If I could I would give this nasty ass beach a half star. And it is by far the worst beach in nyc just plain nasty ghetto beach rude LOUD people with there out of control kids FILTHY sand and water. I got in the water and came out half my body was covered with this GREEN slick gunk and I noticed every body was this way and just kept swimming as if it was the norm? Condoms and needles littered the place and just judging by the beach goers you could tell it was nothing new to them. I guess what other beach will allow people to act as they did but a public beach. read more

Welcome to Orchard Beach- Its bountiful crescent shaped bosom encompases some of the most exciting scenery on the Long Island Sound. Many people hanging out on the grass near the beach, many with deep tans and bikes and red, white and green flags Music of all types A very big parking lot and.... many people peeping at Section 1.... the NUDE BEACH YES- tthere is a NUDE BEACH in the Bronx, and Im not talking about a body lying in a sandbar on the Harlem River- This is just like Antigua- only a much higher Peeping Tom:Breast ratio read more

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. read more

Orchard Beach - Crab found on the beach - Beaches Near Me

Orchard beach Section # 5 very good food stand guy cleans the grill very well only seasoning their line of people shish kebab shish Phil cheesesteak Sandwich is great it was worth the wait online read more

Orchard Beach - Orchard beach Section # 5 shish kebab shish Phil cheesesteak Sandwich is great it worth the wait - Beaches Near Me

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My family calls this beach Chocha Beach, don't know why. The beach is nice and clean but the water... Yuck... I wouldn't throw myself in that water even if they offer me a million dollars. It's smelly and dirty. Definitely not a place to swim in. Just a place to take the sun and tan. read more

Born and raised here in the Bronx and still consider this beach as a last resort. Its nice going there on a weekday when there's less crowds. Orchard Beach is not really a beach, its too rocky and the tide comes in really fast, forcing you to head to the grassy parts. For me I love the music and it makes you want to dance instead of heading into the cold milky water. I'll taking my little girl there one day on a weekday. Its not that bad. read more

Orchard Beach - Great artwork - Beaches Near Me

im from uk and the bathrooms were disgusting like so disgusting i dont ever want to visit this place again when i come back to visit

Beach itself earns 4 stars as its not bad just water is dirty. It has a nice cook out area as well.But I put 3 stars because its dirty with garbage all over and its done by people who come there. Another thing to be mindful of going there : if you come with family kids etc try to find spot where families are otherwise you will not get a piece of mind and a chance to read a book As those youngsters who come there bring thier music so loud and curse and drink without giving any consideration of surrounding people. I like that there are a lot of police. It gives a sense of security. I go there just because I do not drive and my bus takes me right in there in 20 min. read more

ive been coming to this beach for years although I still wont go near that water of this man made beach what will I say is this its the people that make this beach what it is.the atmosphere the music the dancing and that love of enjoying the moment as you hear the instrument s being played time to let loose and move those hips its the music. its powerful so skip the water and enjoy the crowd youll have a blast. Sunday's in orchard is better than any club ive ever been to read more

