Fort Tilden

Great beach with wild sand dunes all pristine and untouched…
Sand is virtually white and the wild vegetation doesn’t make you feel like you’re in New York .
Beach goers are a mix of young hipsters and Brooklyn type artists with their tattooed significant others.
Also on weekdays it is very peaceful and best to go to relax. A big change from your commercial packed Jones Beach, Long Beach etc.

As a once, virtually lawless, secluded beach retreat for the hipster-​minded young adults of New York (in particular, transplant Brooklyn), it was at a time taboo to spread the good word about Fort Tilden to the general public. But let’s be real here — the secret’s out. And it has been for a few years now. Heck, they ship ‘em in by the busload from Williamsburg, Bushwick, Downtown BK, and God knows where else. Hell, they even made a movie about this place.
This has certainly turned Fort Tilden into more of a beach party than the aforementioned beach retreat, especially on the weekends. While I do recall the quieter, more unkempt, pre-​party shuttle, pre-​Sandy days here at Fort Tilden, I never claimed this place as my own private sanctuary to get all salty about its current popularity. These days, the beach serves a slightly different purpose to a somewhat broader demographic, but it can be a perfect, full summer’s day with friends if you know what to expect — which is, not gonna lie, mostly half-​naked hipsters having a good-​ass time with little more than a beach towel and a cooler full of cheap beer. Let’s just call a spade a spade.
Yes, Fort Tilden had somewhat of a nude beach reputation at one point in time. Today, topless women still very much reign supreme (a destination in itself for the #freethenipple crowd, it’s impossible to find a plot of land without ladies taking advantage of the liberal situation), but anything beyond that isn’t exactly tolerated. I’d gone on a quiet, nearly empty weekday (the closest you’ll get to reclaiming the old Fort Tilden vibe) when a park ranger made two stark naked women, with about a 50 yard radius of beach to themselves, cover up. If you travel far enough West, where rangers may not want to trudge through the sand and hot sun in head-​to-​toe, pants-​and-​long-​sleeves, government attire, you may encounter a small squad of naturists (read: old dudes), but for the most part, it appears those days are over. Fort Tilden is by no means the fully naked free-​for-​all some people make it out to be. Titties, totally, but naughty bits, not so much.
By definition, Fort Tilden is an abandoned military base. If you’ve brought your sneakers and wish to do a bit of adventuring, seek out the back road bike trails that lead to Battery Harris East and West, structures that used to house nuclear missiles during the Cold War, now covered in street art. (Or is it beach art?) Note, they’re basically shrouded by heavy brush and barely visible from the beach, meaning you’ve got your work cut out for you when trying to find them, but that just makes it that much more rewarding when uncovering such a unique, historical, how-​is-​this-​still-​New York City artifact. Scattered across the park are other, smaller, dilapidated buildings, also covered in graffiti, some of which have inevitably played host to art installations recently given Fort Tilden’s surge in popularity.
Speaking of adventures, it can be a trek to get out here in the first place, even with a car. And even if you do have a car, it can’t hurt to bring a bike too, especially if you want to take advantage of exploring the military ruins. The closest parking is at Jacob Riis, and from there, you still have to walk a bit West to get to Fort Tilden proper. The easy way out is probably those group shuttles that allow you to drink en route and then basically dump you off at the dunes. Otherwise, there is always the good ol’ MTA, where a subway ride will get you halfway there and then it’s a bus transfer for the final leg. Choose wisely.
Given Fort Tilden’s near-​primal landscape, its liberal, unsupervised crowds (meaning no lifeguards and minimal presence from rangers, who are really there to keep the beach devoid of litter and bottomless bathers), and its unusual back story as a bona fide, secret Army base, it’s all very post-​apocalyptic, if you’re into that nuclear-​fallout, last-​man-​on-​Earth kind of thing. And getting there can certainly feel like you’re at the end of the world, but that’s part of the appeal, and worth the extra time and effort. Certainly carve out a full day for yourself, preferably one with a perfectly sunny forecast. There’s simply no other beach like this in the city — it’s no wonder people wanted to keep it to themselves.

