Nickerson Beach Park

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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, 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 playground 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. In 2008, nine new beach volleyball courts were added for leagues and individuals, with two adjacent picnic areas.

The park also offers all-terrain wheelchairs for the disabled, available by reservation.

The park 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: $8 for Leisure Pass holders and $20 for non-Leisure Pass holders.
* Season sticker: Leisure Pass holders, $80; seniors, disabled, volunteer firefighters, auxiliary police & veterans, $40 (Leisure Pass required); non-Leisure Pass holders, $200.

beach
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. For more information see "News & Events" below.

Swimming:

* There are two pools at either end of the park, along with small “kiddie” pools (fee required). The pools open for the 2009 summer season on June 20 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).
* Seasonal hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. ; Sat.-Sun., holidays, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Campground:

* The Nickerson Beach campground has 74 sites for RVs and 13 for tents. Water, sewer and electrical hookup are available. Leisure Pass holders receive discount rate. There will be a one-day "early-bird" registration for the campground on Feb. 6, 2010 ( see "News & Events" below).

FunZoneplayground

Cabanas:

* Nickerson Beach offers cabanas for rent during the summer season, with areas on the eastern and western ends of the park. The cabanas provide Nassau County residents with the opportunity to enjoy a summer vacation at this beautiful beach. Each year, a lottery is held to determine eligibility for available cabana spots. There are 498 cabanas and 147 cabinettes. Registration for the lottery for cabana begins in March 2010. For information, see "News & Events" below.

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:

* A food kiosk is located on the south edge of the "Fun Zone" by the beach; it is open during the summer.

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.