Its quite a trip out there but so very worth it if you wanna have the very special beach-experience! You can go there by car and then take the ferry either to Pines or Cherry Grove (I would prefer Pines!) or you do all by public transportation - there a "getaway tickes" for 36Dollars and the transfer works really smooth - may even be faster than by car!
Arthur Avenue is a mainstay of the Bronx. Since the early 1900's til today, it's been the hub of the Italian-American community that calls the Bronx home. Many family-owned, traditional businesses dot the main avenue, and the food culture is rich and boisterous.
Within an couple hours' drive of NYC, you can find lots of sleepy seaside towns. Not only can you get your soft ice cream and salt water taffy on, but you can still spot cool, hand-lettered signs and other relics of a past generation's amusements.