Words and Photography by Rich Nardo

There’s a saying in Long Beach: “I’ve got Long Beach sand in my shoes”. It’s a way for LB locals to speak to the love they have for their tight-knit community while calling to mind the many memories they create on their city’s beautiful beaches.

As great as our beaches are, kicking back in the sand and surf isn’t the only way to enjoy Long Beach’s expansive coastal habitat. From quiet evenings on the boardwalk to exploring the marshes around Reynold’s channel, there are countless ways to enjoy the outdoors in Long Beach.

Here are a few of them to get you started.

Surf One Of The Best Breaks in the Northeast - Long Beach is home to some of the best waves in the northeast, and a growing number of surfers from the area are serving as ambassadors to LB in the wider surf community. Will Skudin, who surfed one of the biggest waves ever recorded at Nazare in 2013, is a top competitor on the Big Wave Surfing circuit. He also runs the Skudin Surf Camps and Surf For All Foundation - both based in Long Beach. Point Lookout’s Balaram Stack has developed a reputation as one of the most innovative surfers in the world and there’s a whole field of talented locals in the lineup every day - even in the dead of winter.

Lafayette Break 3/3/2018 - Photo by Rich Nardo

Play A Round of Golf - Lido Golf Club is a go-to spot for many south shore golfers. As you’d expect from a course built on a marsh, there aren’t a lot of changes in elevation, but it makes up for the relatively flatness with a decent number of water hazards (not to mention the wind is almost always a factor). The double water trap on the Signature 16th hole is the most talked about, but the long Par-3 hugging a pond at 17th is just as challenging. Looking for an easy nine? There’s a quaint little Par-3 course at Nickerson, as well.

Hang On The Boardwalk… - Whether you want to run, bike, skate or walk, there’s a boardwalk experience that will fit your ambitions. During the summer months you can even get a bite to eat at the Shoregasboard collection of food trucks, Danny Mac’s on the west end of the boardwalk or at any of the three food shacks on the boardwalk - Riptides, Shakes & Shuckers and Beach Local Cafe. Looking for something even more laid back? Grab a cup of coffee at Gentle Brew or a couple of cocktails at the Allegria Hotel and just watch the waves.

Long Beach Boardwalk 2/13/18 - Photo by Rich Nardo

Volleyball on the Beach - The Evolutions Volleyball League continues to grow every summer, even 29 years into its existence. The league caters to all skill levels and, while it’s not league sponsored, teams are known to bring down a few beers. What is league sponsored is the rotating afterparty that bounces around local Long Beach watering holes each league night.

Take a Kayak out on the Channel - Reynolds Channel, which was named in honor of Long Beach’s first mayor, William H Reynolds, separates the barrier island of Long Beach from the main island of Long Island. It’s one of the best hidden gems in Long Beach and taking a kayak down the channel heading west offers one of the most beautiful views of the New York City skyline you can get.

Reynolds Channel 7/26/2017 - Photo by Rich Nardo

Check out the Summer Concert Series & Assorted Fun - All throughout the summer, local musicians can be found entertaining listeners at different places on the beach as part of the Long Beach Summer Concert Series - all free of charge. Also free of charge is the “Movies On the Beach” series that runs all summer (Can’t beat watching Jaws on the beach). Willing to spend a little money? You can fly through the sky at the iFly Trapeze School or “Escape The Trailer” - both by the Riverside entrance to the beach. You can take out a Stand-up Paddle board or do Paddleboard Yoga classes or head a little north to LB Wake and Watersports for a Jet ski tour through the marshes.

Go(ne) Fishing - Whether fluking off Magnolia Pier, heading deeper into the channel for stripers or surfcasting off the ocean beaches for anything from sharks to blues and Kingfish, fisherman can find a fun way to spend a day in Long Beach. Make sure to stop at Ralph’s Bait Shop in Island Park on the way into town.

Magnolia Pier 9/1/18 - Photo by Meghan Harron (meghanharron.com)

Explore the Lido Park Preserve - Lido Park Preserve is a pristine 40-acres of marshland located along Lido Boulevard on the eastern half of the island. It was restored in 2005, when the Town of Hempstead developed the area - removing debris and replanting indigenous plants, creating an earth berm to mitigate street noise and constructing a scenic overlook. View the tidal wetland that serves as an integral part of the plan to preserve wildlife in the Hempstead estuary system. It supports a wide variety of grasses and other marine vegetation, several species of fish and wildlife, waterfowl and - in the winter - the occasional seal.

