Very nice location. I was able to visit for the 2025 5 boro bike tour event. Great views of the…read moreVerrazano bridge. Next time I visit SI, I will plan to explore Fort Wadsworth better. Alot of information surrounding Fort Wadsworth.

Before artillery and ordinance became too powerful, coastal defenses were a critical part of…read morenational war efforts to protect our young cities from naval bombardment. The Narrows dividing Upper and Lower New York Bay were the best spot to position those military efforts and the Fort Wadsworth complex on northeastern Staten Island was selected to build those primary fortifications. As we know, the British occupied New York City and Staten Island early in the Revolutionary War. The Reds were aware of the value of this locale, but did not fear the fledgling American Navy. It was not until after independence that our weak central government began to take steps to utilize the area for defense of what became our most important harbor. First sandstone, later granite, were set to allow over 200 cannon to be placed facing the lower harbor to repel invaders. The War of 1812 and the Civil War saw the most activity and growth, until Fort Wadsworth was the largest and most formidable redoubt on the Atlantic seaboard. By the early 20th Century coastal defenses were no longer relevant due to the firepower on ships and the birth of the modern Air Force. Today, the fort has been decommissioned and become part of the Gateway National Recreation Area run by the National Park Service. The 226 acres bracketing the north end of the Verrazano Bridge is now a great place to walk, explore the old naval station and see a spectacular view of Lower Manhattan from the promontory facing Upper New York Harbor that sits directly under the bridge. This whole stretch of eastern Staten Island is mostly deserted in winter, making an ideal time to visit and allow your imagination to run wild with how different this spot was earlier in our national history. I have driven over the VNB hundreds of times, remarked on the fantastic view of city and harbor from the steel span, but never realized Fort Wadsworth was there beneath me. I guess getting onto the Belt Parkway required all my attention. Now that I know and have visited its historic granite walls, I will at the very least acknowledge its stony presence and tip my cap in passing to thank all who served there in defense of our young nation.

Silver Lake park is a beautiful place with breathtaking views highly recommended for family…read moregatherings in the summer time

I was there yesterday with my parents hoping the flowers will be in full bloom. I guss because of…read morethe cold it's taking little longer . Hopefully in 2 weeks it should look spring in the park . Adding some new pictures also .

Nice playground for the kids along with sprinklers to keep cool. Nice walking/bike trails. Ball…read morefields are kept in good shape. The neighborhood seems to keep this park safe.

The park is the best place to get your miles! That's because the park is a little more than a mile…read morewith just one walk around. You can get three miles done easy and it's an excellent workout for your body. Imagine doing three miles a day for a month! You'd be in better shape than you were just sitting in front of your computer making excuses for yourself. Go have fun and even meet some nice people too.

Amazing, beautiful park! Loved the shade and the barbecue sports they had! Nice benches and nice…read moregrills! Had an amazing time with my girlfriend and friends!

A surprisingly spacious park. I say that because when you enter it looks like it's just a little…read morebit of woods around the parking lot, but it goes about half the distance of the CSI campus if you search for the trails.

A nice place to get away from the busy roads of Staten Island. It was slightly confusing finding…read morethe Ohrback Lake since we didnt c the on the right there was another trail. So we made a few circles. Other than that, it was beautiful. We found a swamp that was fillied with frogs and a black and white cat.

Much nicer than I thought it would be. Definitely a hidden gem of the island. There several nature…read moretrails to make your way through. A great place to go for a run or a hike. I ended up getting lost at one point as it was way larger and windier than I expected.

After missing an exit we found ourselves near the ocean. So…read morewell .... I couldn't resist going for a swim, since I've been known to swim in a dirty mud puddle it just made sense to. Other than an iconic New York bridge off to the left, it really seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere stopping there with few people around to spoil the illusion of being in one of the worlds largest cities. Very cool place to stop, with not much commercialism to be seen and no large buildings nearby gave a breathtaking view of the sky and ocean. Well worth a drive here to breathe a little easier or to get away from the city for a while, with nice slow moving neighbourhoods near by to explore.

While you'd never mistake this South Beach on the eastern end of Staten Island, New York, for the…read moremore renown South Beach in Miami, this northern variant does offer something that its namesake in south Florida cannot. Curious? Well, here on the fifth borough of NYC, you can stroll in solitude on the sandy border between boardwalk and Lower New York Bay on a clear sunny (but 35F) day and have the playa all to yourself and the flock of seagulls searching for dinner in the sand. It is peaceful and picturesque, with dynamic views of the Verrazano Bridge and panorama of bay, islands, and even downtown Brooklyn all within your gaze. It is really quite spectacular in a downbeat kind of way. The sun makes everything shine in the late afternoon western golden glow, leaving these works of man seem like a golden city on the horizon. We were duly impressed, and lingered in the sand near the surf longer than anticipated just taking it all in on a macro level before going micro to search for the flotsam sand diamonds that wash up after years of erosion wear. True, the beach itself is occupied by birds and the cleanliness is in question. Actually sitting on the sand is not recommended. Yet, on a chill day in December when only the rough and ready venture out to explore what most wouldn't, can a certain quietude set in that offers the possibility of inner peace and reflection.

Boy oh boy, I wish I had this in my backyard! Unfortunatley small beach parks dont exist in or near…read morePhilly. I came to Midland Beach in beeyutiful Staten Island and it did not disapoint. It could've been a little cleaner as I saw some trash but overall it offers great views of the NYC skyline and just a nice place to walk the boardwalk, chill in peace and reflect while listening to the waves. Not crowded at all. Plus plenty of free parking.

Pretty decent beach for those who live in Staten Island or some parts of NJ. From Bayonne, NJ it's…read morea 20 to 25 min drive, much quicker than going to Jersey shore. Also, there's a huge free parking lot so even if you go during the weekend parking is never an issue. My main complaint is that there are some annoying biting flies so make sure you bring an insect repellent spray if you go!

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.