We went to the Italian festival to be fair wasn't so Italian; it was super hot . Plenty of parking and facilities. Unfortunately a lot of the venues were cash only so if you didn't bring cash it could be hard to grab something. All the food we tried was ok ; we were underwhelmed so I nay skip it next year. read more

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Checked this place out on an exceptionally warm & sunny fall day. lovely place, sorrounded by nature, with water view & interesting architecture. Parking is free. We entered the park right into the top of the dam. We walked across it then went down to the park itself. lots of stairs to navigate so not for the people with bad knees. Lots of benches & Picnic tables in the area. Bathroom is fairly clean, saw some security people going around so we feel safe. read more

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Not surprised this place has 5 stars... it's the ranking it deserves. People looking for a solid workout will be pleasantly surprised by some of the trail options (the "blue trail" that brings you up the left side of the dam is the toughest). If you're looking to just chill, there is plenty of field space, picnic tables, and decent bathrooms too. read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Interesting, historical..... free. We didn't realize this treasure was so close to home. read more

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I am so interested in all the events at that dam space. It usually not too hot or too cold. For special events, I go first to the foreign? food. After I shop for small gifts or reasonable priced clothes from around the globe. read more

Absolutely my favorite place. Is perfect for a workout. Perfect family outing. Perfect for a date. Perfect view. Perfect dog park. Perfect kids park. Perfect for people watching. Just perfect! read more

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Great area for kids - there's outdoor picnic tables if you want to eat there and a massive playground right next to it. The dam is hike-able - somewhere around 180-200 steps up to the top and a long walk on the dam itself. The water and view of the park is great. read more

Kensico dam is just such an enjoyable place to go. The dam is beautifully built with multiple kinds of stone. You can just check it out from the bottom, you can take the trek up the stairs, or they have a slightly longer trail that's a little less intense to get up. (Actually I think there is a way to the top by car as well but I'm not super familiar with the road). On the top you can look over into the reservoir where the NYC drinking water comes from! On the other side you can see the park area with a great lawn where people are often playing with their kids, dogs,(hooray dog friendly!), or having a picnic. Often times there are people running/walking along the outer part of the lawn. They have a picnic area with tables/benches, kids play area, restrooms, and benches throughout the park to have a seat on. They also have a 9/11 memorial which is really nice. It truly feels like this is a place for anyone! And is open year round. I've seen/gotten food from food trucks but I'm not exactly sure what their schedule is. (I'll be sure to follow up when I know!) During Christmas time they have a holiday light show in the winter, but it's pretty pricy per car in my opinion. They also have a big tree and reindeer! They do a night out for the kids with the local police where they have gifts/games. There is a parking area (typically free except around the holidays) which is pretty large but when it's nice out it's hard to find a spot! Hope you enjoy it! read more

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Playground at the Kensico Dam is such a wonderful way to spend a couple of sunny summer hours. My 4 & 7 year olds had a blast. Lots of variety to run, climb and play and a great slide! read more

It's lovely up here -beautiful June evening. Buts it's about 90 degrees off from where the sunset action is. Now that I look at Google maps I see that's obvious. How does this come up as #1 on best places to see the sunset in Westchester?! read more

This park is versatile by being great for families (kiddie park), nature enthusiasts, or individuals looking for burn off the quarantine weight! Hahah the walking paths range from beginner to advanced. The beginners should definitely start by walking up the slope at the entrance of the park. When they reach the top they are treated to beautiful Roman columns and water views! The intermediate and advanced individuals can club up and down the uneven and sloped stairs. Definitely a great glutes burn for anyone tired of the gym. I usually go around 10 times to really burn a sweat. For the Christmas holiday 2020 they had a Christmas drive thru that was really sweet and simple for anyone who enjoys drive through light shows! read more

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Amazing spot. 1) The dam is beautiful. It has more to it than stones and columns. 2) There is a 9/11 memorial which is nice. 3) The restrooms are clean. 4) Lots of parking. 5) From the 9/11 memorial, you can walk up to the top of the dam. read more

An awesome structure with an awesome view... I like it for morning atmosphere and incredible architecture. read more

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The most incredible time at this park today. I went for the Latin festival and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The park was packed with beautiful people from numerous Latin countries all celebrating their cultures and enjoying their food. Speaking of the food there were some delicious dishes and treats from several countries, including corn arepas with cheese, delicious tacos as well as pinchos de res. I also enjoyed the drinks several varieties of agua frescas were delish. The music was great too with several live performances and they ended the festivities with Puerto Rican music and dancing. A great time at Kensico Dam! Looking forward to the next festival. read more

beautiful park, wide open spaces so you can easily socially distance. I visited on a weekday and walked to the top of the dam and all the way across. short walk about 1 miles in length. free parking and just off the bronx river parkway. i wished i had brought our bikes and scooters as it's a perfect spot for it. we had kites so we had fun either way. read more

