New York
Some may complain about the heat and humidity of what is arguably New York's best season, but the outdoor cafes, movies under the stars and concerts on the grass may counter that. The city's 20km of beaches are the clincher. They hosted 16 million visitors last summer and are expected to exceed that figure this year.
'We always anticipate crowds on hot days, but especially now with the high cost of gas, we encourage all New Yorkers to take mass transit where possible and spend a day at one of the city's beaches,' said Cristina DeLuca, a spokeswoman for the Parks Department.
For a big city, the beaches are surprisingly clean and the water is enticing for surfers and swimmers.
But beware: not all beaches allow swimming. Even for people who live at the oceanfront, taking a dip in the sea can lead to fines and even jail. This is what happened to Anthony DiCiervo. The father of three, who lives one block from the Rockaway Beach in Queens, told the Daily News he was issued a summons and held in jail at the end of last month because he waded ankle-deep along the seashore on one of the hottest days this summer.
The beach was not open because there were no lifeguards on duty. And the melee ensued only after Mr DiCiervo repeatedly ignored warnings from Parks Department patrols, the agency said.
But many New Yorkers are not able to use beaches near their homes. 'We've had reports from residents that a number of beaches have been closed the last few days,' said Jonathan Gaska, a Rockaway resident.
