Condé Nast Traveler
Weekend Finds: The Dim Sum, Beachfront Staycation, and Kayaking Excursions We Love
A Staycation at The Rockaway Hotel: After being cooped up in a tiny apartment for so long, I have been craving a staycation at a hotel—somewhere with endless space to roam safely, and a place I could relax in new serene surroundings. The newly opened Rockaway Hotel seemed like the ideal local getaway for me. It opened during the summer and quickly became a hot spot in Queens for locals and tourists based in New York City, thanks to easy access via public transport; you can take the A train or hop on a ferry to reach it. The hotel is also a one-minute walk away from the popular Rockaway Beach. But it's just as easy to spend your whole stay on-property: There’s a heated pool for guests to swim in, daily fitness classes (though they are now on-hold because of COVID), and a restaurant called The Rooftop, which serves breakfast and lunch, and has live music on the weekends featuring local artists and DJs. My favorite part was their indoor movie night screenings, which takes place every Friday afternoon until December 25. Everyone gets their own cozy beanbag-like seats (six feet apart, of course), blankets, and complimentary popcorn, plus themed cocktails are available for purchase. It was such a good feeling to watch a movie like I was at a theater again—they won't reopen in NYC until March. I can’t wait to revisit the hotel, especially with their new additions of a spa and Greenhouse cafe set to open up in the new year. —Shauna Beni, editorial assistant