Crab Meadow Beach – Northport, Long Island

Crab Meadow Beach, officially known as Frank P. Petrone/Crab Meadow Beach, is a Town of Huntington beach on the Long Island Sound shoreline near Northport. With a beachfront boardwalk, picnic areas, playground, kayak access and views across the Sound toward Connecticut, Crab Meadow is one of the better-equipped municipal beaches on Long Island’s North Shore.

The beach sits at the end of Waterside Road in the Crab Meadow area of Suffolk County. Unlike the ocean beaches along Long Island’s South Shore, Crab Meadow faces the comparatively protected waters of Long Island Sound and is surrounded by an extensive coastal wetland ecosystem.

Beach and Swimming

Crab Meadow has long been one of the Town of Huntington’s primary swimming beaches. The Town’s trail guide describes it as its most popular town swimming beach and notes that on clear days the shoreline provides views across Long Island Sound toward Connecticut.

Swimming is seasonal and subject to lifeguard coverage and water-quality conditions. The Town recommends checking with the Main Beach Office, which is located at Crab Meadow Beach, for current bathing conditions during the summer season.

The North Shore setting creates a different beach experience from Jones Beach and Long Island’s Atlantic Ocean beaches. Visitors come for swimming, relaxing along the Sound, walking the waterfront and watching sunsets over the surrounding shoreline.

Boardwalk and Walking Trail

A boardwalk follows the Long Island Sound frontage and forms part of a 0.4-mile walking circuit through the beach property. The Town describes the route as flat and combining paved paths, planked boardwalk and sandy sections.

The boardwalk is constructed with recycled lumber and includes accessible connections from designated parking. Walkways also lead toward the picnic pavilion and an accessible nature observation gazebo overlooking the tidal channel and surrounding wetlands.

The relatively short route makes the beach suitable for visitors who want a waterfront walk without committing to a longer hiking trail.

Picnicking and Recreation

Crab Meadow functions as more than a swimming beach. Amenities identified by the Town include a picnic area, playground, basketball court and kayak launch, providing options for families and groups spending several hours at the waterfront.

The designated picnic area can accommodate organized gatherings, with portions available for public use and other areas reservable through the Town of Huntington. The permitted picnic area has capacity for groups of up to 150 people.

Seasonal storage racks for kayaks and other small boats are also available through the Town’s small-boat rack program.

La Casa Cafe

One feature that distinguishes Crab Meadow from many municipal beaches is the presence of La Casa Cafe, a restaurant and snack bar located at the beach. The Town of Huntington specifically lists the restaurant among the beach’s amenities.

Its waterfront location gives visitors an opportunity to combine a trip to the beach with a meal without leaving the immediate Crab Meadow property.

Crab Meadow Wetlands and Wildlife

Immediately surrounding the recreational beach is one of the North Shore’s significant coastal ecosystems. The Crab Meadow wetlands encompass approximately 300 acres of largely undeveloped salt marsh, along with roughly 30 acres of beach and tidal flat.

New York State has designated the Crab Meadow wetlands as a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat. The marsh, tidal creek and beach environments provide feeding and nesting habitat for shorebirds and nursery habitat for fish, shellfish and crustaceans.

Visitors may encounter great blue herons, great egrets, osprey, red-winged blackbirds and other coastal birds around the broader Crab Meadow ecosystem. The Town’s trail guide also identifies diamondback terrapins, eastern box turtles and fiddler crabs among wildlife that may occur in the area.

History of Crab Meadow Beach

The area’s documented history reaches back to the colonial period. Town records state that Crab Meadow was part of land sold by the Matinecock in the Eastern Purchase of July 1656. The beach later became vested in the Town’s Board of Trustees and was ultimately transferred to the Town following condemnation proceedings in 1959.

Another notable feature is the main beach pavilion. The Town reports that the pavilion was rebuilt in 2009 according to the specifications of the original Works Progress Administration-era structure, preserving an element of the beach’s earlier character.

Parking and Beach Permits

Crab Meadow is a Town of Huntington facility, and seasonal parking restrictions and permit requirements apply. For the 2026 season, the Town lists a resident seasonal beach parking permit at $40, while qualifying resident senior citizens age 60 and older may obtain a seasonal beach permit without charge.

Visitors should confirm current rules before traveling because parking requirements, lifeguard coverage and bathing conditions can change during the season.

The Main Beach Office at Crab Meadow can be reached at 631-261-7574.

Getting There

Crab Meadow Beach is reached from Waterside Road in Northport. From Route 25A, the Town directs visitors onto Waterside Avenue and then toward the end of the road at the beach.

Its North Shore location places the beach near Northport, Fort Salonga and other attractions in the northern portion of the Town of Huntington.

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Crab Meadow Beach in Northport

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Key Facts & Details

Detail	Information
Official Name	Frank P. Petrone/Crab Meadow Beach
Common Name	Crab Meadow Beach
Type	Town beach, park and coastal recreation area
Location	Northport area, Town of Huntington, Suffolk County
Waterfront	Long Island Sound
Access	End of Waterside Road off Route 25A
Walking Trail	Approximately 0.4 mile
Amenities	Boardwalk, picnic area, playground, basketball court, kayak launch and observation gazebo
Dining	La Casa Cafe restaurant and snack bar
Swimming	Seasonal, subject to lifeguard coverage and water conditions
Parking	Town beach permit requirements apply seasonally
Main Beach Office	631-261-7574
Managing Municipality	Town of Huntington

With its Long Island Sound shoreline, boardwalk, recreational facilities and neighboring salt marsh, Crab Meadow Beach combines a traditional North Shore beach day with opportunities for walking, picnicking and observing Long Island’s coastal environment. Its views across the Sound and extensive surrounding wetlands make the property as notable for its natural setting as it is for swimming and summer recreation.