There's more to Jones Beach than just yelling inside the Field 4 tunnel, the smell of Banana Boat lotion, strapping on a tan and checking out the hot bods.
On summer nights, people pack the games area at Jones Beach's Central Mall, also known as Field 4.
The line for
mini-golf has been known to stretch around the corner and down the walkway on some nights. Regardless of the wait time, the 18-hole course is always a fun time. The fee is $4 per person.
Adjacent to mini-golf is the area known as West Games which features a dozen or
shuffleboard courts and a dozen or so
paddle tennis courts (think mini-tennis). The rates for both are $1 per person per half-hour.
Two
beach volleyball courts were installed several summers ago and remain a popular activity at Jones Beach. For those of you old enough to remember, it's where the skating rink used to be. For those not old enough, it's opposite the mini-golf course. It'll cost you $10 per half-hour per court.
Before the Cross-Sound Cable came into being, Jones Beach had a very popular 18-hole
pitch-and-putt golf course. It's expected to re-open some time in mid-July or early August. Bring your own clubs and balls or rent them from the course. The longest hole is 95 yards.
On the boardwalk from the East Bathhouse to the West Bathhouse stretches a 1.5-mile
health walk. It's ideal for walkers and joggers and is open year-round. If and when the Jones Beach triathlon returns, this is where they run.
There are four
basketball half-courts adjacent to the pitch-and-putt golf course. And yes, you definitely have to adjust six or eight inches for the wind.
A lighted
softball field near West Bathhouse is used predominantly for leagues, but it's usually open during the day. Permission from the park is required.
The
fishing piers are in Field 10, accesible from the road behind Fields 4 and 5. Crabbing is also allowed on the piers. The fishing is free but you'll need to pay for parking.
