East Rockaway, NY

East Rockaway was originally called Near Rockaway and began as a shipping and trading center for the south shore of Long Island. In 1688, a gristmill was established here, helping to boost the area’s prosperity.

In 1896, the village’s name was changed to East Rockaway and eventually incorporated in 1900. Oyster farming and shipbuilding were added to the neighborhood’s primary professions.

Railroads began to connect East Rockaway to Manhattan and destinations to the east by the end of the 1800s, encouraging the immigration of Irish and Italian residents. During the mid-20th century, many Jewish people came to East Rockaway seeking a quieter suburban life.

East Rockaway supports no museums or art galleries, but The Dance Space Ltd. hosts periodic classes and recitals in the area.

The area’s primary annual event is the Stars and Stripes Festival, which features rides, games, vendors and fireworks in September.

Many of East Rockaway’s restaurants line Main Street and Atlantic Avenue, two of the busier thoroughfares in the area. Here you find many types of cuisine to sample, ranging from American, Peruvian and Thai to seafood, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.

Centre Thai Bistro serves authentic Thai food in a quiet, casual setting. Residents love the plum rolls, tom yum soup and soft shell crabs with red Panang curry. When you don't want spicy the staff doesn't mind to toning it down for you. The lunch specials served from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. provide an incredibly cheap way to get your Thai fix.

Reel serves East Rockway up with a true seafood lover's joint, with lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Local favorites include the raw bar, which has little neck clams and oysters, as well as the mussels and chowders. With live music nearly every night of the week, customers get a real Long Island experience at this place.

When the mood for a little down-home cooking with a casual vibe strikes you, try Villa Maria for large portions of Italian classics. The charming local eatery serves salads, pastas, pizzas entrées and desserts at very reasonable prices, and the owners go out of their way to give you a warm and convivial experience.

The nightlife in East Rockaway can be pretty quiet, given its residential reputation, but the area doesn't fail to provide a few options. Althouse 1848 has food, inexpensive drinks and big screen TVs for sporting events, while Commuters Club creates a great space for large events and parties.

For live music and comedy, you need to travel to Vibe Lounge for local bands in a dive-like atmosphere or Margaritaville in nearby Rockville Centre.

Most East Rockaway locals choose to travel by public transportation into Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan or eastern Long Island. Locals access the LIRR via the Lynbrook station to the north of this neighborhood as well as by the N36 bus, which connects to the E train.

Drivers find that this area connects with the 27 or W. Sunrise Highway. Within the neighborhood, parking often proves difficult and pricey, especially during peak times.

Outside of rush hour, locals don't find it difficult to hail a cab. Uber also operates in the area.

Many areas within East Rockaway make themselves easy to walk, especially along Main Street and Atlantic Avenue. The area hosts several bike lanes, and cyclists find the area friendly as long as they mind traffic carefully.

East Rockaway has two primary places for parks. Bay Park can be found along 1st Avenue and has a playground for the kids. With its location near the water, the views are excellent, particularly during the summer. It also maintains a beach and golf course for visitors to enjoy.

Bay Park Dog Run provides a few attractive features for visitors to enjoy. In addition to seating, a canopy for the heat and parking, two separate runs accommodate both more aggressive and shy pups. Howeever, the absences of water on the premises means that you need to bring your own.

The parks don't charge entrance fees and encourage fitness and other active pursuits. When East Rockaway's locals want to visit larger parks with more facilities, they travel to neighboring Hempstead, Rockville Centre and Lynbrook.

East Rockaway’s major annual event, the Stars and Stripes Festival in September, celebrates summer fun with games and rides.

East Rockaway’s cost of living runs higher than both New York’s average and the national average, with a one-bedroom residence renting for around $1,478 per month.

It costs around $3 to get to Manhattan from East Rockaway via subway, and a beer at a local pub costs around $6. Gas prices in East Rockaway hover around 17 percent higher than the national average.

As a primarily residential area, East Rockaway doesn’t have much in the way of shopping, and it supports no luxury or high-end stores to speak of. Most of the area’s smaller stores and boutiques lie along Forest Ave. and Main Street.

Blanchee Boutique provides East Rockaway’s brides with a place to complete their wedding planning, with dresses, shoes, accessories and more. Nearby Rockville Centre hosts Lucky Finds Boutique, which sells vintage and consignment clothing, jewelry and accessories in a friendly environment. A Time for Karma, another local staple, sells crystals, books and lots of cool gifts for that person who has everything.

East Rockaway has its share of large chain stores for groceries, such as Pathmark, and the surrounding areas have Stop & Shop, King Kullen and Trader Joe’s. However, a few smaller outlets, such as the Village Convenience Center, have a friendly touch and many grab-and-go grocery items for those in a hurry.

Although East Rockaway doesn’t support its own farmers market, neighboring Malverne hosts the Crossroads Farmers Market every Thursday from spring through the end of fall. Locals especially love taking in its fresh tomatoes and kale chips in a dog-friendly environment.