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    Fort Wadsworth

    4.6 (54 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:30 pm

    Fort Wadsworth Photos

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    Battery Weed, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Manhattan Skyline
    Christopher W.

    A historical piece of mid-island Staten Island showcasing one of the oldest military bases in America used during the Revolutionary War. A pleasant harbor where you can view the Manhattan skyline from afar, the start and finish of the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge, and various now-defunct military installments such as the Battery Weed (4-tiered fortification used to guard the Narrows) and war cannons. Highly recommend giving this part of town a visit if you are around the Midland area and enjoy seeing historical military pieces dating back from centuries ago.

    Teresa S.

    I visited this fort with a walking tour group and had a great visit. It was a former United States military installation on Staten Island in New York City, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Upper and Lower halves, a natural point for defense of the Upper Bay and Manhattan beyond. Prior to closing in 1994 it claimed to be the longest continually garrisoned military installation in the United States. Today it is managed by the National Parks Service and is open to the public as part of the Gateway National Recreational Area. We were able to get a park ranger give us a tour of inside the fort which was educational and cool. Admission is free. The weather was beautiful and the views of the Verrazano bridge and water were amazing. We did see a few people walking around or sitting on benches enjoying the scenery surrounding the fort. Definitely a different and cool place to check out in NYC.

    Battery Weed and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
    Eloy Y.

    After 30 years for me and 40 years for my partner, we finally made our way back to Staten Island, NY and visit this historic place. Fort Wadsworth up to the 1970s was once the oldest continually manned military installation in the country. It became a part of Gateway National Park. Section of the park supports Coast Guard families assigned to the NYC area by providing housing. During the Revolutionary War the British Army occupied Staten Island from the end of June 1776 until early December 1783. The longest occupation of any territory in America during the war. The British constructed a fort on the top of the cliff in 1776. The American Army took over the site after British evacuation and during the War of 1812 they built strong fortifications preventing any attempt by Britain to invade New York. A large stone fort called Battery Weed ( named after an officer killed in the Civil War ) was built over twenty years from 1840 to 1860. It became obsolete five years after completion at the end of the Civil War due to new powerful cannons installed onboard warships. The view of the harbor and City of New York was stunning from the cliff even on this hazy day. The Verrazano Bridge spans a section of the harbor between Fort Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. A visitor center exists but it was closed during social distancing. We witnessed some visitors and sadly one can count them with our fingers. Several tables with umbrellas were seen where one could stop for lunch. If you are in the area, it is highly recommend for a visit.

    Panorama view from the overlook
    Katie S.

    I'm an NPS fan and was trying to get to all the sites in the NYC area, and from Manhattan, Fort Wadsworth seemed like the most accessible part of the Gateway National Recreation Area site and one of the only parts where we could be sure to get our NPS passports stamped. A subway ride + the Staten Island Ferry + the S51 bus to the fort, we made it! Would definitely recommend going on a beautiful, clear day because the views from the overlook are beautiful (and that was the highlight for us). One of the forts is right below the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and you have great views of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. The visitors center was pretty straightforward -- a couple rooms explaining the history of the fort and protecting New York Harbor. They do have maps of the area, and the man staffing the front desk was helpful in giving us an overview of the site and directing us the right way. If you're interested in forts/military history, I'd allow an hour or two to see everything just since there's some ground to cover. We were content just reading the signs and taking in the views and calling it a day.

    The fort! :)
    Dewan A.

    Great place. 1) Was not able to visit the fort, since the tours did not start. 2) But, seeing the view of the fort and bridge was well worth it. 3) Will call ahead to see if the tour season has started - will return.

    Nadia Z.

    It's known to most New Yorkers as a start point for famous New York Marathon. But how many actually been to Fort Wadsworth? If you did not make it here yet, you must. If you visiting Staten Island, bus will take you from the ferry terminal straight to this historical site, and if you live on the island, it is easy to find at the end of Bay Street. Take guided tour around the fortress, or wander alone - but make sure to take in those views! You have not experienced the true grand marvel of Verrazano Narrows until you stand underneath it. Ford Wadsworth also is one of the highest viewpoints in the city, so you can see the whole span of the New York City, and some of New Jersey. In summer time, fireworks are spectacular here, and during Fleet week, parade of ships memorable as well.

