This little neiborhood park looks out to the Bay and Throgs Neck bridge, nesting alongside Cross…read moreIsland Parkway.  The boundaries are Cross Island Parkway, Utopia Parkway, and the beachfront. For western bound, take exit 32 toward Bell Blvd. At the traffic light, turn right. This parcel was acquired in Septmber 1950. The plan was to develope the shoreline area. However, it didn't carry out due to the Throgs Neck Bridge construction and the fiscal crisis of the 1970s. And Parks renamed the property's present name in 1973, from Clearview Park. Bayside, originally inhabited by the Matinecock tribe, was granted to William Lawrence by King Charles I in 1644, spurring European settlement. It became part of Queens County in 1683. Most early records were lost in an 1780s fire linked to arson. During the Revolutionary War, Bayside supported the British and faced two failed Patriot raids. The arrival of the North Shore Railroad in 1866 brought rapid growth, attracting wealthy New Yorkers and actors. After the film industry moved to California in the 1920s, Bayside's economy relied on the Little Neck shellfish beds.

Great go to area to take a walk near the water and enjoy the weather. Plenty of parking MY FAV! and…read moreplenty of area for games, picnic, photos etc

Great place to relax, walk and unwind. Very pretty views of the bridge and the water. Very safe…read moreand comfortable. Highly recommended!

Believe the reviews: the staff here are incredibly aggressive. There is a right way to talk to…read morepeople, and then there is a hostile, nasty way--which is the default style here. ​The rules make no sense, either. The signs say "shower before getting into the pool," yet I was yelled at to shower just for walking to a lounge chair with my towel. If you have to shower the moment you step onto the deck, change the signs to reflect that. ​Dealing with the public is hard, but the staff here are completely miserable and looking for a fight. Save yourself the headache and go elsewhere.

The pool just came off a two-year, $19 million renovation -- closed after the 2022 season, reopened…read morein June 2024. Crews rebuilt the pool shell from scratch, replaced the deck and gutters, and put in new filtration and chemical treatment systems. The water itself feels noticeably better for it. That said, don't expect the renovation to have touched everything: the locker rooms, bathrooms, and communal showers are untouched, still the same ones I remember from before construction started. I was there again yesterday and can confirm: nothing's changed on that front, and honestly you won't be in there long enough for it to matter much. Access is still free, no Parks membership required, just a bathing suit and a padlock for the lockers. Security is strict about bag checks, and heads up: cell phones aren't allowed on the pool deck at all. Current hours: 11am-7pm daily, with the pool closing for cleaning from 3-4pm. Inside, you'll find the pool split into zones: a lap section, a general bathing area, and a shallow end for young kids. The bleachers give you plenty of space to stake out a spot for towels, and if you're lucky, you can grab one of the lounge chairs near the old diving pool (now covered over). Lap swimming has genuinely improved. The biggest change I noticed: there are now dividers separating the lanes, and they're generously wide. A real upgrade from the old system where everyone just shared open water and hoped for the best. A few things still apply, though: - Always glance ahead before pushing off to make sure no one's swimming toward you. - Roughly half the lap crowd sticks to a slow breaststroke pace. - Every so often someone decides to stand up and walk mid-lane, or just doesn't realize it's a lap-only zone. Lifeguards try to keep traffic moving, but it happens. - The pool's sheer size still works in your favor: way more room per lap than a standard 25m pool, and less crowded overall than most NYC public pools. - Timing tip: the best window for lap swimming is right at 4pm, the moment the pool reopens after the cleaning break. It might be the single best hour of the day to swim here. No outside food on deck, but there's a stand on the west side of the pool deck selling burgers, hot dogs, fries, wings, mozzarella sticks, salads, and ice cream. Cash and card both work. A heads-up: No tap-to-pay, since phones can't come out on deck anyway. Even with all the crowds NYC pools can attract, I've never found this one packed. Same goes for the surrounding park. Because it's a bit of a walk from the nearest subway stop, the crowd here skews heavily toward local families rather than people coming from across the city. This means that this pool never really gets crowded, let alone anywhere near capacity. If you're driving in, it's an easy trip: there's free public parking right at the entrance to Astoria Park, under the RFK Bridge. Speaking of pool renovations gone right: maybe for the Reflecting Pool the Trump administration should've called whoever redid the shell here at Astoria. This one's still holding water: No algae blooms, no peeling liner, no $16 million overrun. Sometimes the WPA crews from 1936 still know something the current contractors don't.

PUBLIC POOL: It's been a couple of years since the Pool became operational again, after a massive…read more$19 Million renovation. Spent many Summers at NYC's largest Swimming Facility both as a camper and a counselor. WORTH VISITING.

Same issue as usual: a janitor (a fat white old man )was sitting on the bench on the third floor in…read morefront of the bathroom. He did not appear to be cleaning the bathroom, mopping the floor, or performing any other visible duties. Instead, he was watching his phone for at least an hour. This has become a recurring concern and gives the impression that the area is not being properly maintained.

They cut hours during the summer, and have recently been closing early due to "temperature," this…read moreis in addition to the crowded and filthy locker rooms. This has consistently been the most poorly managed and run-down pool I have ever been to.

A hidden gem, located in North Eastern Queens. This little place is full of wild life. 2 resident…read moreswans, plenty of ducks, an occasional hawk, and other birds that I don't know the names of. The walk around the lake is about 1/3 mile? Maybe 1/2 mile? And just about the entire walk is under shade. Walk toward the back side and you wouldn't know you were in NYC. No traffic noise. Great place to walk and sit and watch wildlife.

Oakland Lake is a peaceful, natural escape tucked right into the Bayside and Oakland Gardens…read moreneighborhoods of Queens, NYC. Review aggregators and local trailgoers generally highlight several key aspects of the park: The place offers a dramatic contrast to the urban surroundings. When you are in the area it feels like you have left the city, with a backdrop of mature trees and steep shorelines. The lake acts as a crucial rest stop for migrating waterfowl. Visitors commonly spot Canada Geese, Mallards, Trumpeter Swans, and Herring Gulls, making it a favorite destination for local birders. The Oakland Lake Path is a popular, sometimes busy route. It is relatively flat and easy, with trailgoers highly recommending a visit from March through October for the best scenery. The lake is noted for being somewhat deep (up to 20 feet) compared to other NYC ponds. It is stocked and known for its populations of bass, sunfish, and pickerel.

Great hidden gem in Union county! People from all over come here. So much fun for the kids and…read moreadults too! The line gets pretty long if you don't get there early.

This review is for the awesome splash pad that is located in Wheeler Park. Every time we go we…read morehave a blast! I am also so happy that Wheeler park welcomes everyone from all over NJ (and elsewhere). Coming from out of the county will cost you a bit more, but not much. If you live outside of Union County it is $4.00 for kids ($2.00 in county) and $6.00 for adults ($3.00 in county). This splash pad has every water feature a kid could ever need - from bigger twisty water slides, to a small dragon water slide. Also, water guns that you can shoot each other with, a pirate boat, water shooting up from the ground, and much more. My kids spent a little over 2 hours here and had an absolute blast. We've been here about 3 times and it never disappoints. Just be sure to bring some sort of shade covering. There isn't much cover at the splash pad so we usually bring our small beach tent with us. There is also a dry playground in the splash pad gated area where kids can play too. They have staff who help keep the kids safe and to make sure everyone goes down the water slides safe and sound. I highly recommend Wheeler Spray Park on a hot summer day.