The best shops at Rockaway Beach

Breezy Point’s small store is jam-packed with merchandise, so it may be a bit overwhelming, but it’s worth enduring for the shop’s giant selection of Reef and Rainbow flip-flops and sandals ($11 and up for adults). Also worth checking out: Its popular Locomotion boogie boards with fiberglass skin (starting at $40) and stellar graphics cut a stylish figure in the water. While you’re there, you may as well pick up a traditional shark-tooth necklace ($5) and protective Breezy Point Surf Shop UV shirt with SPF 50+ (from $27), recommended by the American Cancer Society.

Check out the glitter bar where you can bedazzle Star’s signature slogan tees ($20–$28) or deck out your bod in metallic temporary tattoos ($5 and up). And while gift-y items range from $1 postcards to shot glasses ($6), kitschy loot like leopard-print roller skates ($100) and cherry-shaped earrings ($10) should not be overlooked. Expect to hear ’80s music blasting through the speakers, and follow Star on Facebook for invites to kick-ass events like pinup-girl makeup tutorials, sunset yoga on the beach and, uh, Sunday morning hula hoop classes? It’s a trend; we’re calling it now!

Owner Tom Sena opened this tucked-away surf shop 37 years ago and was building boards well before that (since 1969). The family-run business stands as New York’s oldest surf shop and one of the oldest on the East Coast. Specializing in handmade surfboards (starting at $299), fiberglass skimboards ($39) and boogie boards (starting at $20), as well as accessories like surfboard leashes and wet suits, this gem is the reliable go-to spot for all your basic surfing needs.

Shop owner Erin Silvers opened the cutest hodgepodge antique joint on the corner of Beach Boulevard, hawking treasures from the 1920s onwards. Zingara means “gypsy” in Italian, and while Silvers has hosted many vintage pop-ups all over the coast, the clothes she sells are the real travelers. Grab threads from around the world, including ’60s dresses ($40) as well as island styles for men, and old-school books and board games ($5–$50) for the kids (or big kids). Sift through retro art, housewares ($5–$500) and beach towels ($25–$75) circa 1950s, or just hang 10—there’s a comfortable lounge and vinyl room where an antique record player spins oldies by the Beach Boys.

Forgot to pack a cover-up for your Rockaway beach day? Don't fret! Part of a local chainlet—the boutique has five New York locations across NYC, including Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island—this women's clothing shop on Beach 129th Street stocks that and more, from colorful maxi dresses ($46 to $90) to comfy matching sets ($54 to $150), from heeled sandals to hair accessories ($8 scrunchies, $22 headbands).