Most people don’t think of the beach when they think of New York, but Rockaway beach is fun and a great escape from the sometimes overwhelming Manhattan. The boardwalk is clean and has a lot of awesome food trucks/stands. Also, certain areas of the beach allow for surfing. Even though while I was there, the waves weren’t very big, I was able to paddle around on a surfboard for my very first time, and it’s definitely something I’m interested in pursuing further.