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Orchard Beach...aka Chocha beach! While it can be said that during the summer there are many raunchy people in attendance at the beach, for those who mind, then it matters. Personally, I love this beach! If you are not a scum bag loser whore or s.o.b maybe you will actually all that the beach offers. For those of you out there that are active, mindful of their physical fitness and/or love playing different sports Orchard Beach is the place for you. If you run the boardwalk twice you just ran a 5k. Funny enough no one ever talks about the trails. Bring your mountain bike and you will definitely be up for a challenge...great trails...leading you by Pelham/ border of New Rochelle. The bike/ pedestrian paths are fun...meaning there aren't many straight aways..lots of turns and hills for the challenge and adventure. If you are coming from Pelham Bay Park the run/ ride is excellent...roundtrip it and you would have ran at least 6 miles. You can find bunnies galore hopping away, you will catch a glimpse of the occasional fox. Bird watches will have so much fun, especially in the trails. So for those of you who all you can think about is showing off your ugly slob bodies and then try to compete with other slobs at the beach, meanwhile soaking up all that skin cancer yet leave the garbage behind in the sand because of course you're a slob and all you can ever think about is your next meal or yourself...the same person who then leaves my beach dirty and has the nerves to talk about it and criticize it...stay your a$$ out of my beautiful beach. We really don't want you there any way! This beach belongs to the good people of NYC who are trying to make a difference and promote a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families. Thank you to all my Orchard Beach goers and for the hard working employees who care and pick up the garbage that the filthy people have left behind. Thank you for the Sunday concerts at the beach, thank you for the car shows and marathons you have held there. I truly appreciate Orchard Beach and I'm sure you will too. So please visit, bring your running shoes, your bike, your tennis rackets, your paddle ball rackets, your inline skates, your basketball, your volleyball, your handball, your kids, your bathing suit, your beach chairs, your family bbq, your music and have fun!!! read more

Don't listen to the haters. There is an absurd level of hate pointed toward The Bronx. This is due to movies and the unfair view that The Bronx is populated exclusively by stupid, uneducated ghetto people. That is simply not the case. The Bronx is home to some of the city's best universities/colleges and the highest percentage of park land in the 5 boroughs. Orchard Beach is part of Pelham Bay Park, which is NYC's largest park. The beach is nestled in a corner of the park that is fairly distant from the Subway. Anyone with half a brain and experience living in NYC knows that proximity to the subway is the kiss of death for cleanliness and peacefulness. It is for this reason that the beach is exponentially cleaner than Coney Island or Brighton Beach could ever hope to be. Swap the mix of Russian and Latina girls being hounded/scoped by creepy ghetto dudes for mostly Latina's being given the same treatment, the vibe is similar to Coney Island. FYI, this beach is surrounded by middle-class neighborhoods, the only exception being nearby Co-Op City which is a little sketchy, but not nearly as sketchy as say, Flatbush. The closest residential area is City Island, which is a very safe area. The biggest downfall of this beach is that it is not an ocean beach, but on Eastchester Bay, an inlet of the Long Island Sound, which is an extension of the Atlantic Ocean. The distance from the Ocean means its waters are quite still and waves are not to be seen. This also creates a murkiness to the water that some find unpleasant, but on a less crowded day or when the tides are just right, the water can actually be quite a bit warmer and cleaner than the ocean beaches in the city. I am a Manhattan resident who hates Brooklyn beaches. I think they're gross and dirty and I don't like the shack-like atmosphere of the businesses surrounding the boardwalks. I find it depressing to see the projects and homeless people around the beach. Orchard Beach has none of that. As I live on the Upper East Side, I find that it takes me longer to get to Coney Island than Orchard Beach with the train/bike route I recommend. In fact, if you're a sporty person, like me, taking the 6 with your bike makes the trip an adventure, a workout and a zen experience that you cannot have going to any other city beach. Riding your bike is actually faster than taking the bus and allows you to explore the hiking biking trails surrounding the beach when you get there. In fact, you can even find some secluded spots along the rocky shores of the trails if you want to have total peace and tranquility. I've even seen people skinnydipping in the waters off the trails - it's that secluded, despite being in New York City! Basically, if you're looking for an easy trip where you just don't move your body and you just want to get a tan, I think you should go to a tanning salon. But if you want to truly get back to nature, bike from the 6 to the beach, have an adventure, soak up the sun as your reward and feel like you've traveled far from the city without leaving it, go to Orchard Beach. You can even end your day by heading over to City Island and have a bite to eat at one of its (admittedly mediocre) seafood restaurants. Just don't go on a Saturday during the summer - you'll be sorry. Take off work on Tuesday and have an adventure. Orchard Beach is one of New York's best kept secrets. It stays that way because people don't know what to expect. Pelham Bay Park is not funded the way Central Park is and the experience is very different but it's equally beautiful in a natural, much less developed way. Orchard Beach is also much less developed than Coney Island beach, but that is exactly what makes it so much better. read more

Free admission $6 parking on weekdays $8 parking on weekends & holidays water closes at 6 pm sand closes at 7 pm Crowd: mostly minorities (blacks and hispanics), few asians, whites, and indian. With many families, it can get a bit loud so if you want a quiet beach...walk all the way to the end of the beach or go elsewhere. Less crowded if you walk down to section 5 and beyond. Section 1 is the nude beach area. Boardwalk area is crowded and has some food/drinks stands. Playground, basketball and volleyball courts are available too. For a New York City beach, it's alright. It's accessible using the MTA buses. Only took me friends and I 30 minutes by car from Queens. Water looks dirty and I only went as far as my ankles-deep. Swim at your own discretion. This beach is good for laying out, throwing a frisbee or football around. read more

It's a freaking fun beach! if you want to go to a beach to get your tan on, be surrounding by prissy white folks drinking fancy cocktails, this is not the place for u, you should go to the hamptons or jersey i suspect. this is a latino beach if ive ever seen one, with bachata, salsa, etc. playing on stereos, kids playing ball, people sleeping, trying to drink beer w/o getting caught, etc. like i said, this is a fun beach for a latin crowd, or latin loving crowd. it's crowded sure, but again, if you're into a siesta type of environment, this beach fits the bill! i will be back! :) read more

I read all reviews and appreciated all preception of the beach. How do you think the working-class of The Bronx feels to have to endure all the filth and dirty water of this beach when 95% of my tax dollars supports most of Manhattan needs. I thought this beach was run by The City of New York Parks Department. How obviously absurd that all of your observations are on point. Even if it hurts! Thanks for your views. read more

If I could put negative stars I would - I've been to almost every beach in the city and never again Orchard Beach - I used to live near there so I thought I'd visit my old stomping ground and go last week - was stung by something (still unsure of what) and blew up! Thank god I went to the ER - doctor said if I had decided to just take care of it myself with OTC stuff at Duane Reade or something it would've been fatal - these pics are even after the first IV of Benadryl and cortisone so the swelling went down significantly read more

This beach is pretty sketchy. It might be ok if all you want is to lay on some sand and get some rays but the water is just nasty. Once I found what looked like an altar set up with offerings. There were fruits piled up on a rock and some floating in the water. I guess that's better than the sacrificed chicken I found on the 125th station tracks on the 1. So if its any consolation, some vegetarians worship their gods at Orchard Beach. read more

Love it here. I come during the week when the boss is not here or I have some vacation days. It is quite relaxing. The beach itself sand and boardwalk are clean. The water well I dont go in it. If I am hot I take a walk to the showers on the boardwalk. The weekends are crowded but the atmosphere is fun. It is the Bronx like someone else said. I live 15 minutes away and it is perfect to tan and relax. read more

If you've been to any beaches outside of NYC you know that Orchard Beach is no Tahiti. But I happen to be a fan of this place when I have a few hours on a sunny summer afternoon to kill and am in dire need of a tan. It looks like it's really hard to get to by train, because I always see people walking along this looong windy road to get there from the bus stop. By car, it's not so bad. If you take 95 North it's not too far from the city. Parking was $6 for the day last summer. Like I said, don't expect any white sand beach or crystal blue water. To be honest, I've never stepped foot in the water or have even dared to walk the beach without sandals on - and I don't ever intend to. But throw a towel down, strip down to your bathing suit and lay out for a few hours of free UV cancer-ridden rays. read more

I like the beach is not far from my house the water is not that bad but the only thing that I dont like is since summer 2018 and this year I been founding pieces of glass from bottle of beer on the sand. I dont know their method of cleaning the sand there but I found that very dangerous and scary. read more

Thanks to fellow yelpers for sharing tips and thoughts. We wanted to go to the beach and this is so easy to get to from Manhattan. It's huge so lots of parking (I have no problem paying $10 and anyone who complains has obviously never parked at a NY or NJ Beach ), space for varied activities, and the beach views are wonderful. Will definitely come back. read more

Nice spot to relax not so sure about swimming there, but great for relaxing, people watching,and playing sports.