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I don't know how one reviews a dam. To be specific, we came to walk in the plaza below the dam. I am told that it's the largest hewn stone dam in the world. Looked pretty large to me. We did three laps just under three miles including walking onto the lower walkway. It was a nice day with only a few barking dogs. We had fun and were able to get some exercise. We will go back. read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

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I've been going to this park for many years now and I can say it is my favorite one! It has plenty of room to walk, bike, skate and run. There is SO MUCH room for picnics as well! I would say there are a lot of cicadas and mosquitos but as long as you put on bug spray, you will be fine:) read more

I needed an hour or so to kill before check in time and thanks to YELP I found the Kensico Dam to walk around after lunch. There is plenty of parking and even restrooms and porta potties. They even have a playground for the kids. There are steps to the right and left of the dam, the right side ( if looking at it straight forward ) has a ton of steps and railings, you definitely get a work out. After reaching the top it's roughly a quarter of a mile to the other side. There is less steps on the left side however after talking to someone they said it's harder to go up then the right side, so choose your steps wisely This was the perfect way to spend an hour, the weather was beautiful and that view and the start of fall in the trees was to die for! read more

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Lost track of how far I've gone How far I've gone, how high I've climbed On my back's a sixty pound stone On my shoulder a half mile of line Come on up for the rising (Bruce Springsteen - The Rising) This is a review of The Rising, a September 11, 2001 Memorial. Kensico Dam Plaza is a gorgeous park. It was very crowded on a Thursday morning with dog walkers, a busy playground, people hanging out at picnic tables, bicycle riders and lots of baby carriages. But I didn't stop here to see all of that. I stopped here to see "The Rising". It's a 9/11 memorial dedicated to the memory of Westchester County's 109 residents who were lost that day. It's an 80' high circular structure that rises to a central spire. There are 109 panels with the names on the circumference, and from each panel steel strands rise upward in a tightening web until they all merge and continue upward to resemble one of the Twin Towers. Many of the panels are also adorned with a few words chosen by the families. The Memorial is way off to the right side of the park, and the walkway you take to get there is called "Westchester's Fallen Memorial Walkway". It honors the local American servicemen killed around the World fighting terrorism post 9/11. read more

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Love this place. This is my boyfriend and I's go to spot. It's a great place to just walk around and get some fresh air. It's honestly a place where I fall in love with my boyfriend all over again. There usually are a lot of people, but at this place, you never feel packed or overwhelmed. It's a great first date or just date location if you want to get to know the person you're with. You can go up and see the water one side. SO many trees. It's just beautiful. Make sure to look into events there. Those are also super dope. Their food events are to die for. Fireworks here is top notch. You have to come super early or you will not find a spot. Once you find your spot, does not disappoint. read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

There's that one damn dam out West that everyone knows called Hoover, but if you ask most anyone else about the Kensico Dam you will more than likely get a blank stare. Well, that had been my experience while mentioning it to a few people. The Kensico Dam also known as the Kensico Reservoir is an amazing structure whose reconstruction was completed in 1917. To put it in a less dramatic way, without this dam White Plains and its surrounding areas would be the next Venice, Italy with elevated bridged walkways, ferries and gondolas everywhere. But thanks to man made engineering, White Plains is protected from 30 billion gallons of regulated water so curious explorers like myself can make use of this dual purpose structure allowing for athletic or chill mode use. So if you're like me, as well as some of my other Yelp peeps, come here to get to know the Kensico Dam Plaza and absorb the surrounding beauty of Mother Natures spectacular views and admire this massive, powerful structure. Visit this dam and explore its damn good looking facade of classical architecture, featuring curved colonnades anchoring each end up top to allow you a moment to breathe and stop at this wonderful place called Kensico Dam. Tips: 8:00am - 10:00pm (Summer hours) Free Parking Public Bathrooms Free Admission (Non-Event Days) Priceless water views read more

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This review is for the dam but more about the lake. It is big, it is beautiful, and it is a place you want to check. And yes, in case you are wondering, to talk worth the drive. Lots of parking, even in the hot days. Lots if beautiful things to do and beautiful places to see. There are many beautiful places outside New York where you can connect to nature and see wild life and little less city concrete (although there is a huge concrete dam lol). I walked for an hour and got into places usually not visited. Sat by the water and watched the fishermen and just breathed the freshness. Worth a drive from the city. read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

