If you've spent another summer fighting for a patch of sand at an overcrowded beach, dodging umbrellas and paying $30 to park a mile away, let me introduce you to something better. Catalina Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, Long Island, is the kind of place that feels like a secret, even though families have been coming back every summer for over 80 years. Once you know about it, you'll wonder how you ever survived a NYC summer without it.
This article is sponsored by Catalina Beach Club. All opinions and enthusiasm for a heated Olympic pool are entirely our own.
What Is Catalina Beach Club?
Nestled in the small village of Atlantic Beach on Long Island's South Shore, Catalina Beach Club is a private summer beach club near NYC built entirely around families. The atmosphere is warm, relaxed, and genuinely kid-friendly — not in a chaotic way, but in a "everyone here is in the same boat as you" way. It's the kind of place where kids make friends they come back for every summer, and parents actually get to exhale.
For families in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the North Shore of Long Island, the location is a legitimate selling point. Atlantic Beach sits on the South Shore of Long Island, close to the city and easily reachable — about 40 minutes from Midtown by car or train. From Brooklyn and Queens, it’s even closer, and from the North Shore communities like Great Neck, Port Washington, and Manhasset, it’s typically about a 30- to 40-minute drive, depending on traffic. The LIRR runs directly there from Penn Station (Lawrence and Long Beach stations are both nearby), and MTA subway connections make it accessible without a car. If you do drive, parking on-site is easy.
Visit CatalinaBeachClub.com to learn about memberships for summer 2026
What's Included in Your Catalina Beach Club Membership
This is where Catalina really separates itself from just "going to the beach." Membership at this beach club near NYC includes access to everything ... and there's a lot:
- A beautiful, uncrowded private beach (no fighting for space, ever)
- An Olympic-sized heated pool
- Full beach attendant service all included in your membership pricing
- Food and beverage service at the Catalina Beach Café all day long
- Easy on-site parking
- Weekend events for both kids and adults throughout the season — think themed days, special activities, and the kind of stuff that makes your kids ask to go back every single weekend
- Access to Camp Catalina, the on-site early childhood day camp
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The attendant service is something that sounds like a small detail until you experience it. You show up, and someone helps you get settled. No hauling a wagon full of gear from a parking lot three blocks away. No arguing about who's carrying the cooler. You just arrive and enjoy your day.
Camp Catalina: The Part Moms Are Really Going to Love
Camp Catalina is a certified day camp running 7 weeks from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., serving potty-trained kids ages 2 to 7, with a 1:4 counselor-to-child ratio. All specialty instructors are NYS-certified teachers.
Activities include rhythm and movement, arts and crafts, music and drama, sports, cooking, science, and special events.
The camp also runs a dedicated swim program, and the vast majority of campers finish the summer as swimmers. For parents of little ones who haven't learned yet, that's a pretty big deal.
What really stands out is the consistency. Counselors and families come back year after year. That kind of loyalty doesn't happen by accident.
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The bottom line:
If you're in NYC, Brooklyn, or Queens and you've been looking for a real family summer escape — somewhere close, beautiful, uncrowded, and where someone else handles the logistics — this private beach club on Long Island is the answer. It's been making families happy for over 80 years for a reason, and summer 2026 memberships are available now.
Find out details about 2026 memberships at Catalina Beach Club.
Hurry! Limited spots remain for 2026!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Catalina Beach Club from NYC?
About 40 minutes from Midtown Manhattan by car or LIRR. From Brooklyn, it's even closer — making it one of the most convenient beach club options for city families.
Is Catalina Beach Club good for young kids?
It's ideal for young kids. The on-site certified day camp serves ages 2-7, the beach is uncrowded, the pool is heated, and attendants are on hand. It's one of the most family-centered setups you'll find anywhere near the city.
Do you need a car to get to Catalina Beach Club?
No. Take the LIRR from Penn Station to the Lawrence or Long Beach station, and you're a short rideshare away. MTA subway connections to the LIRR make it doable from most NYC neighborhoods. Parking is also easy if you drive.
When does the season start and end?
The season opens the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and closes Labor Day Monday — a full summer season.
Is the beach crowded?
This is a private club with a capped membership, which means the beach stays uncrowded by design. That's one of the biggest reasons families choose it over public beaches.
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Stop Googling "beaches near NYC." Just get the membership.
See you at Catalina!
