It’s no secret that New York City empties out each weekend, with city-dwellers fleeing the heat in favor of one of the many nearby beach towns. While some people escape the second work ends on Friday through the final moments of Sunday night, others find more fleeting escapes at the conveniently located city beaches.

Whether you are looking to fully up-and-leave or just spend a day in the sun, here is a guide to the best beach towns in New York and New Jersey:

NY

Montauk

The quintessential New York beach town. Slightly less stuffy than its Hamptons neighbors, Montauk is as easy to get to from the city via LIRR or the jitney. Take walks in the many scenic state parks near Montauk, like Hither Hills State Park and Montauk Point, for breathtaking views. If you are adventurous, go beachside horseback riding at Deep Hollow Ranch or try surfing at Surf Montauk. For food, you must try a lobster roll at Lunch, and eat dinner at Scarpetta Beach at Gurney’s Resort. As one might expect, the shopping in Montauk deserves its own full day, too,so this is more of a full-weekend destination.

Jones Beach

On the southern coast of Long island lies Jones Beach, home of the perpetually busy Jones Beach State Park. Comes for a day of fishing, swimming, surfing, and relaxing, and a night of singing and dancing in the park’s 14,500 seat amphitheater, which hosts concerts all summer long. Take a walk on the boardwalk, which traverses the whole park, and visit the Jones Beach Nature Center to explore the marine life and go bird watching. Eat brunch at Left Coast Kitchen + Cocktails, and have a seafood and steak dinner at The Landing at the West Bathhouse.

Rockaway

Only a one hour subway from the city, Rockaway is the perfect place to escape for cheap, easy, and fun day trip. Lay out at the beach near 67th street for good people and surf watching, before heading up to 98th street to take a walk along the boardwalk. Stop for a drink at Rippers, a classic Rockaway destination, before walking through the shops for some great vintage treasures. Grab dinner at Tacoway Beach, which has been lauded as the best place for tacos in NYC.

Coney Island

Another easy and cheap beach town to escape to is the iconic Coney Island, which lies at the southwestern edge of Brooklyn. Obviously, you have to check out the amusement park, and at the very least take a ride on Deno’s Wonder Wheel, the ferris wheel built in 1920. Get a hotdog and fries at Nathan’s Famous hotdogs before heading down to the boardwalk. Coney Island is home to 3 miles of beaches, so pick an empty spot and lay out for the day, with a quick pit stop at Williams Candy for a famous caramel apple. On Friday nights, the beach does fireworks, so make sure you stay until the sun goes down.

NJ

Cape May

At the very tip of southern New Jersey lies Cape May, known across the sate for its classic Victorian architecture and the Emlen Physick Estate museum. Rent a bike or catch a carriage from Cape May Carriage Company to explore the many other grand homes in the area, and make a pit stop at 7 Mile Brewery for 1 (or 14) of their beers on tap. Later, take a ride on the 110 foot Cape May Whale Watcher to look for dolphins and whales. The best time to experience Cape May in in June, when the town hosts an 8-day restaurant week, showcasing their best eateries.

Margate

Margate is the best of the best of the Jersey Shore. Near the southern edge of Absecon Island, Margate is a classic Jersey beach town, and a tight-knit seaside community. Relax by Margate City Beach, and take a walk along the boardwalk. Make sure to stop by Lucy the Elephant, a Jersey Shore icon who looms 65-feet above the ground, for a tour and some photos. Also stop at the legendary Jagielky’s Home Made Candy store for some of the best chocolate you’ll ever have. If you have a more adventurous spirit, you can rent boats for fishing and kayaks at Ray Scott Dock.

Asbury Park

Asbury Park is a the most musical of all the New Jersey beach towns. Known as the starting point for Bruce Springsteen’s career, you can take a “Greetings from Asbury Park” tour to learn more about how the legendary singer got his start. Stop by the Stone Pony for some musical history, and to hear hopeful musicians play for their chance to be the next Springsteen. Aside from the music, Asbury Park has the perfect beaches for surfing, and beginners can book lessons through Summertime Surf at the main beach. After spending a day in the water, walk down the storied boardwalk and get a slice of tomato pie, a Jersey staple, at Maruca’s.

Sea Bright

Sea Bright is a tiny township Monmouth County, New Jersey, but it’s known widely in popular culture as the location of the beach house that Tony Soprano bought from Carmela in the hit show The Sopranos. Make your way to Donovan’s Reef, the only place where you can legally grab a drink on the beach. As a bonus, they have plenty of live music and activities, brining a tropical resort vibe to the Jersey Shore. Explore the Twin Lights Historic Site, a formerly operational lighthouse that’s now a museum, for some unbeatable views of the Atlantic Ocean. Eat at Anjelica’s for classic New Jersey Italian street food.