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Exercising is always more fun with friends, right? Well, maybe - I enjoy the quiet contemplation of walking by myself, but sometimes I'm more motivated to get out there if I have someone to go with. One of my friends lives in Hartsdale, and when she bought up the idea of walking she suggested we go here, so since today's weather was sitting comfortably in the 50s we decided to meet here for some low impact aerobic fun. As the name implies, Kensico Dam is a - wait for it - dam! Along with the dam itself, there's a large grassy area, playground, and walking paths. I can tell a lot of people must come here for exercise and leisure, but there's so much space that it didn't seem crowded when I was there. We decided to follow one of the walking paths they have outlined and make a full circle which included climbing up the dam - a little over 1 mile in length. Let me tell you - that dam is steep - even someone like me who walks frequently at differing inclines was feeling the burn climbing those stairs (maybe I'm just out of shape =p). Once we got up there though the views were great - lots of Instagram worthy photos. The park also hosts a number of events throughout the year - something in the winter, fireworks on 4th of July, and I believe I came here for an Italian festival some years ago. Either way, I'm glad I rediscovered this park - it's not in my backyard but somewhere I would return to in order to get some miles in. read more

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Had a great afternoon with the family visiting the dam. It was outdoor and people followed the socially distancing guidance with masks. There are 2 sets of stairs to up to the top, one on each side. When facing the dam, the right set had more of an incline than the left. We went up on the right and came down on the left. The view is beautiful. They were getting the holiday lights ready when we visited. The lawn area is great too. People were there on their chairs catching up. Families brought soccer balls to kick around. There are restrooms on site. Parking was free. Definitely worth the trip atleast one for some beautiful pictures. read more

Great park only about 30-40 minutes from NYC offers lovely views of the dam. The 9/11 Memorial is also lovely. The grounds are very well kept. There are lots of pathways to run, jog or just walk. Ample parking on the weekdays but be mindful and show up early on the weekends, especially during the pandemic. No parking fees were charged when I visited on June 1st. There is a playground area which is currently closed due to the pandemic. The main walking area is marked as one-way only around the path with a few park personnel around to enforce that as well as parking. There is also the large grassy area in the middle where you can picnic (no cooking I think) or toss around the ball/frisbee. A few dogs were runnign around, so I imagine they are also allowed. The dam itself is lovely. To get to the top, you can take the stairs on the left and right of the dam to climb up, alternatively, for those who cannot climb steps (there are a lot of steps) you can set our navigation to the intersection of North Kensico Avenue and West Westlake Drive and park along the road for a short walk to the dam top. The top offers some amazing views of the plaza below as well as the Kensico Reservoir. read more

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Kensico Dam/Park is Valhalla's Nature paradise. There really isn't a park such as Kensico anywhere in White Plains. Park is well-maintained throughout the year. Plants and shrubs make up the landscape as you're heading in and around the track. Only times you see big crowds are for their International celebrations during the summer. And in the winter, there's the 'Winter Wonderland' event for the family. But aside from those, park is never crowded! Lots to do for everyone: section for the little ones with swings and slides. Right at the center of the park, is Kensico's track and if you wanted to lay on your blanket- then do it. Right in that middle lawn, there are usually baseball practice, soccer game or Boot Camp classes. Kensico is a dog-friendly park and I love bringing my Beagle where she can run. Just be mindful please, Kensico has their poop bag stands around the track and field- if you so happen to bring your own. But also keep in mind, pick up your dog's sh*t and be respectful to the park! Kensico also offers Outdoor Movie Night- just like in NYC's Bryant Park, showcasing family movies or just a cool throw-back. They do a big to-do with July 4th. Just remember, if you want to take in the sights of the fireworks, get here real early. Get a good parking space and lounge for the fireworks to start. Otherwise it's a freaking madhouse. By the way, Westchester County's 9/11 Memorial is located in the far end of the park where everyone can experience the meaningful structure. As a local park, Kensico satisfies everyone's needs- even mine when I use their stairs as Part of my exercise and really, it doesn't fall short of things to do here and enjoy. read more

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I love coming to this place so much it is truly a beautiful place with lots of sights and tons of space for walking they have festivals and movie nights for the kids during the summer definitely a nice place for family time or just relaxing and enjoying being out in nature. read more

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This is a unique spot to view the sunset in Westchester with friends, family, or a date. It is free besides the gas it took to drive there. The stairs up to the dam may be more daunting then you anticipated, so make sure to give yourself enough time to get there and check when sun set is prior. You don't want to be running and sweating out of breath to watch the sunset. If you stay until the sunsets and you watch the stars, do know that walking back down the stairs it will be pitch dark...so I took out my phone as a light source so I did not fall. The older couple near me was struggling walking down without the light. There are nice paths/open areas to walk around, talk, and take photos so maybe get there 30 mins to an hour before hand to be able to enjoy everything. The food truck ran out of propane when I went so I'd say if your hungry plan to go to some place in the local area and if there is a food truck that will be a pleasant surprise. read more

