Where has this place been all my life!? About two weeks ago, I met up with a group of moped riders and enthusiasts over in Long Beach. We were by the boardwalk but our 2-stroke engines were pretty loud and attracting too much negative attention. One of the fellas suggested we ride out to Floyd Bennett Field. Before I had a chance to think, the majority of the group enthusiastically shouted "Heck yeah!", "Great idea!", etc. Now I've heard of Floyd Bennett Field but I've never actually been there before. As soon as we arrive, I was blown away. It's almost like the Wild Wild West of New York. It's a former air base and was used as a "hub for naval activities during World War II". There was soo much space for activities! As we rode deeper towards the water, there were groups of friendly motorcyclists and sport cars enthusiasts who were... let's just say... testing out there vehicles. It was so much fun to watch. As we explored more, we found a really cool abandoned building which was clearly being used as a practice graffiti space for some friendly young gentleman. As an artist myself, I certainly appreciate the artform (when done legally and with tact of course) and it was very cool seeing it done in a "safe" environment and away from actually buildings or businesses. After gawking for a bit, we took a nice stroll along the rocks and the water, while appreciating the remote control airplanes overhead that were performing acrobatic barrel rolls and nose dives all across the sky. It is really a place that is hard describe. You really have to be there to see what it's all about. Do yourself a favor, if you live in New York, check this place out. I hear they even have a free archery range as well somewhere on premise. I'll just go ahead and let the photos/videos do more of the talking. read more

This is not a "business" Yelp algorithm, this is part of a National Recreation Area park. Most recently I came here for a gathering of the amateur astronomers association. In years past I've come here to take a walk, ice skate, tour the historic airplanes in Hangar B (maybe Hangar B or A), and many many years ago to practice my driving. There is an athletic complex here which hosts an ice skating rink and other athletic pursuits. There are community gardens. There is even overnight camping. Great park, but watch for ticks! read more

Housing the Brooklyn Color Run this year, Floyd Bennett Field has opened its grounds to allow those that aren't too familiar with the establishment, that it serves its purpose. Following the signs is half the battle when coming to Floyd Bennett Field. The grounds are vast, and the wrong turn can put you out of your way a ways. When all else fails, just follow the car in front of you, and you should fair just fine. The wildlife seems to be maintained well, and the grounds were incredibly flat to run on for this 5K; not a bad thing all and all. Security? It was pretty sparse. That's why if you are in utter doubt from following signs to get to where you want to be, then you can be in a pickle. read more

Our favorite archery shooting place! The field is really great, not congested and most of all, FREE!!!! We enjoy shooting here because it is outdoor and you get to see greens. People who come here are mostly old and experienced men but they are all friendly and they talk to each other which makes it all fun. The drive is around one hour from the city. I recommend this field for people who wants to get a feel of hunting around and knowing their different shooting ranges. I am stuck at 17yards but getting better at it :) read more

