Travers Park has been a fixture in the Jackson Heights community for the better part of the last 70…read moreyears. It has been a haven for outdoor everything (#1), an ideal spot for the youngins to unleash some energy, and is the site of the weekly Jackson Heights Greenmarket (#2). Named after the local community icon Thomas Travers, it was unveiled to the public in 1949. After a few facelifts in the past few decades, it's become one of the more utilized parks in the borough. Most recently there has been some serious renovation to improve the playground and the half acre of land known as Rory Staunton Field. Fast forward to 2022, it all looks lovely. At just over 2 acres, it's sizable for NYC standards. There are a lot of areas to lounge and lay out, a handful of chess tables, a sprawling kid's area, and plenty of benches to sit on. It's a great people watching area and is in the quieter part of the neighborhood; a stone's throw away from the congestion of Roosevelt Ave. In addition the farmer's market on the weekends, there has been Summer Sundays in the Park, which are seasonal performances put on by local Queens non-profits. This is one of the few places I'd recommend for folks to come check out on a casual weekend. Shop at the farmer's market, bring a dog or kids to play in the field, and enjoy a little (urban) outdoor time. _____________ (#1) Which has been a savior during the pandemic. (#2) https://www.yelp.com/biz/jackson-heights-greenmarket-jackson-heights

Travers Park had a $7.1 million renovation during the Pandemic - and it completely shows! (Do NOT…read moreread any reviews of it before 2022 as they are describing and rating what it was like BEFORE renovation work was done!) The transformation was truly amazing where there is a beautiful grassy lawn along 34th Ave., PLENTY of nice clean, new benches to lounge on by yourself or with family and friends, new playground equipment and sprinklers, tennis courts (whereas before was just ugly plain asphalt), and long picnic tables, chess tables, and even an amphitheater space. AND ... *drumroll*.... YES, TWO dog runs (1 for smaller dogs and the other for larger)!!! Other Jackson Heights residents and I really pressed our local government to please provide and they delivered!!! These 2 dog runs are side by side and occupy what used to be 1 of 2 handball courts (1 still remains). These dog runs have a long hose that runs water to clean off these grounds and provide drinking water for dogs who visit. (And of course, it has a large poop bag dispenser right in front in case any owner forgot to bring theirs from home!) And YES, there are events that occur during the warm weather months in this park. NOW WHERE IS AN UPDATED MAP OF THIS GORGEOUS PLACE - ???

Hallets Cove Playground is located right next to the NYC Water Taxi dock in Astoria…read more As far as playgrounds go it has one of the best views with the skyline across the water. From what I experienced this park can really use an upgrade and renovation. The city and Parks Dept needs to invest in it. Needs some TLC. There is some climbable play equipment and water fountains for the kids to play on and cool off. Handball, basketball, and baseball but the asphalt yards look worn and aged they are on. There are some benches to relax on with water views. Yet, the area is not the best, and also looks like no one takes care of the grass and weeding around it. At least you can catch an MTA bus close by and head over to Ditmars and Astoria Blvd for eating and shopping.

Another reason why folks who live in Astoria and surrounding areas enjoy living in Astoria is the…read moremany places to visit and that includes Hallets cove playground. Yes it needs a bit of upgrading but if you want a place to bring the kiddies to play , have nice views of the city , place to bench sit and relax a bit then this is the place. During my visit it was hotter then hell and jumping into the dirty east river is not an option but the snack truck has cold water and thats good enough. The playground area for the kiddies has enough options to keep the brats busy while mommy and daddy or nanny can keep a watchful eye sitting at the many benches. Easy to reach by car or nearby subway and playground is a safe friendly place for all, funny thing i notice, no one was playing handball, basketball or baseball and with this hot humid weather I understand but no heatwave is stopping the kiddies.

Elmhurst Park is such a beautiful little gem in Queens! I really enjoy coming here, especially…read morebecause it truly represents what makes Queens so special the diversity. On any given day, you can see people from so many different cultures and backgrounds coming together, spending time with their families, having picnics, celebrating birthdays and special occasions, exercising, or simply enjoying the outdoors. I absolutely love seeing that. The park has plenty of green space, walking paths, a great playground for kids, benches, and areas where you can just sit and relax. One of my favorite things is simply watching the community enjoy the space. It's such a beautiful reminder of how multicultural Queens really is. Definitely a nice neighborhood park to visit if you want some fresh air, a walk, family time, or just a peaceful moment outside.

Nice little oasis in Elmhurst NY…read more While it was raining the day I visited there were plenty of trees, grass and places to picnic. There also was plenty of play structures for the kiddos. The park itself was quite clean as well There also is a memorial to local Vietnam War vets which is always nice to see and it was well done.

About as lackluster as its name, this playground is actually a bit better then I thought it would…read morebe, but not a great playground by any means. Playground equipment is in decent shape and it's laid out well. Four bucket seat toddler swings are a plus and there's a bear statue to climb on. The bear kind of gives this ho-hum location a bit more cheer. