Orchard Beach

Orchard Beach is a great local beach within driving distance from Queens and close to City Island. Located in Pelham Bay, the beach offers great views of the local area and provides a cool respite from the summer heat. There are occasional performances that are listed on the website of «Friends of Pelham Bay» at
. You can also play tennis and handball at the free courts as well as take hikes and explore the surrounding Pelham Bay Park (car parking is $ 10 for the day). Good for families and hanging out with friends.

The actual beach is known for being very dirty. i used to find trash in the water as a kid.
Most people like the beach not for the sand or water, but for the environment. Now, on the environment– its like a ghetto puerto rican beach. If you don’t identify with that community in new york, you probably wont like the beach. If you do like it, then go. Its not my type of community but I definitely have some puerto rican friends that LOOOOOOVE orchard.

A BEACH IN THE BRONX
ATTENTION PARKS & RECREATION: Your rules and regulations state that no radio playing is allowed, it is evident in your park signs visible along the beach. So, why are you allowing blasting boom boxes?
The concrete structures here are crumbling and need repair. Now I don’t expect a Shake Shack or Starbucks to open here (LOL) but at least keep it presentable!

It’s best to come off season, as with any city beach. In the weeks before Memorial Day, you can enjoy the beach in all its serenity. You might even find a horseshoe crab or two on the shore! It’s a true Bronx gem. The boardwalk is not very commercial — in fact, there’s only one true eatery on the boardwalk offering Cuban food. There are a lot of other vendors offering empanadas and drinks — eat at your own risk, of course. Check out the beach and the adjacent Pelham bay!

This place is run down. The bathrooms reminded me of my Grammer school bathrooms back in the early 60’s. Not for me sorry.

I love Orchard Beach, though the crowds can get very big on warm weekend days. The Latin vibe is cool, and it is one of the most ethnically diverse beaches in NY. My understanding is that Section 1 allows some form of nude sunbathing. I’ve seen women topless there without issue. Someone else here may have knowledge of the rules, so if you like that, it is welcoming.
The trails are great to run on, something I like to do regularly. The Hoops in the Sun basketball tournament brings some of the best competition in the country to Orchard Beach every summer. It is one of my favorite reasons to visit the beach each year.
I rarely swim on the beach. The rock paths along the water to the left of Section 1 lead to some secluded sunbathing areas where I do swim on occasion. There are on life guards back there, but the water is mostly calm. Be careful of the sharp rocks under water. I have a few scratches from being less than careful back there.
The Twin Islands are back there as well. At high tide, it is a very wet walk to the Islands. It can get very crowded here on warm weekends. Some nude sunbathing happens here. Almost exclusively men hangout here. Everyone is usually very cool, and the occasional skinny dip is totally cool here.
My only beef here is with the trash that people leave around the trails and out on the Twin Islands. The City should put more trash bins around, but patrons should pick up after themselves. I really believe that we all have a responsibility to help keep our public spaces clean. All in all, Orchard Beach is a bit of a hidden gem in the metropolitan area.

The best part of Orchard Beach is not the beach itself, nor is going there during peak season. First, Orchard Beach is part of the Pelham Bay Park system, so it is connected to all types of park features, from playgrounds, tennis, basketball, handball courts, bike and walking trails, wooded areas, picnic areas, a lagoon with kayaks, and the beach itself. Although it doesn’t allow swimming all year long, it is open to the public, and they offer programs such as bird watching. A part of the trail leading off from Orchard Beach takes you into Hunter Island which is a zoological and geological sanctuary. There is a trial that takes you along the perimeter of the island where you can see gorgeous quartz veins, laminae of folded beach, glacial erractics, and the living fossil that is the horseshoe crab.
From NYC Parks website: «Located north of Orchard Beach, the Hunter Island Marine Zoology and Geology Sanctuary takes in all of Twin Islands, Cat Briar Island, Two Trees Island, and the northeastern shoreline of Hunter Island. It contains many noteworthy geological features including glacial erratics, large boulders that were deposited during the last ice age nearly 15,000 years ago. The rocky coast of Twin Islands, reminiscent of the New England shorefront, is the southernmost outcropping of Hartland Schist, the major bedrock component of such coastlines. The sanctuary supports a unique intertidal marine ecosystem that is rare in New York State.»
As for the beach itself, its small and can be very overcrowded in the summer. However, the very ends of the beach — both sides — has no life guard in season and it generally becomes a haven for those seeking quiet. For locals such as myself, its a good place to go on summer weekdays to get some sun and relaxation. But I suggest bringing your own food. The selection for sale is very limited.

The New York City Parks Dept is running some very cool programs in Orchard Beach, These Cool progrms include Hiking, Survival skills, to Bird watching. I recently had the pleasure of going to the Owl Prowl. It’s was a great exprience, the Ranger was super helpfulin explaining the local wildlife and these birds of prey. While on the hike we were so lucky to find a great horned owl. The ranger was nice to let us view this little guy on his spotter. These NYC Parks program are great for the whole family. and be found on the link below. Have fun and get out and find an Owl.

I’m not a beach person — I’ll go to them but it’s not something I crave as soon as the warm weather comes. If I do go to the beach, I usually drive out to Robert Moses or visit my godmother’s house for the day on the Jersey shore. That being said, I’ve never actually «beached» at Orchard Beach. When I was a kid we used to take annual school trips here and spend time on the grassy fields and walk the nature trails. Since admission and parking are free after Labor Day, I decided to spend my morning walking around and exploring.
This is a man-​made beach situated on the Long Island Sound; but before you get to the beach, take note of the parking lot — it’s huge! I think every teenager who grew up in the Bronx (including myself) learned how to drive in that lot; obviously the parks department caught wind of it because as I pulled in I noticed a sign stating «no driving courses allowed in parking lot» =p
The beach is closed during the off-​season, but you still have access to the boardwalk, nature trails, sports courts, and playgrounds. It was an overcast day so there weren’t too many people there, but it was nice because I felt like I had the place to myself — very peaceful. There’s an impressive pavilion located on the boardwalk which looks like it houses a number of concession stands and shops — however the pavilion is original to the beach and has experienced extensive structural damage. As such, it’s gated off for restoration/​renovation.
Overall I had a pleasant morning walking and exploring — there’s definitely a lot to do besides the beach. I can’t say how the beach itself is or how it’s like during the on-​season, but for a quiet, peaceful autumn morning walk it’s a great option.

It was the beach I went to as a child, all the Italians were in section 13.
Also, liked going to City Island for games and seafood with mom and dad and annoying sister fran. lol

The reviews are scary, but my experience wasn’t that bad. It’s a small beach, a man made beach that’s been around since the 1930. The crowd is definitely a diverse crowd, this is New York City people if you are scared of Blacks and Latinas then why the hell did you move here… fuggedaboudit…get over it already … it’s The Bronx. c’mon son really.
The sand was clean and life guards were on deck. Everyone had their radios out but the volume was at a distant roar. I visited on a week day and found the surroundings peacefully mundane.
Serene view of the water. Children’s laughter in the distance.
Lifeguards leave at 6 p.m.
Beach closes at 7 p.m.
The concession stand is over priced, bottle water is $ 4.00…moral of that strory, bring your own water.
Basketball and volleyball courts are well maintained and picnic area with green grass and bar-​b-​cue pits are clean and near by.
3 stars… the bathrooms are sketchy. S-​K-​E-​T-​C-​H-​Y.
P. S. This is not the Caribbean, this is The Bronx.

On a weekday, this place is awesome! I can’t speak to the weekends, though. Middle of the week on a hot summer’s day? Sign me up!

I never thought I would be going to a beach in the Bronx, but they also say never say never right?
Went on a Monday so it wasn’t crowded.
The beach was clean, there are trash cans everywhere!
I loved that the people selling Italian ices were on the sand, instead of having to get up off your blanket & walk to the board walk.
I didn’t like that the police were circling around every half hour.
Not that I didn’t like it, it’s just that they got really close.
You shouldn’t be driving that close to people on sand, it might get in their eye.
It was helpful though, some kid cut his foot open so NYPD called FDNY, & FDNY took him away.
They kick you out of the water at 6pm.
Understandable, because that’s when the lifeguards go home.
But then they kick you off the sand at 7.
Where they do that at?!
NYPD was driving announcing that the sand closes at 7 & that you need to be out of the parking lot at 7:30 or be fined.
Kind of dumb, what if you just want to sit on the sand & enjoy the sunset?
What if you’re in the picnic area having a BBQ?
That annoyed me, I’ve never been kicked off the sand before.
I don’t know if I’ll be back, but if I do, I’ll come early so I can leave early.

If you are like me and love going to the beach but would rather beat an hour and a half of traffic going out to Long Island, then Orchard Beach is the place for you.
There are many negative comments about the water, prices, and people that frequent this beach but if you take it for what it is and don’t have such high expectations, you’ll be quite pleased. A view of the water, a nicely paved Boardwalk with food and beer, and the sand beneath my toes, and I’m happy. This is my first summer coming here and I always notice that the garbage cans aren’t overflowing with trash, unlike most beaches I’ve been to in NY. They take very good care of the beach, bathrooms, and boardwalk.
Yes, people come here with their loud families on the weekends. They play whatever music puts them in the mood to dance and raise their plastic cups. Babies cry. Old people complain. Officers patrol the sand frequently making sure no funny business is going on. It’s all American.
If sports is your thing, then bring a racket and/​or a ball of any sort. You can find FREE tennis, basketball, handball, volleyball courts, and charcoal grills to smoke whatever meat and vegetables you choose to bring. I can’t think of anything they’ve missed.
As I lay alone in my beach chair sipping on this $ 6 coors light without anybody bothering me, I’m at ease and I already can’t wait to be back.

