Although I use this park for flying my drone and scenic photography, this park has it all. It's a quiet park on the shore of the Hudson River overlooking Bannerman's Island, Breakneck Ridge, and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. This is a very safe park which is frequently patrolled by the village police.
As far as droning, this is one of the best spots I've ever flown out of. It's legal per the village codes, so long as you're not flying in a manner that would alarm other park-goers. Fly respectfully. With high-end drones, you can fly over Bannerman's and Breakneck to achieve great pictures.
Dogs often bring their owners here for a walk or run in the large, open field bordering the river. Some dogs even bring their owners in for a swim in the shallow water. I believe there is a leash law, but not really enforced if you're playing a harmless game of fetch together.
The park features a large, white gazebo, which lights up at nighttime and is frequently used for weddings. There are plenty of charcoal grills and picnic tables. All summer long, couples or families can be seen here picnicking or BBQing. Many people tend to lay out in the sun and sunbathe, while others relax in the shade under the large trees.
The people who use this park are very friendly. People will almost definitely approach you and strike up a conversation (as with any park, some of the people are lonely and they can try keeping you talking for hours), but they're often respectful of your space and you can sit quietly by yourself.
There is also a boat dock, which requires a permit from Village Hall. The boat ramp is a cement slab with a small dock (staging area only). There is no room to dock here to enjoy the park or to stay overnight. This is only for use with the ramp. The ramp isn't in the greatest of conditions - oddly, poverty-stricken Newburgh's ramp is much better than Donahue Park's. There are only a few parking spots in the back end of the park for vehicles with boat trailers.
Vehicle parking is aplenty, but beware -- this is paid parking. Either you must have a parking permit (from Village Hall), or you can use a cell phone app called ParkMobile to pay $5.45 for the day. This is all electronic - once you pay, your vehicle info shows on the police car computers and they know not to write you a parking ticket.
There is also a porta-potty located at the far end of the park, which is removed during the winter months.
Beware of the Cornwall Yacht Club located behind the village porta-potty. The snooty members drive like maniacs through the park, tending to blow their horns at people who are walking or moving too slow within the park. Unfortunately, the park is their only access to their little clubhouse. Their rowdy behavior sometimes takes away from the peacefulness of the park, but fortunately, it's only for 4 or 5 months out of the year. read more