Manhattan Beach

This is New York City, not colonial Virginia. I was astounded on my recent excursion to the Manhattan Beach section of Brooklyn, which I had never really explored. This stately home is typical of many of the large residences in the area, most detached single family homes with lawns and garages, some even with swimming pools. See my gallery of photos here. The environment feels more suburban than urban - atypical of New York City and unlike most of Brooklyn itself.
Surrounded by water on three sides, the neighborhood is very much an enclave and one of the most expensive in New York City. Many residents are Jewish and/or Russian immigrants. There is very little shopping in the neighborhood and on weekends and holidays during the summer season (May 15 to Sept. 15), parking is prohibited on nearly all Manhattan Beach streets, owing to the attraction of the beach. I found the expanse of rocky beach reminiscent of the Maine coast, certainly not New York.
Manhattan Beach Park offers a baseball field, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball and handball courts, picnic areas and rest rooms. Snacks are available from concession stands and pushcarts.
Another very unique aspect of the neighborhood is that Kingsborough Community College, with a 70 acre campus and their own private beach, occupies the Easternmost tip of the peninsula. The school, established in 1963, is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system and has 30,000 students.
I recommend a visit of the area, perhaps with Sheepshead Bay as a base for your explorations (subject of a future post). A footbridge crosses the bay, providing nice vistas and a connection to Manhattan Beach ...