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I really like their campsite. There's a couple drawbacks that you can generally avoid. 1. KEEP ALL YOUR NON-CANNED / BOTTLED FOOD IN YOUR CAR! that raccoon's gonna get it otherwise. 2. Arrive before dark, and set up before dark. It's pitch black when the sun sets - no street lamps or anything. Which is great! Unfortunately there's enough light pollution residual from the city that you're not going to have an optimal view of the stars, but it is a better view. I saw a meteor or two, which was sweet. 3. It says on various places on websites that it's accessible by NYC public transit. This is kind-of true. The campsite is about a mile walk from the nearest bus stop - and as mentioned by someone else, the signage is crappy, so you're likely going to get lost. If you aren't used to backpacking, don't even think about it. If you don't have much stuff, I recommend taking a cab from the subway. It's super worth it, about $25 or so, and will save you about half an hour of walking with gear. Otherwise BRING A VEHICLE. This is not walking-friendly, and if you have more than a small number of people in your party, you NEED a car. Our camp neighbors came via bike, but didn't bring any food - they biked to a nearby restaurant for their meals. Also another neighbor kayaked to the site. But these were small parties of 1 or 2. If you have kids, I beg you, BRING A CAR. 4. Bring a gazebo or whatever if you care at all about shade. Many of the sites have 'partial' shade, aka Not Really Any Shade. 5. Maybe in 2012 there wasn't accurate signage, but in 2015 there sure as heck is - THERE IS NO ALCOHOL PERMITTED ON THE PREMISES. However, lots and lots of people drink. I think if you keep it put away when the rangers come by, and/or drink responsibly and keep the noise down, there's not going to be any issues. Also re: the police... the police in this park generally don't come around unless someone calls and reports something, like noise or rambunctious behavior or whatever. 6. If you book near the water, in one of the Wiley outposts, it's a really nice view. However! During the summer, there's party boats that swing by at all hours (including 2am!) with their music blaring. And since sound carries over water... well, bring earplugs. 7. USE BUG SPRAY. Chiggers (red mites) love you and this is the place to get them. More pro tips! 1. Want a nice shady overhang that you don't need to bring? Book the sites T3, T5, or G20. Local Boy Scouts built some nice gazebos with benches beneath. Downsides of these: highly congested areas, lots of people. 2. The camp store opens later than expected. They say it opens at 9 but really closer to 10 because the person who runs it gets there late. However, the nice bathrooms (that are air-conditioned!) and the showers are opened promptly at 8am and close at 6pm. (They're also really nice for camp showers!!!) 3. All the nice amenities - including the camp store - close up shop in late October, so only thing that is open is the port-a-potties, which are disgusting but hey what do you expect from compost toilets. The store/office and nice showers/bathrooms are open from April through October. Check in is at 12 noon, and check out is at 10am. Camp store is open M-Th from 9am to 4:30pm, and F-Sun 9am to 8pm. Their phone # is 718 713 2501. Park police # is 24hrs and their # is 718 338 3988. read more

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The last of the Forest Prime Evil in Kings Count; Flatbush! Floyd Bennett is a great getaway located at the end of Flatbush Avenue. Right next to the Gil Hodges/Marine Parkway Bridge that feeds into the Rockaways. Floyd Bennett was NYC's first airport and was turned over to the Navy during WW2. In 1971 the USN gave it to the National Parks Department, which in turn, converted it into the present recreational park. At around 700 acres (I believe), it's as big as LaGuardia Airport. I bike down to Bennett Field whenever time allows during the summer, via the Belt Parkway E. bike path, to get in my exercise and do some major old school 'illin & chillin'. In between the 6,000 ft + runways and the nature paths, there is plenty to do. Boat launches are set up by the inlets (end of the runways) and access by car is very easy. Great if you're towing major Evirnudes or some kayaks or just fishing for blues or stripers when they're in season. There is also a camp ground, available by appointment with the Park Service. Recently, a sports complex, much like the one at the Chelsea Piers, was built. I haven't been inside, however, in front of the complex is a British Airways Concorde and a snack stand. They set up tables underneath the wings. Speaking of planes, inside the hangars are plenty of WW2 vintage aircraft being restored. You can also take a seat on the bleachers where the local RC Aircraft run their models. Be advised that these guys are primadonnas and will yell at you if you even think of crossing their "boundary" lines. You can also spot airline traffic landing at JFK since you're at the beginning of the Canarsie Approach, or watch the NYPD helicopters practice touch and goes. My only warnings are to bring food and water in case the snack stand is closed. Especially if you're biking. The closest place serving food is Nick's Lobster Bar (about a mile or so up Flatbush Ave.) and they charge an arm and a leg for average food. You should also bring insect repellent. In between the mosquitoes, gnats and chiggers, you're lucky if you don't get half your blood sucked out during the summer. Bring a Metro Card and a cell phone. A Metro Card in case you have to hoof it. You can take the Q35 to Kings Plaza and transfer to the B41 and transfer to the IRT at the Junction. You bring a cell in case you forget your Metro and need a cab. PS There is a Native American Festival held every June. I haven't been but it's supposed to be fun. read more

Floyd Bennett Field - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place is huge. There is a Naval Station here, camping grounds, football fields, driving ranges, etc. I generally am here to follow the bike paths which follow the Belt Parkway. I'll have to come back to explore in more detail. If you are coming here via car, it's exit 11 I think off of the Belt Parkway. read more

This place is cool and historical. Apparently you can camp there. There is a sports complex (Brooklyn briefly had a small time hockey team there) and the old airfield is super cool. It's really a step back in time. I came here for the Color Run, and although that stunk, I liked the venue. read more

Good, but could be so much better! So much wasted park land here...that Aviation place is alright for some people. But what about the non athletic individuals. Turn this place into another Prospect Park like area. Maybe a restaurant or two and since it is located close to the belt parkway, it would be easy for visitors. I just look at this place and think "eh" read more

This is only a review for the camp ground for the month of July and surrounding months. If you don't want to read any more the issue is a SERIOUS MOSQUITO PROBLEM. The staff were amazing and the grounds are nice and tidy, every thing seemed great, till we entered the wooded section of the camp ground and encountered in my opinion a serious mosquito problem. I'm no stranger to camping, bug spray and mosquitos, I regularly go camping in the catskill's and Bear Mountain. Here the mosquitos were so bad we left after 10min. The second we set down our gear we were swarmed, we danced around and sprayed bug spray on each other but the mosquitos were relentless. Maybe during spring and fall its not so bad but it was too much for us to handle this past weekend. read more

We camped here with our small trailer in the pop up area. The good is that the site size was nice, with a good clean picnic table and a large fire place and of course it's in NYC! There are 2 major issues that will prevent us from returning in the future: 1- Security: the campground area is not secured. Anyone can drive in at any time and drive or walk around the campsites. 2- The restrooms and showers are good, but they are only available during the daytime (8-4 and 8-2) the rest of the time you have to use the stinky dry toilets. This place has a lot of potential, hopefully they can resolve the security issue, that would go a long way. read more

Because of the massive space, they've hosted some cool and different events here that I've been to. A night time rave themed 5K, a music festival, an obstacle course race, and just general exploring are just some of the options. read more

Located in brooklyn,off the belt parkway youmay miss it if you dont follow the signs or your gps. A very long time ago this was used as an airport base. They have dozens of picnic areas that can hold a family of five,maybe six. You can aslo go camping here with all its nature around including bugs,insects and whatever lurks around. They set up fire pits so you can have camp fires and roast marshmallows and smores. Being on a camp ground,there are no toilets or power outlets,remeber your suppose to be in the woods. At the entrance you can stop at the visitor center and pick up maps so you know where your going. If you venture further down you will find a nature area filled with birds and other wetland animals. Walk some more and your in reality with the aviator sports complex,which is reviewed under such name. Despite some of the negative reviews,give it a try,remember your in brooklyn,in nyc,not upstate in a suberb,so dont compare it with a real camp ground. read more

I'm Confused if your charging 50 for a fishing permit, why is this place dirty and why is the trash next to the inlet. Someone needs to clean this place up. The other issue I had was when I walked into the welcome center the girls working the desk were not trying to help anyone. What the issue with government employees not earning their keep. Miss Yearwood try to seem interested in y our position. read more

Floyd Bennett Field - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Was hoping for more fun with the RC. But only allowed to run on track and not on open fields where there is nothing to hit. Very disappointing. RC people just go to a baseball field instead. read more

Floyd Bennett Field - Rc race track - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've been here a few times: to race and spectate. There's definitely enough space to race and compliment lots of people. There isn't much else to do out there though. And the traffic getting there is usually pretty bad. read more

I love this deserted air field. What to expect: Monthly summer parties for and kids and adults Football and Soccer Fields Hockey and skating rings Picnicking and camping Fishing Romantic ocean shore Many awesome photography locations RC car and plane areas Some hiking trails Perfect space for Student Drivers Cars or Motorcycles Police practice helicopter and driving field City employee gardening fields DO NOT SPEED WHEN COMING HERE VERY LOW SPEED LIMIT read more

the Park Service folks are outstanding in the Campground. Nancy and Sam were wonderfully attentive to our changing schedules; they directed us to local stores for hardware supplies. Nancy and Sam really made us feel welcome and couldn't have been more professional.. Made us proud of the Park Service team even more thanks them. We will come back to this park. great access to JFK airport , clean, safe.. Excellent Pete connelly. island falls, Maine read more

