Smith Point Park Beach
Categories: Active Life Beaches Active Life Parks Beaches, Parks [Edit]
William Floyd ParkwayShirley, NY 11967
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
12 reviews for Smith Point Park Beach
12 reviews in English
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Review from Jill F.
Manorville, NY
11/29/2011
I like this beach because its closer, cheaper and not as touristy as westhampton beach. The class of people is definitely lower than what you'd find in the hamptons, but in a way thats good because you don't get all the snooty rich people all over the place.
The only thing I don't like is that the beach is closed at night. Westhampton beach you can go at night and walk on the beach, here they have cops and you are not allowed on it. -
Review from Theresa M.
REGO PARK, NY
9/18/2011
Great place to go for a nice beach. Every year for the past five years, I've been making this beach my start to the summer beach. I love to go in the morning or early afternoon. Its best to go befor the crowds. Parking chrge is a bit much but hey it helps for something there.
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Review from Nicole C.
8/30/2010
This has become my preferred Long Island beach. What's that? Why is it my preferred beach you ask? Well...
1) Parking is $4 for Suffolk County Residents who have a Green Key! Green Keys are easily accessible... just bring proof that you're a resident to the building that's located next to the toll booths. I've been known to hit up the beach 3-4 times a week-- $4 makes it easy on my wallet. Without a Green Key, it'll cost you $9, which is still cheaper than parking at Robert Moses. I don't know where Jerry H. got $12 from? Maybe they've lowered it since last year?
2) It's "One of the World's Safest Beaches!" ...If you knew what I did for a living, you would know why this brings me great joy.
3) Socially responsible beach goers! Most people pick up after themselves AND... I once watched as an elderly man stopped in the middle of his swim to catch a Lay's Potato Chip bag that was floating around in the water. He then proceeded to get out of the water to place the trash in its proper receptacle! I think I fell in love.
4) Lots of food choices: The Beach Hut offers a pretty large selection of items on their menu. It's reasonably priced and reasonably portioned for beach food. They also serve alcoholic beverages! PLUS... there's always a Mr. Softee parked right in the parking lot. It's the perfect treat after a day of sun and surf!
5) It's far enough out east on the island to keep city people away! They can easily make it to Exit 38 on the LIE for Jones Beach, or be convinced to drive to Exit 53 for Robert Moses, but to drive ALL the way out to Exit 68 for Smith Point is preposterous to them. GOOD. Stay away from my beach.*
*Yes, I realize I sound like a huge brat... but I'm from the North Shore. I'm allowed. :) -
Review from Marcia P.
6/30/2011
Same sand and water as Fire Island. Nice beach, if you go to the less-crowded areas.Then again, don't go there, so I can have more privacy! And beware the mosquitoes, especially on the boardwalk.
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Review from Jerry H.
Durham, NC
6/19/2009 3 photos
Parking is 12$, T W E L V E F R E A K I N' D O L L A R $! That's madness. park on a block before the bridge and walk. Smith Point is like that drunk uncle that comes to all the BBQs and everyone talks garbage about when he is there but misses him when's he didn't show up to the next event (he's probably killing a 6-pack at Smith Point.)
I'm guessing in a couple of years or one good hurricane that pavilion is going to be a reef. Has the nude part of the beach been mentioned? It's true there's a nude beach section.
Go there the Ocean is good it reminds you of your limits. You pay all this money to live here take advantage of this island and walk along the shore. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Huntington Station, NY
7/11/2007
I grew up on this beach. Its nice, big, good boardwalk, never obnoxiously crowded.
SOME white trash....you ARE in Shirley, people. Im allowed to say it because I grew up here.
Parking is $10ish which is ridiculous but if you get the green key or whatever its called now you dont need to pay. -
Review from Kate M.
Austin, TX
6/22/2007
OK, so today was a perfect June day, and I decided to take a ride out to Montauk and say hi to the lighthouse. Of course, being me, I got going too late in the morning, and ended up getting stuck in the Friday "lemmings steeplechase to the Hamptons" traffic. I have not one iota of patience for bumper-to bumper traffic at any time, but wasting a gorgeous afternoon in traffic is a sacrilege. So, I stopped at a diner, grabbed lunch, and headed back west on Sunrise Highway.
I haven't been down to Smith Point in eons, so I decided to take a ride down there instead. Hopped on the William Floyd Parkway and headed south. I had in mind visiting the Flight 800 memorial, a slow cruise along the boardwalk of FINS, and maybe even going down to the waters' edge to check things out.
Here's what stinks: parking is $10. If I were not still barely existing on unemployment, and I was planning on spending the day, I would have paid. Still wouldn't have been happy, but I would have paid. I know if I had bought an Empire Pass earlier in the season i could have parked today for nothing, but again, I've been unemployed.
Question to the state: How come you don't want poor people at the beach?
The end result is that I drove around a bit, and then went home to sulk. Maybe if I get another chance (after the paychecks start coming in) to get down there this summer, I will go back, and then revisit this review. As it stands now, I'm pissed. -
Review from Cori V.
Rego Park, NY
7/25/2010 2 photos
Came across this place while exploring Long Island. I thought I was at Fire Island Seashore (never been), but after some investigation, I realized I was only on a barrier beach of Fire Island (same water though). Either way, this place is pretty cool. On one side there is the Wilderness area, on the other side an expansive beach, lot's of people, umbrella's and seagulls, lots of seagulls. A little further down the beach there seemed to have been a restaurant, but I didn't make it down there. I spent a little while on the beach and in the water. Walked for awhile and found some really great shells and rocks and talked to a few people. Seems like a nice, unpretentious beach where you can surf, swim and relax. It was a great experience! The waves were a bit scary as was the undertow. The sand was clean and you could walk out into the water quite far without getting in too deep, maybe thigh/waist deep. No rocks or anything like that.
Here's a link to the actual park I was at,
http://en.wikipedia.or....
Here's a link to actual spot I was at,
http://en.wikipedia.or.... -
Review from ELITIA L.
New York, NY
6/30/2008 1 photo
A great park with boardwalks, campsites, four wheeling, and fishing. It is accessible by boat from the Great South Bay, or take a drawbridge at the end of William Floyd Parkway. In my times, I have known about a local custom and unconventional thrill, in which people jump off this drawbridge (at high tide), and swim to the shore, but I should officially say I don't advise it. Otherwise, its one of the "Worlds Safest Beaches" (see pic for the numbers), regardless of the "white trash". The Suffolk County Parks Police patrol the area, but in my experience, have been very cool not to upset the whole vibe here, unless you're doing something really stupid.
To clear things up regarding the other reviews and the parking situation, Smith Point is a County Park, so I don't think an Empire Pass will get you in free. If you have a Green Key Card, its five clams to park instead of ten. Free admission after 5:30 or 6ish PM.
See my review of The Beach Hut, here (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and the TWA Filght 800 Memorial, here (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). -
Review from John S.
Ozone Park, NY
6/27/2010
Smith Point is one of the best beaches on Long Island. It's sandy, unlike the rocky beaches on the north shore, so you can go around barefoot.
There is a fee for parking, which is ridiculous. A public beach belongs to everyone.
There is also the TWA Ft. 800 Memorial, which is nicely done. -
Review from Dan T.
Manorville, NY
12/30/2009
Overcrowded as many public beaches are.
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Review from Michael S.
Holtsville, NY
6/4/2009
They should open the 4X4 and keep it open for the whole season. We pay for it.
