The Midland Beach neighborhood of Staten Island has the good fortune of lying along Lower New York…read moreBay with FDR Boardwalk running 2.5 miles from there through South Beach, to under the Verrazano Bridge connecting Staten Island to its sister borough of Brooklyn. In winter, it is mostly deserted to the seagulls and sandpipers huddling up as they mourn the loss of litter to scavenge for their meals, and must hunt the sand for their supper. Yet, the boardwalk braves its way through the dark months, silently inviting the adventurous to strap up and search the boards and beach for cold weather bounty. Midland and South Beaches are contiguous, sewn together by the reconstructed boardwalk lost in Hurricane Sandy, but standing proud once again. The view of water, beach, bridge and man, may not be the best sight ever seen, but in its quiet, scuffling way, it is dramatic and keeps you mindful that in a city of millions, you can be quite totally alone in forgotten corners of megalopolis. There is something almost mystical about that reality that gets inside and calls you back when you need to think deeply and contemplate life.

Took a shot on this because of ChatGPT…read more Trash (literally saw a condom rolling the waves), glass and trash on beach, sand was a mix of dirt, no food options, a lot of bugs (yes, I'm outside, but this was more than any beach I've been to), and just kind of ugly in general Pros: lots of parking, calm waves

It is amazing what A spectacular view the park is clean and plus…read more they have a lake with a fountain I per say did not go to the lake part of the park yet although I did not go the lake part the rest of the park is beautiful I have to go to the lake part I am giving a five star But remember it's a long walk in park no pun intended lol

I've passed by this lake in the southern part of Prospect Park many times during races I've done…read morethere. During the nice weather seasons the lake offers a picturesque view. Today it was still covered in snow and ice from the recent winter storm we had. From what I've read it's also a decent catch and release fishing spot with largemouth bass, bluegills, and other fish populating the waters. Also, it's a 55 acre man made freshwater lake. I need to bring my rod here this summer and get some fishing in!

A nice neighborhood park with a pond, a bit of woodlands and lots of wildlife. The nature paths…read morethrough the woods connect to Goodhue Park.

Awesome park! It a hidden gem on the island with lots of surprises around every corner. Great for a…read morequick hike or a brisk walk, depending on what you're after. There's also rescue ladders on each side of the pond in case of an ice skating emergency.

This was a serendipitous discovery. I was heading to a cafe that is a block away from this…read moreGreenspace. I did a u-turn when I saw the bookcase. As soon as I saw it, I snapped a picture of it and sent it via text message to a friend in my book club. She told me it's a little free library. While I was there, I saw a woman fixing up the garden. The sign outside states this greenspace is tended by volunteers. It's a cool space, I highly recommend checking it out when you are in the area.

Community gardens are just a great idea. It's wonderful to have even a small space to step in, sit…read moredown, and relax amidst the greenery. This space is actually administered by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and is designed to showcase native plants. In practice, this mean a lot of the plants kinda look like common weeds. It would be great if there was more information on the different kinds of plants: what they are, how to recognize and grow them. It's nice to see what they're growing, as examples of things I don't have to pull out of my yard!

There will be a two-mile round-trip kayak tour on August 25 at 12:30 p.m., while the site is closed…read moreto the public. Apparently that program fills really quickly and it's seldom offered. Here's the link to register, and the suggested donation is $20: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freshkills-park-kayak-tour-tickets-965043740807?utm_source=Freshkills+Park+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4962e3413d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_02_07_03_20_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-242a9a8171-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=4962e3413d&mc_eid=78209e05be There will also be a sunset photography tour on August 20 at 6:00 p.m., when the site is closed to the public. Here's the link to register, and the suggested donation is $10: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunset-photography-tour-tickets-957302887707?utm_source=Freshkills+Park+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4962e3413d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_02_07_03_20_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-242a9a8171-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=4962e3413d&mc_eid=78209e05be

5 stars for the potential awesomeness of this park! It's not completely open to the public yet but…read morethey occasionally open parts of it up for events and tours. I've been kayaking there (amazing!!!) and also came for one of their Discovery Days which was well organized and had very friendly staff, free bike rentals, birdwatching tours, information stands, etc. It really doesn't feel like you're still in the city--no city noises like sirens or construction, just grass and scrub around, and tons of interesting birds. The views are great since the landfill site is pretty hilly. It'll be amazing when the entire park is open. I mean, 3x the size of Central Park?! Wow. I love that they're keeping most of it as a nature preserve since NYC and its native wildlife definitely need it. Imagine going to this park and seeing deer! Even just on a birdwatching tour, we saw osprey, turkey vultures, gulls, a kingfisher, herons, and tons of other interesting birds. It isn't easy getting here, but totally worth it. NYC needs more parks and nature preserves like this!

Awesome! If you ever imagined What visiting the Shire would be like this comes very close. It's a…read moremagical place with hills of grass and a house that only fairytales are made of. Because of its proximity to shore road & the Botanic gardens you can see and hear all kinds of birds on the grounds. Take a walk around the neighborhood and you'll forget you're in Brooklyn! Truly a hidden Gem in Bay Ridge ..well not so hidden because it's massive!

My wife joked, "this house must be worth $40 million." It probably isn't so far off. This is a…read morebeautiful stone architectured house. It also has a huge yard. Considering the neighborhood it has to be a high valued property.

FUN that is all I have to say! Went with my girlfriend and we didn't follow the trail we just…read morewalked down the creek and it was FUN

Can see the lower New York Bay and points east to the bayshore area of New Jersey. It was…read moredisappointing that there wasn't a monument marker with a sign indicating how Mount Moses was created...some tidbits. A park bench would be nice too.

Wolfe Pond Bay is far from the ferry, but it is an interesting bus ride (bus S78 from the ferry) -…read moreonce you get past the shopping malls and those stretch all the way to Great Kills. You will think that you're in the country, but it is still New York. Ask the bus driver to drop you at the corner of Hyland and Cornelia. You can either walk down Cornelia Avenue or go 100 m in the direction of Tottenville and then take the path through the woods. Wolfe Pond Bay is a mixture of things: it is a wood, a sweet water lake next to the shore, a beautiful shore with the best quality water for swimming in New York, perfect views of Raritan Bay - but also a large car park and a park where the Russian communities come to barbecue. Go for the pebbled beach (very nice small pebbles). After swimming, walk down south along the beach until you come to Lemon Creek, a sleepy village on the shore. On your way, you may meet lots of seabirds like egrets or herons and the ugly horsecrabs. Yes, this is New York. Turn back right and follow to Hylan again.