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Nickerson Beach Park
Lido, 880 Lido Boulevard; located by the Atlantic Ocean
516-571-7700
On-site staff: Yes
| Nickerson Beach Park opens for the Summer 2008 season on Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 24 |
Nickerson Beach, part of the county park system since 1967, has undergone an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation and offers numerous activities in the park or on the beach. The renovation work has included construction of a beautiful family "Fun Zone" with a skate park, colorful basketball courts with fiberglass backboards, and a state-of-the-art playground that incorporates special attractions such as climbing apparatus and puzzles. The Fun Zone provides a seamless area that can accommodate children in a broad age range, so that moms and dads can watch a youngster in the plaground while an older child goes to the nearby basketball court or skating park. In addition to the creation of the Fun Zone, other improvements included renovation of the popular cabana areas, new benches and grills, a new baseball field and repaved parking areas. For the 2008 season, nine new beach volleyball courts were added for leagues and individuals, with two adjacent picnic areas.
The parks includes areas by the beach that are cordoned off to protect piping plover nesting spots. The piping plover is a sparrow-sized shorebird that nests in beach areas and is protected by federal law.
During the summer season, parking fees are charged as follows:
- Daily: Nassau County residents, $8; non-residents, $20;
- Season sticker: Nassau County residents, $80; seniors, disabled, volunteer firefighters, auxiliary police & veterans, $40; non-residents, $200.
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| Nickerson Beach provides the ocean, summer cabanas, pools and lots of activites for tots and teens at the "Fun Zone" |
Athletics/Physical Activities:
- There are two new basketball courts in the "Fun Zone" and a basketball court by the cabana area;
- two tennis courts;
- and a new baseball field (permit required).
- The "Fun Zone" includes a skate park located inside a 160-by-100-foot fenced-in area. The skate park includes seven ramps of varying difficulty, with the lowest ones measuring two feet in height and the highest ones four feet. In addition, there are two railings for skate-boarders. During the summer season, the skate park is open seven days a week, but patrons are advised to call ahead for the schedule of hours. At other times of the year, excluding the winter, when the park is closed, the skate park is open only on weekends. Helmets must be worn by those using the skate park.
 Family/Kids:
- A renovated “Fun Zone” playground area includes an adventure playground .
- There are unreserved and reserved (fee) picnic areas that include barbecue equipment and a campground. Leisure Pass and fee required for reserved areas; call 516-571-7701.
Swimming:
- There are two pools at either end of the park, along with small “kiddie” pools (fee required). The pools open June 15 through Labor Day.
- Visitors can also swim in the ocean.
- There are new beach showers and cabanas, with cabanas awarded via a lottery system (fee required).
- Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
; Sat.-Sun., holidays, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Dog run:
- A dog run includes separate areas for big and small dogs; it is located across the parking lot from the Fun Zone. Please note that dogs are not allowed on the beach or in any County parks or preserves, with the exception of the dog runs.
Food:
- The Sunset Beach Grill (870-4381), a Long Island food service, operates a concession providing foods (sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, burgers and ice cream), beverages, beach chairs and sundries. It is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, seven days a week. The concession is located near the "Fun Zone."
Directions:
To reach Nickerson Beach Park from the North Shore, take Meadowbrook Parkway South to Loop Parkway (Exit M10) to Point Lookout. Turn right onto Lido Boulevard. Nassau Beach is about half-mile on your left-hand side. From the South Shore, take Southern State Parkway (East) to Meadowbrook Parkway (South) toward Jones Beach. Just before the Jones Beach Toll, go off onto the Loop Parkway (exit M10) toward Point Lookout. Take Loop Parkway all the way to the end. Turn right: Nickerson Beach Park is on the left-hand side about a half-mile away.
Nickerson Beach Park Opens for Summer Season Memorial Day Weekend
Nickerson Beach Park, the only County-run park located on the Atlantic Ocean, will open for the summer season Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 24, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. Nickerson Beach will remain open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset over the summer.
A 121-acre park, Nickerson is located on Lido Boulevard in the village of Lido Beach. The park, which has enjoyed an extensive renovation in recent years, has added an exciting new feature this year: nine new beach volleyball courts open to local leagues as well as individuals. There are also two new picnic areas adjacent to the volleyball courts.
In addition to the beautiful beach and the three-quarter-mile-long shoreline, Nickerson Beach offers cabanas, a campground, pools, athletic fields, a dog run, a concession, and the popular “Fun Zone.” Constructed four years ago as a seamless family-focused recreational site, the Fun Zone incorporates a skate park, colorful basketball courts with fiberglass backboards, and a state-of-the-art playground with special attractions such as climbing apparatus and puzzles.
Nickerson Beach is also offering two evenings of free films this summer: “Goonies” on July 9 and “RV” on August 6. In addition, on August 2-3, the Extreme Volleyball Professionals (EVP) Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is returning the park for the second consecutive year. Last year, the tournament featured dozens of men’s, women’s and co-ed professional and amateur teams in round-robin format.