Gateway to Lido Preserve 12/9/2016 - Photo by Rich Nardo

Spend A Day on The Beach - If it’s been a long week and you just want to chill on the beach, maybe wade out into the surf for a bit, Long Beach has you covered. It’s 3.5 miles of white sand shoreline are considered one of the cleanest in the US. Timeout New York, New York Magazine and Travel & Leisure Magazine all consistently have it near the top of their list for best beaches in the New York City area and USA Today even named it one of the best beaches in the entire United States a few years ago.

Lafayette Beach 5/5/2018 - Photo by Rich Nardo

View Long Beach’s Diverse Wildlife - Long Beach is fortunate enough to have wide array of wildlife. If you’re a birdwatcher, Long Beach is home to a multitude of Plovers and Sandpipers, Terns, Gulls, American Oystercatchers Black Skimmers, Waterfowl, Cormorants and songbirds. Best of all, there is a healthy Osprey population that you can see in their nests or coming back from a successful hunt with fish in their talons. You can catch a glimpse of seals in the winter, dolphins in the summer and fall and Whales following the bunker close to shore in October and November. Our waters support sea turtles, eels, rays, crabs and plenty of species of fish ranging from Herring to the occasional Great White Shark.

Whales breaching off Long Beach, NY - 11/6/2016 - Video by Rich Nardo

Featured

May 30, 2023

Eight Species You Might Not Know We Have On Long Island

May 30, 2023

Ask any wildlife photographer or explore based on Long Island and they’ll tell you that our home turf does not get nearly the credit it deserves when it comes to species diversity. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that most people think Long Island has a couple of raccoons, a possum here and there, and way too many deer out east and that basically sums it up.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. So for this article, we worked with some of the best wildlife photographers based on Long Island to highlight 10 species that most people might not know we have here.

May 30, 2023

Mar 28, 2023

One(ish) Year Of Backyard Birding

Mar 28, 2023

As someone who loves nothing more than being out in nature but has a demanding day job that really limits how much time they can do so, the realization of just how much exposure to wildlife I could get right in my suburban backyard has been a huge blessing. I’ve had a bunch of conversations with other photographer friends lately about how many amazing species we have here on Long Island that no one seems to know about. The fact that in the last year alone, I’ve been able to photograph over 20 species of birds (and see another 20 or so) in my backyard really brings that point home.

Mar 28, 2023

Nov 10, 2022

Getting Ready for a Wildlife Photography Trip to Long Island

Nov 10, 2022

Long Island is the perfect backdrop for wildlife photography. Come prepared and do your due research to make the most of your trip.

Nov 10, 2022

Jul 5, 2022

The Osprey: An Underrated, Unofficial Long Island Emblem (with guest words + photos from some of Long Island's most talented wildlife photographers)

Jul 5, 2022

Okay, so maybe ospreys are not an “emblem” of Long Island in any official capacity but, to those of us who spend a significant amount of time on the water, they are just that. As a south shore Long Islander, I can say they embody our ideals - majestic, loyal, unafraid, and a world class angler.

As a species, they hold a very special place in my heart and as such, I’ve written about them extensively here on ntvli.com. Rather than hear me ramble on again about how amazing they are, I spoke to several of my favorite photographers about why THEY love seahawks. This article will highlight their responses, as well as, some of their favorite osprey photos.

Jul 5, 2022

Mar 25, 2022

The Monk Parakeet: A New York Success Story

Mar 25, 2022

Much to the delight of south shore Long Islanders, monk parakeets are popping up more and more each year in our area. Personally, my wife and I are fortunate enough to have a company of about 30 living in our neighborhood year round, adding a dash of tropical vibes to dreary winters and putting the final touches on our idyllic summer scenes.

While most Long Islanders are surprised to see them, monk parakeets have been hanging around here since the late 60s, and have beautifully acclimated themselves to the New York City area. They’re tough, resourceful, and build massive communal nests similar to the apartments a lot of New Yorkers reside in, making them a perfect fit for the region. Also, like a lot of New Yorkers, the New York parakeet community is rumored to have started at JFK airport.

This article will take a look at our new(ish) tropical friends - how they got here, and the similarities they share with a lot of other enclaves in the tristate area.

Mar 25, 2022

Feb 9, 2022

What I've Learned About NFT Photography

Feb 9, 2022

Unless you’ve been photographing under a rock for the past year, you’ve probably heard of NFTs by now. Chances are you’ve probably considered selling some of your work as one or maybe you’ve even minted a few pieces already. No matter where you’re at in your blockchain journey, you should know that selling NFTs isn’t as easy as people make it out to be. That being said, it’s a great avenue for making money to do what you love and, if you genuinely dive into it, the blockchain is full of amazing communities that will support your work, give great feedback, and often turn into genuine friends (both digital and IRL).