Let's be honest, there aren't many really nice beaches in the Northeast, but Orchard Beach will do just fine. The sand is a big coarser than I would prefer, but it's very easy to get to from my place, and that's my main concern. Cleanliness-wise, the beach is comparable to Coney Island and a little worse than Rockaway. There's some decent grassy areas for families to picnic in the shade and some bike trails, too. read more

this place is disgusting..actually it's worst than that..it's DREADFUL!! I haven't been here for a long time, but I guarantee that it hasn't changed. Every time someone mentions this place, I automatically think of a junkyard. If I were you, I would avoid going to this beach. Go somewhere else. I remember when I was younger and a stingray watched up the beach...me and my friends just kept poking it. Best highlight of a day at this beach. Seriously, do not go. The sand is dangerous and it is not safe for kids either. read more

I agree this beach is underrated. Great surprise and nice get-away, close to home. Nice crowd. I'll be there regularly, especially when I don't want to drive a long way to the beach! read more

Great beach to kick back relax and have a great time. They have many activities like horseback riding bike riding and canoeing although concession stands are over priced and parking goes up every year it's a pretty cool beach read more

Tucked away in the northeast corner of the Bronx is a small beach. The pros: Conveniently located. Accessible by public transportation (bus) Cheap: Free if travelling by bus $8 on weekends $6 weekdays Nice salsa music on the boardwalk (if you like that) Cons: The water looks disgusting. It is a bay, so not much circulation. I could see grease (from suntan lotion, who knows?) floating on top of the water. If you don't plan on getting in the water it's not a bad spot. Otherwise, suck it up and head to Jones beach. read more

I have to say this is the only man made beach and I know why. They created this beach for families. Have you been there lately? I used to frequent this beach quite often that is until they decided to add the #5 bus to the route. It use to be the #29 and #12. Now that you throw the projects into the mix forget about it. Once 12 rolls around everyone and there mother are coming to orchard. WHY?????? It seems like the park departments want to make money and so does the MTA. I for one thimk it was a bad decision. You can not walk between section 5 - 8 on any given day. If you can then you are on top of someone. Also try getting a picnic table before 6 am. Between birthday parties and mobs of people it is truly hell on earth before 12. It is a shame that you cannot enjoy things in the Bronx anymore. Stay out of section 12 playground. The sand has fleas and you can find the occasional chicken bone, pamper, needle. People are lazy losers who cannot be bothered to dispose of anything that requires work. STAY AWAY FROM THIS HELL ON EARTH.. read more

Great from party, sun tanning , listening to music by live band and just taking a walk on the beach.

Orchard beach does not serve the community of the Bronx. First, during off peak seasons, there are no buses running to Orchard. Secondly, there's only one concession stand open forcing long lines, and gouging prices. Then there is the parking situation where they charge 9 dollars for parking. It is a shame. The parking is administered by outside private contractors working on taxpayer land. So when you go during the week, not much is going on, and the parking lot is empty. It is a shame. read more

New sand this year! It's a decent beach, not necessarily for the youngsters, but definitely OK for adults. I don't know why everyone here is complaining about how ghetto and dangerous it is here. The beach has it's own NYPD and Parks Enforcement precincts to patrol the beach, boardwalk, and picnic grounds. If you're complaining about vegetable sacrifices, seriously get outta here, this is New York buddy. The beach is very clean when it opens, Parks has an army of employees and machines out there every morning when the sun comes up to clean the whole park. As the day wears on, your fellow beach goers use the sand as their personal Fresh Kills Landfill, even though trash cans are plentiful. Definitely lock your cars and take your valuables, there's occasionally broken window glass in the parking field, but again, this is NY, use common sense people! The picnic grounds are also nice, but get there by 9am weekends to snag a table! Overall, a decent beach with nice meadows and a GREAT hiking trail. Stop by the nature center in section 2 for maps and see the live animals on display. I'd recommend the beach for tanning and people watching, not so much swimming. Tons of courts (tennis, handball, basketball) with street teams playing all day weekends, and 2 playgrounds. Give it a shot! read more