I’m pretty sure no one comes here to take a nice dip in the water. And by water, I mean a man made reservoir of sewage. Usually, if I decide to jump in this abyss, it’s to feel the cold sensation from 90 degrees of blazing heat. Alcohol can help numb the realization that I’m stepping into piss, feces, condoms, broken bottles, tampons, dildos, branches, and mutant water creatures, but generally I choose to relax on the crappy sand to tan my pale ass.
This is not exactly a family friendly beach or a getaway, and that’s not really a complaint. This beach has had a party atmosphere affiliated with it for many years, and so in that sense I don’t really mind. The boardwalk is occupied by a latin community still living in the past with their huge boom boxes, listening to freestyle and latin house. Sometimes they play drums in unison and recite lyrics from classic latin music. If you’re Latino and have a crazy family like mine, you get the picture. All kinds of characters having old school fun.
This beach is not for the hot and sexy
If you’re looking for eye candy. However, if flirting with what looks like retired strippers with 5 kids from 4 different fathers is your thing, go ahead.
Occasionally there are a few beach «entrepreneurs» that walk around selling «special cold drinks.» Drink at your own will. You may find yourself buried in the sand half conscious and waking up to pigeons and seagulls pecking at your neck. Even worse, your back will feel like you pressed it against Satan’s chair after 3 hours from direct sunlight.
The normal beach restrictions are not aggressively enforced here. For some, that would be unruly and «ghetto.» For others, it’s a party. Sometimes you want to be able to sit back with a radio on and have a few «drinks.» At the same time this should be done keeping in mind who is around you. Don’t be the A hole cranking up Turn Down For What when I’m 5 feet away from you listening to Summertime Sadness.
Past the boardwalk are plenty of options to burn some calories or be a spectator. Basketball and handball tournaments are held regularly during the summer, or you can play on your own.
Greasy fast food is sold along with beer, and there are sections throughout the park to have your own bbq. Sometimes the weirdest places are used as a designated grilling location. I think I once saw someone grilling chicken 3 feet away from bathroom.
This beach can be «fun» if you embrace the craziness. If you’re looking for extreme civility and that «escape,» head out to Long Island or New Jersey.

Orchard Beach AKA Chocha Beach. This beach for as long as I can remember has been known for it’s sexy latin women but with that comes a mix of thugs and good people. There’s a lot to do here, play handball, racquetball, basketball, volleyball, grab a bite to eat… but the one thing that you can’t do is actually swim at the beach. I have found condoms in the water and just filth all around (and I don’t mean the people).
You can sometimes find decent people just trying to enjoy the sun and recreational activities and the summer events. However, it’s more like a Puerto Rican gathering which isn’t really a bad thing because they know how to have a good time, but like the Puerto Rican Day Parade, there are behind the scenes stuff that you wish you did not see.
If you need a place to sneak an alcoholic drink in and get a tan or play some sports, come on by, but don’t expect to take a dip in the water, use the shower heads near by.

I was a part of a meet up group that walked from Pelham Bay Park, Orchard Beach and City Island. This was my first time visiting this beach and I wasn’t worried because I was with a group but I didn’t know what to expect. Growing up in Brooklyn and living in Queens we heard so many negative things about Orchard Beach I said I would never go. However, you get older and you realize you have to check things out for yourself. I am so disappointed in myself that it took all these years to see that this beach was just that a beach/​park where everyday people were just enjoying themselves. It was a lot cleaner than I expected and I didn’t witness any madness or craziness that I naively envisioned. I said to myself, «sh*t this isn’t any worse than Coney Island.» Granted we only stayed on the beach for about an hour but I really enjoyed myself while there.
I liked that they had areas where you can picnic and eat your food. Any views by the water is a plus and it was hot outside so that breeze from the water felt good. The one negative thing I saw was that you had to pay for parking. However, that would be a fee I would pay because the beach is way out and the closest mode of public transportation was a bus which stopped right by the beach, talk about convenience. I picked up an Italian ice from one of the many vendors on the beach and just chilled for a while before we moved on with our walk to our next destination. I plan on visiting this beach again but this time for the day and just enjoy the water and environment.
Stop listening to naysayers and check out a place for yourself and then make your own assessment. Keeping in mind we’re NOT in the Caribbean so don’t have high expectations and try to compare ANY NYC beach to that gorgeous beach vacation you had in the past. LOL

Much cleaner and better organized than what I remember growing up here but the place still has its charm… kind like the Greenwich Vilkiage of the Bronx… you see all types here.

Nice place during the cold months or early in the mornings — before the 12 bus unloads the best that the Bronx has to offer. I’ve heard that this was at some point a nice beach but that’s in the past. Do yourself a favor and look up ‘battle of pelennor fields’ to get an idea of what you’ll see on any given summer afternoon.
I’m sure I’ll be bumped down to not recommended, but the truth hurts doesn’t it?

Had an amazing day on this fun beach, and I was Floored to see the low reviews. I was actually offended by one guy who said «not only was the water dirty, it was 55% latino, 30% black», etc. Wtf? This is New York F*ing City! There are so many cultures here, so many fun experiences, and this was one of them.
Came on Labor Day and enjoyed reasonably light crowds, cold beers from the vendors, a nature hike or two, geese who were raising a family, friendly people, plenty — TONS — of space to myself. Really great.
As for the people complaining about the parking fee — then take public transit if you don’t want to pay.
I was in awe all day at this fun little find — not the Riviera or Fire Island — but a super fun break in the middle of summer.