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A National Park Service beach on the Rockaway peninsula with a landmark Art Deco bathhouse, wide sands and ocean swimming in summer.
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Swimming only when lifeguards are on duty during the summer beach season (late May–early September); open year-round for walks
Free
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All ages.
Free
Swimming only when lifeguards are on duty during the summer beach season (late May–early September); open year-round for walks
Rockaway Beach Boulevard, 11694, Queens.
No. Jacob Riis Park is outdoors, so plan for weather, sunscreen and water.
Miles of Atlantic Ocean beach and boardwalk on the Rockaway peninsula, reachable by subway and ferry, with concessions, playgrounds and surf zones. Families find calmer bays for little kids and plenty of room for sandcastles.
Over 12,000 acres of water, salt marsh and upland habitat in Jamaica Bay that form one of the Northeast's largest bird habitats. Families walk the pond trails from the visitor center to spot egrets, ospreys and migrating shorebirds.
A Brooklyn park by Jamaica Bay with playgrounds, ball fields and paths near restored wetland edges.
A nature center at the edge of Marine Park's salt marsh on Gerritsen Creek, with a boardwalk and trail loop where kids can spot egrets, fiddler crabs and ospreys. Rangers lead free walks, crafts and marsh explorations.
Brooklyn's largest park, combining ball fields and playgrounds with a vast salt marsh along Gerritsen Creek. Families walk the marsh trail from the Salt Marsh Nature Center to see wading birds and fiddler crabs.
Free ranger-led walks, wildlife watches and nature activities for families in Brooklyn parks such as Marine Park and Fort Greene Park. Rangers teach kids to spot birds, identify trees, explore shorelines and learn outdoor skills, with seasonal events like wildlife festivals.