Parking fees at Nickerson are $8 for Nassau County residents and $20 for non-residents; seasonal passes are also available.
For more information about Nickerson Beach, call 516-571-7700.
Nassau County Pools to Open County Pools for Summer Season on June 27
Four of Nassau County’s outdoor swimming pool complexes will open on Friday, June 27, with a fifth park, Nickerson Beach, opening its pools on June 21, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.
The County’s pool complexes include three comprehensive “water theme” facilities at Cantiague Park in Hicksville (571-7056), North Woodmere Park (571-7800) and Wantagh Park (571-7460). The water theme parks provide a summer of fun for adults, teens and youngsters with Olympic-size swimming pools, diving pools, “kiddie” pools, interactive water-play areas and water slides. In December 2006, the pool at Wantagh Park, which features a beautiful waterfront location, was named "Best Public Pool on Long Island" by the Long Island Press, the weekly newspaper.
The large swimming complex at Christopher Morley Park (571-8113) in Roslyn-North Hills includes an Olympic-size pool, diving tank with boards, and a kiddie pool with a beautiful wooded preserve behind it. At Nickerson Beach Park (571-7700) in Lido, a 121-acre oceanfront park, there are two small pools as well as kiddie pools.
The pools at Cantiague, Christopher Morley, North Woodmere and Wantagh parks also offer swimming lessons for adults and children over the summer.
Pools are open seven days a week, but hours vary slightly by park, opening at either 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. and closing at either 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Admission is available on a daily basis at all pools or on a seasonal basis at Cantiague Park, North Woodmere Park and Wantagh Park, with fees ranging by age and resident status (a valid Leisure Pass is required to receive the resident rate).
Daily fees are as follows: resident adult, $7; resident child (4-17 years of age), $5; senior, disabled, volunteer firefighter, ambulance corps, auxiliary police andveterans, $3; non-resident adult, $20; and non-resident child guest, $15. A Leisure Pass is required for residents to receive the resident rate.
The admission fee now includes access to the water slides at the three water theme parks.
At Cantiague, North Woodmere and Wantagh parks, seasonal passes for residents with Leisure Passes are also available for families ($225), individuals ($90) and seniors ($50) .
For specific hours and fees, click on the individual park.
Nassau County Campground Offer One-Day Early Registration on February 2
A one-day, early-bird registration for Nassau County’s two campgrounds, Battle Row in Old Bethpage and Nickerson Beach in Lido, will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2008, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi. Applications for reservations will be accepted on that one day at both locations, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Both campgrounds are run by the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.
To register, a camper must present a valid Leisure Passport and a copy of his/her vehicle registration and driver’s license. To expedite the registration process for the July 4th weekend, campers will be able to make reservations only for themselves and one guest. There is a minimum seven-day stay requirement for July 4th weekend reservations. At Nickerson Beach, payment for reservations may be made by cash, check (made out to “Treasurer of Nassau County”) or credit card.
Following the one-day registration on Saturday, registration for both campgrounds will resume in March at Nickerson Beach and be taken daily. Beginning on April 1, campers will be able to register directly at Battle Row Campground (payment at Battle Row is by check, cash or money order (made out to “Treasurer of Nassau County”).
Battle Row Campground, located on Claremont Road in Old Bethpage, offers a relaxing 44-acre site surrounded by woods, where visitors may go bike riding or use the field available for sports and recreational activities. Nickerson Beach Campground, located on Lido Boulevard in Lido, provides camping along a beautiful beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The 121-acre park offers additional activities, including basketball and a state-of-the-art playground, in the “Fun Zone.”
The camping season runs from April to October at Nickerson Beach and through November at Battle Row. For more information about the campgrounds, call 571-7701 through March 30. During the camping season, call Battle Row at 572-8690 and Nickerson Beach at 571-7724.
Reservations for Picnic Areas Available Beginning February 4
Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi has announced that picnic reservations for the coming season may be made at Nassau County parks beginning Monday, February 4, 2008. Reservations may be made from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week (except where otherwise indicated) at the following parks:
Reservations must be made in person at park locations, and a valid Leisure Pass and appropriate payment (fees depend upon group size) must be presented to obtain a confirmed reservation. Payment can be made by cash, check (made out to “Treasurer of Nassau County”) or credit card (at some locations). “Rain-or-shine” shelter areas are available at Cedar Creek Park, Rev. Arthur Mackey Sr. Park, Nickerson Beach Park and Wantagh Park.
County regulations require that 75% of all picnic participants be Nassau County residents. A special permit is required for the use of alcoholic beverages, and this permit must be purchased at least one week in advance of any reserved or unreserved picnic. To make catering arrangements, patrons must contact the park concessionaire; Dover Caterers, at 516-933-4444, ext. 12 or 16; for Nickerson Beach, contact Party Magic Enterprises at 516-889-7281. Picnic reservations must be secured from the individual park before catering can be arranged.
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