Love this place! Great location and perfect size! There is always something to do in any season.. From skating to mud races.. I love this park! I wonder if I should go camping out there one time to check that out.. It is local.. Always drove out. I'll let you know soon! read more

Floyd Bennett Field - #cmc race - Parks Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I brought my 3 year old here on her first camping trip, and it was a great time. I was actually comforted by the reviews from partiers that said the rangers harassed them. I have nothing against partying, but as I was camping with a 3 year old, I was looking for a place that frowned on that, and I found it. Make no mistake, you are not camping in the middle of the woods. But, you are camping in an area that appears to a 3 year old to be the middle of the woods, complete with wild bunnies running around, and a beach with seagulls a short walk over a parking lot. Altogether and ideal place to bring little kids. read more

I recently camped here for the first time, and overall it could have been a pleasant experience except for the very aggressive raccoon that terrorized our campsite even after we put (most) of the food in the car. There were signs warning about the raccoon, but I think they need to remove this fearless predator! Really turned a great evening into a horror story. read more

Another fine Brooklyn institution. Its got great hiking and biking paths and I think everyone should visit it at least once. But what do I remember and probably a lot of other folks that grew in Brooklyn. This was one of the spots where I had one of my first driving lessons. My very first was actually in the Toys R Us lot by Kings Plaza. Now that I've gotten sidetracked, it's certainly worth a visit if you've never been there. read more

This was, BY FAR, my worst camp experience to date. The place is absolutely overrun with mosquitos and i'm really not talking about an annoying level of mosquitos, i'm talking about a dangerous level. We were prepared with military grad bug juice but it only slowed them down a little. My brother in-law and I were bike camping our way to Montauk and arrived at the site around 9pm, we immediately wanted out but had nowhere else to go that late in the evening...via bike so we set up tents as quickly as we could and ate dinner hiding from mosquitos. THEN we discovered that the place also had a terrible raccoon problem as we proceeded to fight them off out bike bags before they ripped them open. I never write reviews but feel the need to warn people of this horrible place, it truly is dangerous. read more

I've never yelped before but this needs to be said. I'm writing specifically about the camping area of Floyd Bennett Field from a trip there in summer 2011. If you're headed to FBF for something else, disregard this. First off, this place is an amazing idea and a potentially excellent addition to the long list of unique things to do in the city. There are a few problems though... Pros: You're camping, in New York City. Pretty basic, but can't be understated. The setting is ridiculous - abandoned air field? Crazy awesome. Each site comes with a picnic table, freestanding charcoal grill (BYO briquettes) and a low iron fire ring with hinged grate, and the campground provides FREE firewood. Very nice. There are bathrooms just outside the camping area, and a potable water supply. Hangar B! Volunteers restoring 60 year old airplanes in a huge hangar/museum right next to the campground. Really just an awesome way to spend an hour or two. Super friendly, really interesting. Cons: WELTS. As in, you will leave with many, many welts. When we arrived, I sustained a few dozen bites on my legs just walking to our site from the car. The field was infested with mosquitoes, more than I've ever encountered anywhere. The campground has a few of those big, gas-powered mosquito traps but they only work if there's fuel and they had run dry before we got there and no one thought to refill them. The park ranger didn't know or didn't care, she didn't even apologize when we told her. These bugs feasted on us day and night, through our clothes, despite copious amounts of bug spray, citronella candles and a roaring fire. It was the worst part of the trip, but we survived. It might be a different experience with the traps up and running, so hopefully someone else can comment on that. The sites are a little close together if you're used to car camping. In most cases, your neighbors are separated by little more than a split rail fence and a few yards of grass. Not many sites have much isolation, but then again, being from the city, it feels like having your own private room at a huge (quiet) outdoor bar. Not too shabby. This year they expanded from 6 sites to about 40, and next year they're planning to double that number so who knows how that will affect spacing. Most likely they'll open up a new area, so the existing sites should stay pretty much the same. The field where most of the sites are is a bit of a hike from the car. No more than 100 yards or so, but it seems a lot longer when it's dark and you're carrying all your food back to the car. Why carry the food back? Raccoons! Tons of them, and they were fearless. One came right into our site, snatched a bag of wheat bread (freaking hipster) and took off with it. They didn't bother us much after that but they were always perched at the edge of the woods, watching. You have to be extra careful about leaving anything out once it gets dark. Those bathrooms I mentioned? Yeah, they're the chemical variety, i.e., no flushing. Basically port-a-johns set in small cabins. And no lights so at night, bring a headlamp or you poop in darkness. Airplane noise. Not a terrible problem, but after midnight JFK seems to route all its freight traffic right over the campground so every few minutes you hear the roar of engines. I got used to it but some had problems sleeping. Conclusion: right now, there are some serious but easily fixable problems. With a little work and attention, this place could really be something special. read more

