Orchard Beach/Lickety Split, City Island, Bronx, NY

It was hot.  NYCity Mama’s husband wanted to go to the beach.  Thing is, this idea of his was spontaneous, and anyone who has children knows that “spontaneity” is not easy to pull off.  But anyone who knows Mama also knows that she is always up for a challenge, especially when it comes to figuring out ways to keep her family entertained and active.  

Because it was already later in the morning than it should be to travel out to a beach further way from the city (because that would mean getting stuck in traffic for half the day), Mama decided to take her family to the Bronx and head to Orchard Beach, once of the NY public beaches, and the closest to Upper Manhattan.

The drive from their apartment was less than 30 minutes, and when they got there the sprawling parking lot only had a few cars in it.  Now, when it comes to beaches, Orchard Beach is not necessarily one of Mama’s favorites.  As a matter of fact, it had been years since she visited the beach…long before children, even longer before marrying her husband.  Because of it’s proximity to Manhattan, and the fact that it is a public Beach (only $8.00 for parking on weekends, per vehicle), it can get very, very, crowded, and very, very loud.  For some New Yorkers, that’s what going to the beach is all about: boom boxes playing their favorite music, BBQ grills fired up and smoky on the grassy lawns, tents up, and kids playing while the adults chat it up.  But not so much for Mama.  For her, it’s about an escape, and solace (ok, well not completely since she has kids), but definitely no music and no BBQing on the patch of grass nearby.

However, even a popular spot like Orchard Beach can offer a few hours of peace and quiet, if you are willing and able to make there early.  This idea suits a family like Mama’s perfectly because it enables them to spend a few early hours at the beach, go home, nap, and move on to another activity later in the day.  Luckily, it might have been too late to venture to a beach further away, but not too late to find some tranquility along the shores of Orchard Beach. Once they arrived and parked, they found a spot close to the water, and the boys immediately jumped in to play.

The water, though cold, was bearable.  It’s a rocky beach, but there aren’t any huge waves and it’s quite shallow. Perfect for little ones to play in. And that they did.  They spent most of the afternoon splashing around, and crawling in the water, picking up rocks and shells, and throwing them back in.  They even saw a horseshoe crab lay still in the shallow water, before finally crawling away causing all the kids to scream with delight and fear all at the same time.

It’s amazing the amount of time one can spend at the beach without even noticing the hours passing by. But when the beach started getting crowded, it was time for them to go.  They couldn’t leave, however, without first stopping in the playground area, which not only managed to use up the last bit of energy the boys had in them, but also, with the help of the sprinklers, managed to wash off the sand.  The boardwalk as rest room and shower facilities, but it was just easier to have them wash off while still playing and running around.

As they started to make their way out of the now crowded parking lot, they were hit with a craving for ice cream. Mama then decided it would be a great time to head over to City Island, the nearby fisherman’s town, in search of a local creamery.

They made their way down the busy City Island Ave, past the many seafood restaurants, bars, and cafes (but mostly seafood restaurants) and past the quieter side streets with the lovely homes and private beaches and arrived to a cute ice cream parlor called Lickety Split.  It looked inviting and fun. Patrons sat outside laughing and chatting it up with the owner, and kids played and ate ice cream.

The inside is small, as well as the ice cream selection, which is not homemade, but the staff is friendly, the portions are generous, and the service is quick, no lines, no hassle.  Mama wishes that she had a picture of one of the ice creams she bought for her boys, but while she made conversation with the owner, the boys inhaled their ice cream before she got her camera out. It was a really sweet place to stop in, in more ways then one, and definitely one she would stop in again when in the area.

As mentioned, City Island has a huge selection of seafood restaurants, and it seemed for those visiting from the beach, the place to stop are the two fried fish food places at the end of the main avenue.  However, Mama would really recommend taking the time to stop by and visit the many other fabulous places to eat there.  In the past Mama has tried both the Original Crab Shanty, as well as Tito Puente’s Restaurant, and had a good experience in both locales.

As they drove away from the small town, and towards the bigger city, the rain drops started to hit their car. The boys, eyes heavy with sleep, were fighting it as they talked about the beach, the rocks, and the crab that came out of the water.  In the meantime, Mama couldn’t help but feel a great sense of accomplishment that even with all the challenges before them, spontaneity and adventure is still a wonderful possibility in their lives.

For a complete list of NYC Beaches, rates,schedules, and available facilities, check out the NYC Department of Parks and Recreations’ list here.

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Tags: free activities, Parks
Posted in Aquariums/Parks/Zoos, Beaches, Cool Finds, Good Eats | 6 Comments »