Well this is a beach for those that know how to swim because there is no lifeguards and you swim at your own risk other wish its nice at the end of everything and less crowd

If you don’t approach from the big empty unkempt fields on the approach from the street, hit the boardwalk at Jacob Riis beach, go all the way to the end – then keep going, on the sand, around the dune to this NPS-​controlled property (go all the way to the end if you’d like to remove your clothing).

Great place to spend the day with family and friends. Make sure you get a parking permit!

One of the cleaner and quieter beaches in NYC. I came on a blazing hot summer Sunday, the beginning of a heat wave, and it was clean and calm. Oh, well traffic was an absolute nightmare… but it was all worthwhile. Everyone headed to Riis beach completely missed this gem. But shhh let’s keep it that way.
The sand is full of broken sea shells, otherwise, it’s garbage free. The water is surprisingly the cleanest I’ve seen yet. No floating baby diapers, plastic bags or cigarette buds! However, the water itself is green, but hey we’re not talking about the Cayman Islands here. It’s also full of broken sea shells so be careful walking in the water.

Attended a large picnic event. The space was clean and large. There are two sides, so arrive early to get a good spot near the parking lot. If not, you will have to walk the distance.

So much hatred of the «hipsters» in many Unilocalers’ reviews — but I would prefer them to the ratchet messes you find at beaches like Coney! No complaints.
Biked 17 miles to get here from Manhattan — inaccessibility is a plus because it weeds out crowds/​subway crews. The beach and surrounding area are beautiful. There was only one food truck when we got there. No commercialized BS, otherwise. Almost didn’t feel like NYC.

This place is nothing but amazing. It literally reminds me of Jurassic Park. It’s so cool, definitely worth every minute. Prepare to walk a lot because this place is very big, especially if you don’t wanna miss anything. The view from the top of Battery Harris is breathtaking. You can even see the Manhattan skyline. And you can seriously just stay up there for hours. There’s Battery Harris East and West, so yes there are two of them! Follow the same road all the way down to see the second one. I missed it when I first went. You can also take that same road down to the beach which will lead you to the hidden bunkers I heard/​seen pictures that are a little further down on the beach. I didn’t find it but this place is so cool it makes you want to go back many many more times to explore. It’s a beautiful beach as well which is now my go to beach anytime I wanna enjoy a nice view. The graffiti art in the abandoned houses are really unique. Definitely something I have never seen before. If you live in New York or just a tourist, make it your duty to go to this park. I guarantee you won’t regret it!!! Enjoy!

There is a reason Fort Tilden draws both naturalists and artists: it’s raw and pretty. You can walk along the water, explore the area’s military past, or visit the exhibitions on display at the Rockaway Artists Alliance. Ft. Tilden is the jewel in Queens’ crown, the inspirational haven for painters and poets.

Definitely a very curious park, Burning Man fanboys and girls are welcome. Stumbled upon this on a Sunday bike ride to the Rockaways and the experience was very Twilight Zone-​ish. All it took was an hour and change to get to such an esoteric location.
Baseball fields, unpaved paths, big fort things… definitely a hodgepodge of weird things, making for a memorable experience indeed. The paths are cool to ride on, but only if you have a mountain bike… Lucinda’s slender frame and tires would make her a prime candidate for a flat tire, and that would not be cool considering that the Rockaways are the equivalent to the middle of nowhere.
If you’re ever in this part of town and wanna see more ghost-​townish stuff (aside from the beach and ghost-​townish beach stuff), pay a visit to Fort Tilden.

Place is utterly destroyed, hordes of look alike string bean arm beardos and thier olive oil girlfriends swarming this place. «Oh look how cool we are, and different» no you arent… you all look alike… place is disgusting. used to be a tranquil spot .now full of narcissistic self important wanna be artist types. drugs and drinking abound… nudity .it’s frankly gross… hipsters please all go back to your flyover states where you came from so us real ny people can live in peace…

Cars parked on state road that disobey the posted signs will be ticketed and towed. About 70 cars were ticketed and towed today 7÷5÷14

Let me sum up all the negative reviews of Ft Tilden on Unilocal for you real quick…
I don’t like hipsters. pbr. tattooed people. hipsters. pbr. tattooed people.hipsters. pbr. tattooed people. hipsters. pbr. tattooed people.hipsters. pbr. tattooed people. hipsters. pbr. tattooed people.hipsters. pbr. tattooed people. hipsters. pbr. tattooed people.
Get over yourselves.