DO NOT CAMP HERE! Camped at Floyd Bennett last week and our group were harassed and bullied by both police and park rangers. We had friends with dogs and were asked to remove our dogs, our alcohol was dumped by police. Meanwhile according to the posted rule neither dogs nor drinking are prohibited. They told us "the rules had changed." Our full story is available here: http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-07-05/i-went-camping-and-all-i-got-was-harassed-by-the-police/. They are trying to develop this place, but honestly no one should camp her until the director of this park publicly responds/apologizes for this egregious and arbitrary behavior. Also, there's no toilets just outhouses and porta-potties which is really disgusting given the amount of people staying in the park in the summer heat. BLECH! read more

They are right! Do not camp here. I was here twice with a few people and one of the nights we had music until dawn. This is party city. When we complained we were told that you're on your own after a certain time. NO SECURITY. No police. We won't be going back and we're lucky we're really backpackers. No more campgrounds for us, especially when your tent is too close to someone elses. read more

I spent a lot of time here at Floyd Bennett Field. it's a little ragged, underdeveloped, and seemingly neglected. Sure FBF could use some fixing up and development of the various spaces and buildings, but don't we have enough development throughout NYC?! FBF and other areas of Gateway National Recreation Area provides those quirky surreal spaces of historical New York against a backdrop of open sky and landscape. Plus the National Park Service (NPS) provides much needed local employment! Fixing up FBF involves congressional funding for the NPS which, if you've been paying attention, has been vastly underfunded and understaffed whilst accommodating greater numbers of visitors throughout the nation. If you spend some time at the various regions of Gateway, you will find people who cherish these open wide quirky places, and folks who are dedicated to its history, lore and nature. Yes, I said nature. There is nature here, you just hafta spend some time and pay attention. Tons of birds, 250 or so species, migrating and native throughout the year. Then there's snakes, turtles, frogs and toads. There's sand dunes, scrubland and grassland. Wear a mosquito net in the summer if you're in the woodsy areas, chill a little, ride your bike around if you got no car. Go up the lookout at Ft Tilden and you'll see a view of NYC you never expected. Walk the beach at Riis, Tilden and Breezy Point, explore the North 40 at FBF, wander through Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. You can kayak from Floyd Bennett Field into Jamaica Bay! Check out the ranger programs. dip into the ocean. These environs are a rarity in NYC and make big city living all the more bearable. read more

DO NOT CAMP HERE unless you wanted to get mercilessly harassed by park police. They came to our campsite three times, disregarded the written rules for the campsite and were rude, imposing and combative. You can read this story for the full story: http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-07-05/i-went-camping-and-all-i-got-was-harassed-by-the-police/, but suffice it to say, i would never recommend anyone go here, and I have made a complaint to the national park police. read more

I was happy to be stationed at Floyd Bennet when it was occupied by the Navy as well as the Coast Guard. Working in hangar B radio shop which repaired aircraft electronic equipment and, at times, pre-flighted aircraft. Once a year the Coast Guard would throw a big outdoor picnic for all stationed here in order to not lose next years food budget. A P2V-Neptune flew non-stop to England setting some kind of record. Most of us ol Swabbys enjoyed Floyed Bennet and carry many goof memories including fishing for Striped Bass and Blue Claw crabs from the Seaplane ramps. Al LePage.. read more