Brighton Beach Travel Guide

Brighton Beach is a beautiful Oceanside neighborhood on Coney Island, located in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.  This beach is bounded to the west by Coney Island, Brighton Beach to the east, Gravesend to the north, and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean.  Due to its close proximity to Coney Island, Brighton Beach can offer you an exceptional place to plan a stay in.  Many visitors to Coney Island decide to enjoy the beach at Brighton rather than Coney Island beach because of less crowds and nicer conditions. 

Developed as a beach resort in the mid 1800’s, Brighton Beach has been a popular summer beach destination for the residents of and visitors to NYC for over a century.  Offering white sands, clear surf, and a charming boardwalk, Brighton Beach has become very popular within the NYC area.  Its close proximity to Coney Island has proven it to be quite crowded during the warm summer months.  This beach also offers many concession stands, facilities, and much more.

Brighton Beach Weather and Best Time to Visit

Winters are cold and damp, with January temperatures averaging at 32°F.  Spring and fall can be unpredictable, with a range in weather patterns; however, these months are usually mild.  The summers in New York City are typically very humid and hot, with a July average of 77°F.  During the summer months it can stay hot well into the night, because of the urban heat island phenomenon.  Rainfall is rather consistent all year round in Brighton Beach and the area that surrounds, so be sure to pack accordingly.  Winter snowfall varies considerably but is to be expected in NYC, so it is necessary to be prepared when packing for a winter excursion.

The peak travel season in Brighton Beach is during the summer months, running from May until September annually.  This beach and the surrounding area is a well-known summer travel destination for much of the northeast, including the neighboring metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Baltimore.  If you are visiting during these months, expect larger than normal crowds and more expensive rates on accommodations as well as some local attractions.  It is typically a good idea to book your stay ahead of time, a minimum of a month in advance.  This can help to ensure that you receive the best rates available for your reservation.

Experience Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach has been called “little Odessa” by the local masses for many years, because many of its residents came from Odessa, Ukraine.  The two blocks of Brighton Beach Avenue under the elevated train plays host to a wide range of street vendors, offering everything from sweaters to pastries.  These vendors are here nearly year round, selling and trading their fares to the highest bidder.  Many of these merchants make their living by selling goods created in the same manner as they are made in their homeland.

This Oceanside neighborhood also provides many shops and boutiques that are reminiscent of old-world Moscow, such as M & I International, an international food shop.  Offering caviar, meats, sausage, cheese, chocolate, and caraway bread, M & I can make you have been transported to another land.  There are also Russian bookstores, antique shops, pawn brokers, and much more that are all reminiscent of old-world Russian style.

Another way to experience Brighton Beach and all it has to offer is to spend a day taking in the amazing sights of the Big Apple.  If this is your first vacation to NYC and Brighton Beach make sure you visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.  Ellis Island was the major entry point into the United States from 1892 until 1954.  It is no longer so, however the island is now home to an immigration museum and is the Statue of Liberty National Monument.  The nominal fee charged to ride the ferry is a small price to pay to feast your eyes upon Lady Liberty’s majesty. 

Well, one icon of American culture that should not be missed is the Empire State Building.  This landmark skyscraper stretches over a hundred stories into the air at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street.  Additionally, Madison Square Garden and Times Square should also make your ‘sights to see’ list when visiting Brighton Beach.  A trip through the city streets will show you just how big the Big Apple really is.