Kensico Dam - This sunset was good enough to become my banner for social media. - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

One of my favorite westchester parks. So clean and so well kept. Great place to also get some exercise in. You can walk around the massive grounds or walk up the stairs and across the dam. Nice place to take a walk no matter what season. There's often events happening at the park year round too. Westchester parks does a great job with this park read more

Very picturesque. I grew up in this area. Kensico reservoir feeds water to Westchester County and NYC. Spring fed water from the Catskills. The park at the base of the dam is a great place for picnics and gatherings. read more

Nice outdoor space, good for little walks, picnics, dog walking, etc. No significant trails to speak of, but you can take advantage of the steps on either side of the dam, its quite a climb. There is a wonderful memorial dedicated to the heroes who lost their lives in service to our country, and a memorial for 9/11 as well. The views from the top of the dam are amazing, and from the bottom of the dam looking up, quite ominous if you think of how much water is just waiting on the other side...so don't think about that, it might ruin your fun. LoL read more

Such a pretty scenic park to take your dog out for a walk. I was visiting from California and was just amazed by the trees and the stone work around the park. Highly recommend visiting! read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

Always a pleasant to be here. They kept this place clean most of the time, only had problem when carnival ppl are visiting. Not a lot of ticks for dog walking. A good place to run, steps and map out routes with distance. They do close out large portion of the park for the Winter Wonderland, money over community ‍. Parking is easy and place is safe all hours. They did close down the food stand and only has a mobile cart there on the weekend, so bring your own food and drinks. read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

Fun place to walk/exercise and the people are friendly. Recommend To anybody who likes to exercise outdoors.

This place is superb. I stop by a few times a week with my daughter and she runs around like a lunatic for a few hours with the other kids. They have a pretty cool playground with swings, slides, etc. that keeps her busy, and when that runs its course, we walk around the dam and park for a while. Parking is abundant, and of course, it doesn't cost a dime to use the facilities. Woo hoo! read more

Kensico Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

A beautiful and serene location, perfect for gentle walks and scenic views. I am grateful this space exists and recommend it to anyone visiting or local to the area. read more

Nice historic place, lots of people though. Long walk on the stairs, we parked on the grass, lots of kids running, lots of bicyclists, will come back when nothing to do read more

Kensico Dam - Dam - Parks Near Me - Valhalla, New York

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I was part of a walking/hiking group that was walking along the Bronx river Parkway trail and this was our first stop. We used the restrooms which were very clean and then climbed those long steps to get to the top. The stairs are no joke and you definitely need to pace yourself and breathe in and out lol because it's a workout. We walked down which wasn't as vigorous but you still felt the intensity of the decline. Once we reached the top the views were gorgeous as well as the architecture. Very cool to visit and relax when the weather is great. I saw decent spaces for parking and I would definitely check this place out again if I'm in the area. read more

The real draw here is the dam and its a DAM good reason to come here (pun intended). Its a fantastic walk around and across the dam. The structure and architecture is amazing and the view of the reservoir is really serene and beautiful. Other than the dam, what I really enjoy are the biking, running, walking paths and trails that lead to the dam. You can take the Bronx expressway trail from way south and end up at the dam and its a great incentive. There's a huge green space for all sorts of activities and a nice kiddie park for the children. Really, its nothing spectacular but its nice. The town of Vahalla is very quaint and cute and has some nice eateries nearby worth checking out. There's also neat festivals that go down here and the July 3rd (not 4th) fireworks are always fun to see. Overall, a great place to visit and the marvel over this beautiful construction. read more

I have got to say that I have loved this area of New York since I have lived here. The kensico dam is a great place to bring the family and spend time there . No need to go far you get a great view and excerise walking around the park. I recently went to their winter wonderland which was a fantastic event. I would go there again and I hope it gets bigger . I know it would keep growing . The great part is that you only pay a 15 dollar fee no paying for parking and you can do all the rides. They have great food that is tailored to everyone's taste buds. They have from hamburger to waffles to organic foods . They of course have hot coco. They have tents set all around the park so that you can explore the different events and not be freezing, even though when we went it was nice and warm. My favorite part was the circus act that they had , it was amazing and very well done . You can tell that they were professionals. They put on a great show . I would definitely be coming back next year and hope other people do as well. read more

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