    Rachel A.

    The kids come here to see the kids. There are goats! I wondered if anyone really visited Fort Wadsworth since it was a national park. I couldn't imagine people picnicking here or wandering the grounds. That's not really this type of place. But some come to ride through with bikes or to visit the goats along the hill (there are feeding times). The ones who are really interested take one of the free tours on the weekend or the paid lantern night tours. Tours last about two hours. Wear comfortable shoes and have a snack beforehand. This is a tour for the most dedicated as it is heavy with history and there is no quitting until the end. Our tour guide was excellent. He knew everything about battles, military defense, and what it was like back in the day. He was serious but he was also interactive, told a few jokes, and kept it interesting. My only criticism is for the grounds itself. For a center that offers tours, it is a bit dilapidated. We were advised to let the water from the water fountains run for a few seconds to clear the pipe water. Seems like they are not used much. The bathrooms are decent but with no soap. Carry your own hand sanitizer when you take this tour. Also during the walk through the dioramas and photographs you will notice that many of the pictures are missing or are hanging and ready to fall. It is also extremely dusty. Fort Wadsworth feels old but is such an important place. It is wear tennis was introduced and where New York was protected. The structure of the building was well thought out and almost castle like. A few commercials, movies, photo shoots, and shows like Boardwalk Empire have used Fort Wadsworth as a location. This definitely a tourist spot off the radar but well worth the visit.

    View of lower Manhattan
    Amanda B.

    We stopped here on a whim when driving back to Brooklyn from Staten Island and were in for quite the treat that we did! You may need to show an ID at the base (security seemed pretty lax when we went) and then will be free to do some exploring. We drove towards the area just under the Verrazano bridge on the water and parked. Then we were able to walk along the wall overlooking the water, the bridge, and lower Manhattan. It was pretty spectacular to say the least! The grounds were well taken care of and there was lots of grass (and no cars) for children or pets to enjoy. You can get a great view of exiting cruise ships too which was pretty fantastic! They also bring in goats in the fall to eat back some of the vegetation between the overlook and the old fort itself which is cool to see. They'll even come up to say hello to you sometimes! We didn't check out the actual fort this time but saw that tours are available. You can get a pretty good view of it from up high and there are some signs to learn about the history. Would highly recommend a trip here for locals and tourists alike. Lots of green space to picnic or play, cool historical fort, spectacular views, and tons of sidewalks to run or walk on.

    Ida C.

    Great views and an absolute must if you are riding a bike through Staten Island! Would be a fantastic place to catch July 4th fireworks!!! We initially felt that we might need to flash military identification at any time, but no one hassled us (or even talked to us now that I think on it). Great place for a picnic as well!!! PARTING THOUGHT: this would be an amazing place to throw a party!

    Amazing place to visit with family friends and love ones
    Barbara P.

    Excellent place to go and explore with the family . Beautiful park . Great vio orlf the bringde and cony island . Also theres a lots of historical buldings around . On fleet week this os one of the best places to go picnic and watch the boats passing around also is a military facility so is very sevure army amd coast guard .

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    6 years ago

    Beautiful vista of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor. Nice museum. Good for walking/jogging or bike riding.

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    5 years ago

    This place is just perfect for Walking , Running, Cycling hills included.

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    9 years ago

    Beautiful, clean, pleasant place for a walk. Spectacular views, perfect picnic spot. Fort is very cool.

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    7 years ago

    We took our engagement photos and the views were incredible! Would definitely recommend!

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    Review Highlights - Fort Wadsworth

    The Verrazano Bridge spans a section of the harbor between Fort Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn.

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    Fall is here

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    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.

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    Wheeler Park - Small dragon slide

    Small dragon slide

    Wheeler Park - Water features galore!

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    Fort Wadsworth - parks - Updated May 2026

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