Things to do in Long Beach this fall

Here are some cool things to do this fall in the “City by the Sea.”

Fall is prime surfing season in Long Beach. Take a surf lesson with Skudin Surf, endorsed by the Unsound Surf Shop. Skudin offers private and group lessons for surfers of all experience levels. Ask for Cliff at (516) 318-3993.

The Long Beach Jazz Fest runs from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26, sponsored and hosted by the Long Beach Public Library. More than 20 acts, including jazz drumming legend Omar Hakim and Long Island blues giant Kerry Kearney, will jam in several locations throughout the city.

Kennedy Plaza, on the grounds of Long Beach City Hall, hosts a local farmer’s market every Wednesday through November. You can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade pickles, local seafood and organic baked goods. The city also hosts an art show on Kennedy Plaza every Sunday through November where local and regional painters, sculptors, photographers and other craftsmen display and sell their work.

Long Beach’s ultimate annual pub crawl, also known as Irish Heritage Day, is on Oct. 2. Thousands of revelers descend upon the city’s West End to enjoy the noon parade, then party and rock out to live music from the afternoon into the early morning hours.

Nickerson Beach State Park is an off-season Long Beach jewel. It houses a top flight skate park with several ramps and a good half pipe where skaters can do their thing just steps from the ocean. There’s a dog park and the shoreline is dog friendly from Sept. 15 to March 1, making it an ideal place to walk with man (and girl’s) best friend.

Once the waters cool heading into autumn, Long Island’s varied fish populations start to migrate en masse. It’s a perfect time to rent a small outboard motorboat along with some bait and tackle from Ted’s Fishing Station in Point Lookout. Just make sure you have a New York State fishing license first.

Don’t feel like driving the boat? There are several party fishing boats operating out of Point Lookout. Local website the Screaming Reel has vital information for arranging trips on Point Lookout party boats like the Miss Point Lookout III, the Super Hawk or the Princess Marie.

If you prefer the view from land, you can cruise the boardwalk and all of Long Beach by renting a bike from Long Beach Bicycles. They have day and weekly rates for cruisers, tandem bikes, child safety equipment, helmets and locks.

If none of this excites you, just grab a beach chair, a sweatshirt and a book, walk down to the water, plop yourself in the sand and relax. That just might be Long Beach at its best.