Long Beach offers oceanfront and bayfront living with a walkable downtown
“The City by the Sea” sounds like a moniker given to a city in a book, but it’s fitting for Long Beach — especially since parts of its history feel a little fantastical. Located on a barrier island off Long Island’s coast, with waterfront on both the Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, William H. Reynolds had a hand in the community’s early development. At one point, Reynolds, who was a real estate investor responsible for developing Coney Island’s Dreamland, had elephants brought from the amusement park to help build Long Beach’s boardwalk.
Today, many people live in Long Beach year-round. “It really is such an awesome, unique place, and I think once you get your feet in the sand, it just kind of keeps you there,” says Jennifer McConnell, an associate real estate broker at Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International who lives in Long Beach and has sold homes there for 19 years. “The sand turns to cement, and it’s like, ‘I’m not letting you go!’” Long Beach has an urban vibe and walkable streets lined with local shops and restaurants. And in 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the city is getting $4.5 million for continued improvements.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 33.9% of Long Beach residents work in education, health care and social assistance, and 14.7% work in professional, scientific, management and administrative and waste management services.
Nearly 35,000 residents call the city of Long Beach home.
Many local residents run, walk and ride bikes on Long Beach's boardwalk along the ocean.
Waterfront homes can be found along the Atlantic Ocean or the bay in Long Beach.
There are many wonderful restaurants and services along Park Avenue in Long Beach, NY.
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Surfing, beach volleyball and boating
Ocean Beach Park is popular for relaxing in the sand, swimming in the Atlantic and — above all for some — surfing. “I don’t think I could imagine a Long Beach without surfers,” says Dave Juan, the owner of unsOund Surf, a favorite local surf shop. “When the waves are good, it turns into like Southern California, with how many people you see with surfboards on their car and people just all wet, they look like they just got out of the water at the food stores, and you run into them and they’re talking about it. You get people on the boardwalk watching sometimes when the waves get really big. It’s cool.” But the best surfing spots are a carefully guarded secret. “You’re not allowed to tell the best spots — you’ve just got to find them,” Juan says. Beach volleyball, bodysurfing and skimboarding are also popular. Residents purchase daily or yearly beach passes at a discounted price.
Long Beach’s bayside is ground central for hobbies like boating, jet skiing and fishing. “That’s really what’s so special and so unique,” McConnell says. “The lifestyle is very different if you live bayside or if you live by the ocean.” Winter doesn’t slow residents down, either. “You’ll see people walking the boards even in the dead of winter,” McConnell says. “People will still take a dip in the water, people are surfing, but even when it’s very, very chilly, people’s passions get them out there.” Long Beach Recreation Center has an indoor swimming pool and ice rink; within a couple of blocks, there’s also a skatepark, dog run and bayside fishing pier.
Many local residents easily get around by boat in Long Beach.
Join the annual Long Beach Polar Plunge, every second Sunday in February.
Dip your toes into the Atlantic Ocean in Long Beach.
Hang ten in the city of Long Beach with some of the best surf on the East Coast.
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Homes a short walk from the water
Long Beach’s single-family homes range from three-story beach houses or little bungalows to split levels, colonials and Mediterranean-style homes. Every home in Long Beach is eight blocks or less from the water, and there are plenty of waterfront homes. The median home price is $780,000, which is higher than the national median home price of $418,700, but large waterfront houses can sell for as much as $4 million. Condos cost between $325,000 and $1.2 million.
The Red Brick Street Historic District of Long Beach has homes dating back to the 1900's
Large family homes can be found on some larger plots in Long Beach.
Homes in the west end of Long Beach are often abutted right next to each other.
The biggest amenity in Long Beach is the 2 mile long boardwalk that residents use for recreation and exercise.
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Hurricane season, dropping crime rates
Long Beach has a major risk of flooding and a severe risk of high winds, especially during hurricane season. Since Hurricane Sandy, though, Long Beach has taken steps to improve the resilience of its infrastructure, and many homes are now built on cement blocks or stilts to help protect against flooding. Long Beach has its own police force. Between 2022 and 2023, the city saw about a 13.5% decrease in violent crimes and a 9.6% drop in property crimes.
Annual pro surfing contest, summer and winter festivals
Surfers of every age look forward to the unsOund Pro Surf Competition in September. “It’s just really cool to see the kids, how they’re walking with their heads all high, being part of an event,” Juan says, adding that it’s many kids’ first professional-level competition. The men’s and women’s pros division carries a $10,000 prize. Nearly every weekend during the summer has craft fairs, live music and movie festivals, but even winter is far from quiet with events like the Polar Bear Splash and the Electric Light Parade.
Ireland's colors are visible everywhere during Long Beach's Irish Heritage Day Event.
Join your neighbors in the pumpkin patch at the Long Beach Annual Fall Festival.
The Rabbi from the Chabad of the Beaches lite the Chanukah Menorah in Long Beach.
Get up close and personal with Polar Bears at the Electric Light Parade in Long Beach.
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Shops and restaurants along East Park Avenue
East Park Avenue is the city’s commercial pulse. Running the length of the city, it’s flanked by local shops, restaurants and other essentials. There’s cuisine from all over the world, and the restaurants themselves are a blend of longstanding mainstays and up-and-coming spots. Shopping is just as varied.
Marvel Ice Cream, a Long Beach staple, has been serving ice cream in the area since 1951.
Key Foods in Long Beach is a one stop shop for many looking to complete their grocery list.
Brixx and Barley in Long Beach offers classic American cuisine in a sports bar setting.
Stop in to the Long Beach Surf Shop to pick up Sex Wax for the upcoming UnsOund Surf Comp.
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Athletics at Long Beach schools
Niche gives the Long Beach Public Schools an A. Long Beach High School makes Niche’s list of top 25 schools for athletes in New York; in 2024, five students signed letters of intent to play Division I sports in college.
The student-to-teacher ratio at East Elementary School in Long Beach, NY is 12-to-1.
Long Beach High School in Lido Beach, NY serves approximately 1,300 students.
Long Beach Middle School has 756 students in grades 6-8 with a ratio of 8 to 1.
Lido Elementary School in Long Beach, NY is a highly rated public elementary school.
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Major roads, LIRR station
Park Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard are major thoroughfares here. Many people commute into Manhattan from the Long Island Rail Road’s Long Beach Station. The train takes commuters to Manhattan’s Penn Station in about 50 minutes. There are urgent care centers in Long Beach, but the nearest hospital is Mount Sinai South Nassau, 5 miles away on Long Island.
Award Winning Realtor Richard Iorio a Long Beach native with a lifelong experience in real estate specializing in Sales listings and Buyer representation. Richard is a father of two and a husband to his lovely wife Kasey Mcquade-Iorio together they enjoy the beautiful city along with its walks, bike rides, activities and of course the beach! Richard is involved in a number of charity organizations in the area and is a member of the Long Beach Lions Richard continuously grows his business and the trust of his clients as a local expert.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
