Staten Island

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.

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.

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

Conference House

Dates back to 1680, and held an abortive peace conference during the Revolutionary War.

Fort Wadsworth

Dating back to 1663, this fort was used during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. It remained active until 1995. It is now semi-active, with its main use being local headquarters for the United States Coast Guard. Tours are available.

6AM-8PM

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.

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

Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art

American woman Jacques Marchais had a dream of traveling to Tibet. While she never made it, her extensive collection of Tibetan artifacts was made into a museum in 1947. The museum now holds over 120 pieces of beautiful Tibetan art. The museum's authenticity was praised by the Dalai Lama.

Wed–Sun 1PM–5PM·Free

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.

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

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.

Postcards

Staten Island's September 11th memorial honors all of its residents that lost their lives on Sep 11, 2001.

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.

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.

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

Von Briesen Park

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

Alice Austen House

2 Hylan Blvd

Historic Richmond Town

Richmond Road & Arthur Kill Road

National Lighthouse Museum

200 The Promenade

Thu-Sun 11AM-4PM

Staten Island Children's Museum

1000 Richmond Terrace (Snug Harbor)

Staten Island Museum

1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A

Wed-Sun 11AM-5PM·Adults $8, students and seniors $5, children 2-12 $2

Willowbrook Park

A large park with a carousel.

Wolfe's Pond Park