What is freedom? Great question. Does the government give it to us? Are we born with it? We all seek freedom. Freedom of, freedom from, freedom to. I’m an American first and a man second. So that means I can do whatever I want. I have the freedom to go where I want to and do as I please. The world is my oyster and I was born to shuck.
For women, things are little different. Women and their cherished rights have been overlooked for centuries. Trampled on by rats, pigs and snakes. In some far away lands they carry things on their heads, pump out kids for domineering husbands and fear reprisals for simply learning to read. Some cultures don’t want a literate woman. So women are covered up. Kept indoors. Their opinions aren’t valued. They live to rot because men run the show.
This is true. But America tries to be different. But even we fall short. Not at Fort Tilden. At Fort Tilden women are free. Free to relax, be themselves and of course show their tits. They aren’t ogled at. They aren’t gawked at. The sand and water is Poseidon’s gift to Woman. They just soak in the rays of the sweet honey sun. We all benefit. A tit to some is just another palindrome. A kayak for your troubles. A racecar for your problems. But a tit is freedom. Liberty. Let them swing in the July air.
God Bless America, Fort Tilden and every smooth set of tits. Just another day at the beach.

At the bus stop near Beach 169 St. there are minivans that take people back to Williamsburg; that says something about who likes to come to Ft. Tilden. But this should not deter the explorer in you, since Ft. Tilden has a lot to offer. A beautiful area to discover, with a pristine beach, sand dunes, a maritime forest, and an abandoned military base.
There are no facilities here: no lifeguards, no bathrooms, no trash cans, and no food, (apart from the occasional push-​bike cart).
The beach itself is pretty narrow. Last time I was there there were some pretty big-​ass waves that ate up about half of the beach. It was fun in the water, but all the people on the beach were squeezed in a narrow band by the fence near the dunes, and it felt pretty crowded.
Unfortunately there’s a lot of trash on the beach, mainly in the form of cans and trash bags neatly closed and then abandoned by the fence. If you come here, please be respectful of this place and take all your trash back with you.
The dunes are a fragile ecosystem, and should be left alone. There are plenty of paths that take you across the dunes. And if you’re into urban archaeology, this is one of the most interesting (and spooky) places NYC has to offer. Right behind the beach, in fact, there are the remains of a military installation, built around the time the US entered WWI and closed in the late ‘70s, was supposed to defend NYC from an attack coming from the sea[1]. The two massive 16-​inch cannon buildings of Battery Harris (East and West) are the two most impressive remains: it truly feels like you’re right in the middle of Planet of the Apes. Between the abandoned military buildings engulfed in vegetation, and the silent forest, the atmosphere is definitely eery. You feel that this would be a good place where to dump a corpse, or to meet a herd of hungry zombies.
Unfortunately most of the buildings are covered in graffiti. It would be great if the city could actually reclaim the area and preserve it. There is also a lot of trash around. If you take the beautiful wooden ladder that take you on top of Battery Harris east, you can enjoy a 360 degree view over the ocean, the Rockaway peninsula, and the skyline of the city. Surrounded by cans and broken glass, unfortunately.
This is definitely a five star place. Too bad too many people that come here are just unable to enjoy it in a respectful manner.
— — — — — — — — —
[1] If this may sound like cold war paranoia, consider this: during the months leading to the invasion of Iraq, I had arguments with several people supporting the war who were convinced that Iraq was ready to invade the US.

Fort Tilden Park is part of Queens as John F. Kennedy Airport is Queens.
Owned and operated by National Park Service, Gateway National Recreation Area that is adjacent to Jacob Riis Park. Fort Tilden is an easy access from Brooklyn’s Marine Parkway Bridge, or via Rockaway Peninsula, or Q35 or Q22 Buses. Serving as a once functional fort from World War I through Vietnam War it defended New York Harbor, which today comprises many activities of biking, fishing, and including a theater.

