Do you ever find yourself looking for a fun, unique place to grab a beer? I never imagined, as I left work a few Fridays ago, that my buddies and I would end up at a beautiful beach looking out at a sunset over Manhattan while sipping Magic Hat #9. The music was loud, but in the open air with the river’s breeze it wasn’t overwhelming like it may have been at a typical pub. My group was not so much filled with the rowdy types, so instead of joining the beach volleyball games behind us or hitting up the dance floor across the sand, we chilled at the picnic tables, sipped our chilled brews, and enjoyed a casual ball-park style dinner.
This is Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. It’s miraculously one subway stop from Grand Central Station on the 7 train, as convenient as any bar you know. Cover charge starts at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays and is only 3 bucks! The beers on tap range from PBR ($5) to Magic Hat ($6) with many selections in between. There’s a full bar, so if you’re feeling something a bit stronger, don’t hold back! And there’s food for all… burgers, fries, even tofu dogs! Bring a sweater, ’cause the breeze can get chilly. And be prepared for one of the most enjoyable, unbelievable drinking experiences New York has to offer.
Oh yeah, why is it called Water Taxi Beach? If you don’t feel like taking the 7 train to and from Grand Central (or Times Square), you can just as easily hop on the Water Taxi! It runs until midnight between 34th street in Manhattan and Water Taxi Beach. It’s a quick, convenient $5 trip. The catamaran taxi comfortably seats about 75 people.
Bottoms up! And cheers to Long Island City!
How to Get There: Take the 7 train from Grand Central or Times Square. Second option, take the Water Taxi from 34th street to the beach for $5.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram