Fodor's Expert Review Fort Tilden Beach

A former military site, this section of the Rockaway peninsula is still dotted with intriguing detritus. Two brutalist concrete batteries—Battery Harris West and Battery Harris East—are covered in graffiti and overgrown plant life, making for astonishing sights and choice photo backdrops. There are also two other batteries buried beneath the sand, as well as an underground missile silo, but you'll largely have to imagine what those looked like as they're blocked by a tall chain-link fence. Thanks to its relative inaccessibility (you really need a car, or be prepared to take a long subway ride followed by a bus), the beach itself remains blissfully empty for much of the year. Amenities: toilets. Best for: swimming; solitude.