I see a lot of mixed reviews about Fort Tilden. Most of the negative ones have to do with hipster invasions. I bet most of those reviews are from transplants. I don’t get it. I’m born and raised in New York. The beach demographic really didn’t phase me. If you want serenity, get on a plane and go to a tropical island. Or buy some better earbuds /​headphones for your iPods. This is NYC, guys.
I went recently on a Sunday morning with friends. It wasn’t a super hot day. Maybe in the mid to upper 80s. We got there around 11:30am and set up our umbrella, cooler and blankets. By around 1:30pm the beach started to get a little more crowded. But I didn’t even notice until I looked around because I was too busy relaxing and being within my own thoughts. We also had a boombox and had it at a somewhat loud volume for the entire seven hours we were there. Not obnoxiously loud. Just outdoor loud. We didn’t want to disturb anyone. But nobody seemed to mind. Actually I think a few people set up camps near us just to listen to our music.
Park rangers and mounted police do roll by every now and then just to check on things. So if you are doing activities of the hoodrat variety, keep them concealed and stay vigilant. Alcohol is permitted as long as you drink out of cups and you’re not being a complete jerk about it. And If you’re uptight about the human body in its natural form, be aware that women do go topless at Fort Tilden.
All in all, I went to Fort Tilden with friends to relax, chat, eat tuna fish sandwiches, drink wine and relax some more. And I accomplished that. In my opinion, I think the best feature of Fort Tilden is that there are no lifeguards. Therefore, no children or big families. It’s a very «adult» beach. So if that’s what you’re looking for and you’re a Brooklynite, it’s your best option if you want to swim or get your tan on.

I grew up spending my summers in Cape Cod, so I was skeptical of going to a New York beach because I just pictured it to be dirty and awful. however, Fort Tilden is actually wonderful beach, where you feel like you’re at a BEACH, not just some sand and water surrounded by the city. The water was pretty warm when I went mid-​June. I’m originally from New England so I’m used to the cold beaches in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, so I was pleasantly surprised! soft sand and no seaweed! :)
Drove out here from Lower Manhattan and it was a nice, short drive. My boyfriend and I brought a disposable grill and stopped at a market nearby the beach to pick up some steak kabobs and some beers. Nobody cared that we had a grill which was awesome. No lifeguards, and no bathrooms, but I did see some «security» cruising down the beach in an ATV when we arrived.
Only complaint — there was a couple here that were practically nude. her, topless and in a thong, him in a speedo. come ON, we aren’t in Europe here! Have some decency and AT LEAST wear a bikini top. geez! I was appalled by the woman especially since there were little children around… BUT, I’ll still go back.

It took me 4 trains and a bus to get here from North Brooklyn [although, to be fair, I could have taken one less train. But, I was meeting the cutest girl ever off the L and took the scenic route. Believe me, you would have done the same thing without hesitation]. I would have come to Fort Tilden if I had to take every single train and bus that the MTA operates to get here. Yes, this beach is THAT amazing.
The water is abnormally clean. I even went swimming in it [and by swimming, I mean I went in up to my knees and then got knocked over by a wave]. That being said, be careful and know your limits when swimming here. There are no lifeguards on duty, and the waves are VERY strong. I weigh about 200 pounds and the wave that took me down threw me around like a feather.
The beach is a little dirty because people come here and leave their trash behind, which is just beyond me because there are trash cans. USE THEM. There’s also quite a bit of brush, sticks, and seaweed everywhere along the sand. But, whatever, it’s a beach. That’s what nature does.
There aren’t any snack shops or anything near by, so come prepared with enough food and drinks to last you. Also, bring footballs, frisbees, etc. with you, because the beach is empty enough to play whatever kind of beach games that you’re into. Just don’t be like me and accidentally throw the frisbee into the water [It’s okay, the waves brought it back].
On the way home we realized that we could have taken just 2 buses to get here. It takes the same amount of time, but it was nice not to have to transfer a thousand times. Moral of the story is stalk out the bus maps and avoid HopStop/​Google when mapping out the best route to get here.
The next time I come here I’m riding my bike down. According to other Unilocalers it’s a nice ride, and the bus that picks you up from near the beach is pretty unreliable [we had to wait for at least an hour for the bus because all of the ones that came ’round were already jammed packed and the driver didn’t even stop]. But, as long as you’re surrounded by good company it’s hard to be irritated when you’ve spent the entire day loungin’ at Fort Tilden.