- water has a bit more vegetation than normal, but a great place to hang with kids for a day…
  • Harriman State Park/Lake Tiorati– Smaller of the two swimmable beaches in Harriman State Park, but lovely…
  • Harriman State Park/Lake Welch– Larger of the two Harriman State Park swimming beaches, but has more amenities and a huge parking area…
  • North-South Lake– Two swimming areas on (two) lakes in addition to camping and trailheads to some pretty amazing destinations…
  • Belleayre Beach/Pine Hill Lake– A fun beach near Belleayre Ski Center, tons to do besides swimming like rock climbing and kayak rentals…
  • Lake Superior State Park– Huge state park with a sandy beach and large grassy area to lay the towel down…
  • Minnewaska State Park Preserve– Lake Minnewaska is a picturesque mountain lake with a small beach not far from parking, can get busy in the summer…Lake Awosting has a swimming area (a huge rock slab) as well, but a bit of a hike to get to…
  • Taconic State Park– Besides great hiking, Rudd Pond area in the south has a small sandy beach for swimming…you can also swim in the north at the deep Ore Pit Pond…
  • Wilcox Memorial Park– Nice sandy beach with a pavilion with restrooms near, parking lot is small and call before to verify beach is open… nice hiking around too…
  • Kingston Point Beach– Swim in the former capital of NY, in Hudson River none-the-less…
  • Village of Saugerties Beach– On Esopus Creek just north of Kingston is a small beach area with a swimming dock for a dip after playing on the playground…no life guards…
  • Ulster Landing County Park– A great small sandy beach on the Hudson River, free too and has lifeguards…
  • Glimmerglass State Park– A little farther from the city (3 hrs +), but the place is gorgeous and tranquil, so worth a visit when near-by…
  • Pete and Toshi Seeger River Front Park– Beacon River Pool is an unique pool in Hudson River where water from the river flows through it…
  • Circleville Park– Near Wallkill, tiny (cheap) life-guarded lake beach… watch for snapping turtles…
  • Cherry Plain State Park– Small non-lifeguarded beach on a pond, but large swimming area near the playgrounds…
  • Grafton Lakes State Park– Swim at a large sandy beach on Long Pond, popular in the summer…
  • Thompson Lake State Park Campground– Has a small beach at the campground and the near-by John Boyd Thatcher State Park is a must see with it’s 2 massive waterfalls…

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Beltzville State Park & Beach– Large swimming area with boat rentals near-by, including pontoons, but make a reservation…
  • Mauch Chunk Lake Park– Sandy beach with a pavilion and life guards…get there early…
  • Lake Wallenpaupack– There’s only one public swimming beach at this massive lake- Palmyra Township Public Beach… although boat rentals/water sports and fishing also available…
  • Gouldsboro State Park– Large swimming area, hiking and boat rentals available, including motor boats… no life-guards…
  • Tobyhanna State Park– Outdoor haven with hiking, biking, boat rentals and a sandy swimming beach…
  • Locust Lake– The beach is at the far end of camping area, so a walk…
  • Promised Land State Park– Two beaches, One at day use picnic area and the other at Pickerel Point… boat rentals available as well…
  • Hickory Run State Park– Sand Spring Lake has clean waters. large swimming area and parking near-by…
  • Delaware Water Gap (Milford Beach)- Grassy beach with picnic areas, restrooms…
  • Delaware Water Gap (Smithfield Beach)- An alternative to Milford Beach…
  • Dutch Springs– Popular spring-fed gathering spot for boating and scuba diving, but it also hosts Aqua Park with it’s inflatable water/climbing fun… plus, see drowned airplanes if you can scuba-dive…

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