The dirtiest beach ever!!! I've never seen so much trash in the water!! There's glass all over the sand, so you have to be careful where the kiddos what to build a sand castle. It gets very crowded. I give it 1 star for the different music you can here which is pretty cool and there's only a shikaba place and a Cuban place to get food. Don't waste your time here, go to Coney Island which is actually way better than this place or jones beach. read more

If i say people play very loud Caribbean music - You don't have words to describe how loud it is. Even if I went to the very end of the beach - you can still hear it booming in your ears. No pace and no relax. It was the last time I was there even if in general I do think the beach is clean and sand is okay but you can't stay nervous all the day just because some impolite rude people want everyone to listen to their music read more

Been going to this beach for many years so thank god there's new people that has taken over the snack bar last summer. The food and the selection is quite good and the prices are much more reasonable than the previous owners. The new owner Helen is very nice and funny too. "Try the sangria" read more

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 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. read more

I'd like to start off by saying....The water is from the east river which I find to be extremely disgusting!!! I've found myself swimming in the water with a dirty used diaper right next to me. I've also found used tampons, used condoms, and used pads inside the water!! That is stomatch wrenching! It's the closest beach to me but I'll survive without this so called "beach". The bathrooms are gross and the line for the buses are ridiculously long! This beach is disgusting! Why would the line be so big is my question! But there is a place to have picnics which I still find gross here. I will never come back here. I'm extremely disappointed with the workers and community of Pelham Bay. I prefer actual beaches and pools over this. It's basically like swimming in the Hudson River. GROSS! read more

Now Im going to be honest -this is not the most beautiful beach in the world as far as beaches go but I had one of the coolest days here on my recent trip to New York .Firstly I didnt even know the Bronx had a 'beach ',so I was really excited to go there .The entry fee for a car was $7-00 which is a bit much ,but we didn't mind.It was almost like stepping out of New York into Puerto Rico,not for the beach itself but for the atmosphere .I saw people dancing to the salsa music .The guys were playing basketball ..This beach has a beautiful vibe.Everyone is in a good mood ,from the big guy I saw dancing salsa in his neon green speedo ,to the old couples .Everyone was happy,respectful and just there to have a good time There were people playing the congas ,and other enjoying the music .Simply loved the experience.Its a pity they close so early because the sun sets quite late in the summer and no one wanted to leave The medley of sun,sand ,culture and good vibes resonates .A good place to visit in the Bronx read more

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I love Orchard Beach I go every year there is so much to do there. Its a party at the beach latino Style. I love playing volley ball and hand ball at the courts and BBQ chicken n beer with family and friends while catching a tan and listening to the best of salsa and hip hop our culture has to offer. I have been to just about every beach in nyc and the water is the same every where Brown and salty thats the LONG ISLAND sound for you same goes for jersey shore and so on. If you want to go to white sand beaches go to miami but if u want to party like ur in miami but stuck in nyc go to Orchard Beach filled with the most Happiest and welcoming people. Plus when I go to other beaches its the same its hot crowded noisy and thats just summers in NYC for you! read more

Went to Orchard Beach to watch my nephew playing a basketball tourney. I had not been to Orchard Beach in about 20 years... I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how the place had cleaned up nicely!!! I took at walk down to the beach from the basketball courts and both my sister and I were impressed. Can't wait to go back with my kids!! read more

I been in the bronx for 43 years and I love Orchard beach. Don`t believe what you hear, come down yourself and enjoy that beach, I rate it 5 stars. Orchard Beach was worst 5 years ago. Cops are doing their job in keeping the peace. I give 10 stars to the Officers in orchard beach. read more