Orchard Beach (Bronx)

Orchard Beach
Beach
Panoramic view of Orchard Beach, facing from the bathhouse pavilion
Coordinates: 40°52′02″N 73°47′33″W / 40.8673°N 73.7925°W / 40.8673; -73.7925
Location	The Bronx, New York
Area
• Total	115-acre (47 ha)
Dimensions
• Length	1.1 miles (1.8 km)
Patrolled by	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Public transit access	Bus: Bx12, Bx29

Orchard Beach (sometimes called the Bronx Riviera) is the only public beach in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The 115-acre (47 ha), 1.1-mile-long (1.8 km) beach is part of Pelham Bay Park and is situated on the western end of Long Island Sound. The beach consists of a 13-section sandy shorefront, a hexagonal-block promenade, and a central pavilion with food stores and specialty shops. The recreational facilities include two playgrounds, two picnic areas, a large parking lot, and 26 courts for basketball, volleyball, and handball. It is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Orchard Beach was built as part of Pelham Bay Park and was originally located on the eastern shore of Rodman's Neck peninsula. In the 1930s, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses announced a project to expand Orchard Beach northward by connecting several islands in Pelham Bay Park via landfill. The expanded beach was dedicated in 1936 and opened in 1937, along with its pavilion and concession stands. Renovations to the beachfront were made in subsequent years. Sand was restored to the beach in 1964 and again in 1995. The promenade and bathhouse were designated as a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2006.