Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh: An insider's guide to bathhouses, nature center, more
Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh offers an astonishing variety of things to do on a summer day. Whether you want to swim, sunbathe, dine outdoors or play sports along 6½ miles of white sand and a 2-mile boardwalk, or find a quiet spot to surf, fish or look for wildlife, you can dive right in amid the park’s 2,400 acres. Here’s a guide to fun beyond the beach at one of the nation’s premier public recreational facilities. Destinations begin in the west and move east.
The Jones Beach Nature Center
Credit: Barry Sloan
Also known as the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center, this beachfront educational facility offers kids a chance to handle live marine animals in touch tanks.
Pictured: Ashley Zavala, 9, snaps a selfie with her classmates during a visit to the nature center.
The Jones Beach Nature Center
Credit: Allen Agostino
The nature center also offers indoor and outdoor exhibits with information about the South Shore ecosystem. Outside, a boardwalk winds through a beachfront natural area that’s popular with bird watchers year-round.
Pictured: Members of the Amateur Observers' Society of New York and others gaze at the stars at the nature center.
West Bathhouse
Credit: Heather Walsh
Not much of an ocean swimmer? Point your flip-flops to the Olympic-size swimming pool at the West Bathhouse. Chill out on a beach chair in a resort-like vibe while the young ones splash around the kiddie pool.
The West End: Fields 1 and 2
Credit: Ryan C. Jones
If you’re looking to shred waves free of bathers, hook into a lunker striped bass, catalog a rare bird or just hit a softball, then this is your destination.
Amenities at both fields include full-service food and beverage areas, lavatories, locker rooms and a beach shop. Field 1 is open only on weekends and holidays, but you can take an alternate route here on foot: Field 1 is where the boardwalk ends. The West End Boat Basin features 60 slips where recreational boaters can tie up and picnic at a pavilion. At Field 2’s two softball fields you can play ball with waves crashing in the background, and there’s bleacher seating for spectators.
West Bathhouse
Credit: Heather Walsh
There’s a locker room at the West Bathhouse with showers topped by an observation deck overlooking the pool.
Fields 4 and 5: Central Mall
Credit: Barry Sloan
Winding walkways decked with flowers lead from Parking Fields 4 and 5 to Central Mall, the busy heart of the park. It’s a “muscle beach” kind of place, where tanned and toned millennials bake on beach blankets and play Frisbee in the sand. This summer, an adventure play area with a zip line is expected to open on the former site of the pitch-and-putt course.
At the Central Mall you can buy souvenirs at the beach shop, get directions at the park information office or find medical attention at the first-aid station.
Central Mall and Band Shell
Credit: Bruce Gilbert
Jones Beach was designed to make visitors feel as if they are on a cruise ship, so there are free concerts and movies at the band shell, a miniature golf course with replicas of the Montauk Point Lighthouse and a Captree State Park fishing boat, and shuffle board, paddle tennis and volleyball courts.
Pictured: Lana Molina and Samantha Iaccino of Huntington dance at the band shell.
East Bathhouse
Credit: Newsday File/Michael Ach
This quieter stretch of the 6½-mile strand offers an observation deck overlooking the ocean, a beach shop, concession stand, and first-aid and comfort stations.
East Bathhouse
Credit: Susye Greenwood
The pool at the East Bathhouse remains closed, but the beach is less crowded than other parts of the park.
Field 6
Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
In a rush to cool off in the surf? Field 6 is popular among the stroller set because it’s a short walk from the parking field to the surf. (Arrive early for a parking spot.) Amenities include a concession stand, a beach shop and picnic grounds with barbecue grills and tables. On windy days, colorful kites soar over the sand. At night, surf-casters plumb the waves offshore for striped bass. Bring your walking shoes and windbreaker for a breezy stroll on the 2-mile boardwalk, which starts here.
Pictured: Members of Long Island Fatbike Enthusiasts ride at Jones Beach.
Zach’s Bay
Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
On Zach’s Bay, the tiniest tots can romp in calm waters. Along the beach crescent you’ll find a playground, food concessions, picnic area with barbecues and picnic tables.
Pictured: Jinwoo Chon, 2, of Flushing, plays near the shore at Zach's Bay.
Jones Beach Theater
Credit: Johnny Milano
The 14,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, recently renamed Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, hosts several dozen concerts each summer season.
Pictured: Fans cheer on Of Mice and Men as they take the stage at the theater.
Field 10 Fishing Piers
Credit: Steven Sunshine
A quiet stretch of the Bay Parkway takes you to the Field 10 entrance. Four piers extend into State Channel, offering anglers a crack at catching flounder and other local, edible species.
Pictured: Artie Catalano, 60, pulls up a crab while fishing the Green Island Pier at Jones Beach.
Field 10 Fishing Piers
Credit: Steven Sunshine
A bait and tackle shop near the piers sells fishing gear, snacks and soft drinks.
Pictured: Hilberto Albarato, 28, of Levittown, catches a fluke at the Green Island Pier.
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