Need more incentive to mint some of your work? Photography is one of the fastest growing areas in the NFT space, so now is a great time to jump in!

Through my day job as a partner in a creative studio, I’ve been working in the NFT space since October of 2020. I’ve also been minting my own work since March of 2021. I am not an authority on the matter, but I’ve learned a lot of lessons, had some successes, and am very passionate about the space and the opportunities that it provides to creators of all types.

My experience with the blockchain has been amazing so far, and I’m excited to hopefully help onboard as many other photographers as possible. To help do so, I wanted to put together an article summarizing a lot of what I’ve learned to date. I hope that you find it useful and, after reading it, you are ready to get some of your work up for sale or, if you are already active, step your NFT game up to the next level!

Feb 9, 2022

Jan 4, 2022

The Burgeoning Bald Eagle Population of Long Island (featuring photos and personal excerpt by Meredith McCarthy)

Jan 4, 2022

While most of the chatter in the Long Island wildlife photography community turns to Snowy Owls this time of year, they are far from the only large raptors we have in the area. Over the past decade or so, Bald Eagles have reestablished a population on Long Island. There are few sights more majestic than a Bald Eagle soaring above the treeline, fishing, or perched high in an old growth tree.

One of the best photographers on Long Island at capturing that majesty is Meredith McCarthy (@merecat_photography). Over the past year, she’s chronicled one of the breeding pairs of Bald Eagles that have made their home on Long Island. For this article, Meredith and I took a look at Long Island’s Eagle population, including her amazing photography and a guest section from Meredith speaking to her experience witnessing them throughout the year. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Meredith’s photography and hearing her story.

Jan 4, 2022

Oct 28, 2021

NTVLI Halloween Stories: Disappearance of Young Filmaker Linked to 'Hidden Portal Phenomena' (Debut of Latest Hidden Portal NFT)

Oct 28, 2021

ver the past few months, hikers and wildlife photographers throughout the region have been making claims of strange ‘portal like’ encounters while enjoying the outdoors. The common thread throughout each story seems to be the appearance of a rotating green triangle inside of a purple circle that appears out of nowhere. Almost every tale being told in this regard seems to mention a ‘warping’ of reality as these ‘portals’ expand before disappearing completely. While the idea of hidden portals deep in the woods may seem outlandish, there are several instances of video footage that support the claims.

Oct 28, 2021

Sep 14, 2021

Was 2021 A Particularly Shark-y Summer on Long Island?

Sep 14, 2021

Over the past few years, a lot has been made of the fact that the waters around Long Island have seemed a bit “sharkier” than usual. Several videographers shared regular drone footage of the near daily feeding frenzy of sharks attacking menhaden along the south shore. As Tim Regan pointed out to me, you could actually stand on the shore and witness hungry sharks launching themselves from the water consistently throughout the summer as well - something unprecedented on Long Island. A few weeks ago, a sighting at Lido Beach marked the 20th shark confirmed near-shore at Nassau beaches this summer, which is more than triple the numbers by this time last year. All this begs the question: Are there more sharks lurking in our waters?

While an increase in shark population is likely true, the degree to which we’re seeing it play out in the media may be a bit misleading. Factors such as social media allowing each sighting to reach a greater audience and our increasingly sophisticated monitoring systems raising awareness of sharks where they had previously gone undetected may also be playing a role in the perception that sharks are patrolling the waters ever closer to our favorite beaches and in greater abundance.

This article will take a look at why we may be seeing more sharks around Long Island, the types of sharks that call our waters home, and what it actually means for our marine ecosystem. I’m fortunate enough to be collaborating with two of my favorite content creators on the subject - wildlife photographer and mate on Triton Charters, Shane Etter (@BigOleMrKanish), and East End Surf/Fly Fishing Guide/On The Water Magazine Field Editor, Tim Regan (@southforksalt). I am very grateful that both lent their content and insight to the piece!

Sep 14, 2021

Jul 21, 2021

GUEST POST: Jacqueline Molina of Long Island Babes and Bucks on the Empowerment of Female Hunters and Anglers

Jul 21, 2021

Guest post from Long Island Babes and Bucks co-founder, Jaqueline Molina. Jaqueline gave us a look at her love of the outdoors, the formation and goals of Long Island Babes and Bucks and the thriving community of female hunters and anglers growing throughout the country.

Jul 21, 2021

Long Beach Sand In My Shoes