HARRY'S WATER TAXI BEACH

2-03 Borden Ave.
(at 2nd Street)
Long Island City, NY 11101

Harry's Water Taxi Beach Website

AL'S REVIEW: Back in the Summer of 2006 when Harry's first opened, a NY Times reporter wrote a review quoting none other than yours truly: travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/travel/escapes/07share.html?pagewanted=1 . Since my visit that day, I've been back a couple more times and still love the escape - though it's become more popular and quite crowded. To get there, you can either travel by subway (though it's a bit of a walk) or my preferred way - the water taxi from 34th Street. Formerly a vacant lot, "Harry" had the great idea to fill it with sand and serve burgers, hot dogs, and cheap beer. From 4-6pm, there's usually a happy hour special featuring $3 beers (went up from $2 in 2006 - the nerve!!). One of the highlights of this place, is that the fence is lined with a "mister" that spritzes you with cool water. It's not the same as diving into a giant swimming pool or running into the Atlantic, but us city folks see it as the next best thing! Though Harry's gets packed later in the day, it offers the most spectacular skyline view of Manhattan, especially around sunset. If you've never been, you must experience this great find at least once and don't forget to bring your camera.