The Great Escape from the Lower East Side

Youri and Erling have had a marvelous summer.

Despite the heat, their one-bedroom apartment in Hillman has remained cool throughout New York City’s latest heat wave. Residents have cleared out, and the neighborhood is quiet.

They’ve enjoyed long strolls along the newly reopened East River Park and even met friends for a barbecue beneath the Williamsburg Bridge. (Of course, they had to get there at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning to hold the grill, but riverside cookouts require some sacrifices.)

They stayed in town to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. They caught sight of the tall ships over the holiday. Rain disrupted their fireworks viewing, but they heard fireworks all night.

In fact, they haven’t stopped hearing them.

Day after day, and often well past midnight, neighbors have continued setting off rooftop fireworks. Sleep has become elusive, and the irregular explosions have served as a reminder that while you can control many things about where you live, some things—namely other people—are entirely beyond your control.

So the couple started asking a different question: "Where could we go on weekends to escape the city?"

Fortunately, they have options. They’ve saved $500,000 toward a purchase, and because they already own a car, parked in the garage on Delancey Street, they’re not limited to places along the subway. That’s not to say, though, that budget isn’t important.

They’ve narrowed it down to the following:

• New York beach communities
• Jersey Shore clusters
• Upstate hamlets

Today, we’ll review three very different properties for Youri and Erling: one in Far Rockaway, New York; another in Seaside Heights, New Jersey; and a third in Tomkins Cove, New York. We’ll look at each in terms of travel time, transportation costs, affordability, and overall appeal to see which makes the strongest case as a weekend escape for these Lower East Siders.

79-14 Rockaway Beach Blvd #6B, Far Rockaway, NY 11693

List Price: $459,000

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 2/1
Approx. Size: 1,080 SF

Property Tax: $544/month
HOA: $730/month

Distance: ~23 miles
Car: 45–70 minutes
Cost: ~$12–18 (fuel and tolls)

By Public Transportation

Time: 80–105 minutes
Route: Train
Cost: $2.90 (MTA)

Details: This 1,080-square-foot corner condominium offers two bedrooms and one bathroom with ocean and neighborhood views. The unit includes a dishwasher, stove, baseboard heating, and an intercom door system. The 2006 building features a secure lobby, recreation room, card-operated laundry facilities, handicap access, a BBQ area, and one assigned parking space in a gated lot.

Commentary: This is a charming beachside condo with what appear to be water views and a well-maintained, relatively recently renovated interior. It may have somewhat low ceilings, and it doesn’t appear to include an in-unit washer and dryer, but otherwise presents very well.

Being near Arverne by the Sea is a plus, with decent amenities close by. Of the properties Youri and Erling are considering, it’s the closest to Manhattan and the least expensive to reach. The biggest drawback is the high monthly HOA. If the goal is a quiet weekend escape, this is probably best enjoyed outside the summer season, when the beach crowds have gone home.

62 Sherman Avenue #B3, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751

List Price: $499,990

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 3/2
Approx. Size: 1,125 SF

Property Tax: $488/month
HOA: $250/month

Distance: ~82 miles
Car: 105–140 minutes
Cost: ~$35–50 (fuel and tolls)

By Public Transportation

Time: 165–210 minutes
Route: NJ Transit Bus
Cost: ~$28–32

Details: This fully furnished two-level end-unit condominium offers 1,125 square feet with three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The layout includes an open living and dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, in-unit washer and dryer, forced-air natural gas heating, and central air conditioning. The 1988 condominium community provides two dedicated parking spaces, exterior lighting, snow removal, and no rental restrictions.

Commentary: The Sherman Avenue property is in nice condition and has a fun, beachy feel. Its proximity to the beach is a major plus, as is the flexibility to rent it out should it evolve from a seasonal getaway into more of an investment property. The tradeoff is its location directly across from Casino Pier and Breakwater Beach Waterpark, which is likely to mean plenty of noise and activity during the season. If we’re looking for peace and quiet, this probably isn’t it.

On a more personal note, I’ll never understand carpeting in a beach house, given the amount of sand that inevitably gets tracked inside. And is it a requirement that every beach home have decorative pillows reminding you that you’re at the beach?

363 N Liberty Drive, Tomkins Cove, NY 10986

List Price: $449,000

Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 3/2
Approx. Size: 1,764 SF

Property Tax: $876/month
HOA: $0/month

Distance: ~43 miles
Car: 55–75 minutes
Cost: ~$18–28 (fuel and tolls)

By Public Transportation

Time: 105–140 minutes
Route: Coach USA + NJ Transit
Cost: ~$15–20

Details: This 1,764-square-foot Colonial home offers three bedrooms, one full bathroom, one half bathroom, an entrance foyer, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen with a walk-in pantry, mudroom with laundry, hardwood floors, an unfinished basement, and a screened-in porch. Built in 1920 on 0.29 acres, the property also includes a detached one-car garage, shared driveway, septic system, well, and enclosed front porch.

Commentary: Of the three, this property feels like a true retreat. Set behind a beautiful stone wall and near the water, it offers a peaceful setting despite being just off Liberty Drive. While parts of the home, particularly the kitchen, could use updating (and the refrigerator not being in the kitchen is certainly a choice), it retains beautiful original details that give it real character.

At more than 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths, it offers nearly twice the space of the Far Rockaway option. It’s also something of a middle ground geographically: farther than Far Rockaway, but likely an easier weekend trip (by car) than Seaside Heights.

If you had $500,000, lived on the Lower East Side, and were looking for a quiet summer getaway spot, which would you choose?