Parks and the outdoors in Staten Island

Parks and the outdoors in Staten Island

1. See

   Amundsen Circle

   A small park that is not much more than a clearing and some trees. A monument to the man the park was named for, Roald Amundsen, stands in the center of it.

2. Eat

   Beso

   Spanish restaurant with live music occasionally. Tapas and sangria bring some much needed class to the neighborhood. A short walk from the ferry and a great place to eat.

   Mon–Thu 11:30AM–11PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM–midnight, Sun 11:30AM–10PM

3. See

   Blue Heron Park

   A large park on the South Shore known from its large collection of wildlife, from birds to wildflowers. True to its name, the park is a known habitat for blue herons.

4. See

   Clawson Playground

   This deceivingly small park has two large asphalt playgrounds, two smaller ones, a grass field, a baseball field, basketball courts, and a jungle gym. It is always peaceful and rarely crowded, as it is shared by Public School 50 during school hours.

   Open between dawn and dusk, except for school hours

5. See

   Freshkills Park

   Only in the first stages of development, this mega-park is set to be 2,200 acres—three times the size of Central Park. It will cover the wild areas of the Fresh Kills, and the former Fresh Kills Dump. The first section of the park, Schmul Park, in Travis, features a large and colorful playground for kids, along with basketball courts, handball courts, and an open grass field.

6. See

   Great Kills Park

   This park is home to a large woodland and a number of beaches. A small portion of the beach is closed for radiation screenings.

   6AM-8PM

7. See

   Lemon Creek Park

   This park is home to the creek that shares its name, as well as a variety of wildlife. One of the most notable is the purple martin. The park has one of the very few colonies in the New York Metro.

8. See

   Miller Field

   This park was operated as a United States Army airfield from 1919-1969. Now, it is a large, mostly grass park with baseball fields, soccer fields, and a children's playground.

   6AM-8PM

9. See

   Mount Loretto Unique Area

   Nature preserve on the South Shore with hiking trails and shoreline access. Fishing is permitted along the beach or the freshwater pond inside the area. Most of the land is minimally developed, and is an excellent place to observe wildlife. An abandoned orphanage on-site, after which the area was named, burnt down in 2000.

10. Eat

    New Asha Restaurant

    Offers many of the same items at competitive prices. Has been named #1 by the Village Voice Cheap Eats in the past. Featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Try a mutton roll! There are several Sri Lankan groceries that dot the street about a 15-20 minute walk from the ferry.

    Wed–Mon 10AM–9PM, closed Tue

11. See

    Snug Harbor Cultural Center

    Snug Harbor

    This is the largest collection of Greek revival, temple style buildings in America. A true architectural gem featuring the Staten Island Botanic Garden, which features an authentic Chinese Scholar's garden (created by actual Chinese scholars!). There is also an art museum, the John A. Noble Collection, on the grounds. This is one of the most beautiful places in New York, a place even the most jaded New Yorker will marvel at.

12. See

    South Beach & Boardwalk

    This beach is a pleasant place to relax. The water is safe enough to swim in, but it's not the best you can get (you'd get a better deal down the Jersey Shore or on Long Island). The boardwalk, one of the longest in the United States, is great for running or biking.

13. See

    The Greenbelt

    A humongous collection of woodlands and parks (2,800 acres!), the Greenbelt is a collection of nature you wouldn't expect to see in any major city, let alone New York. The Greenbelt covers much of the Mid-Island, so it's best to know which part you want to go to beforehand. A good place to start is the Greenbelt Nature Center an educational facility in the center of the park. The park is a great place for hikers, and a map of hiking trails can be found here

    Open dawn to dusk

14. See

    Von Briesen Park

    The former estate of Arthur Von Briesen is now a small, hilly park.

15. See

    Willowbrook Park

    A large park with a carousel.

16. See

    Wolfe's Pond Park

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Staten Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).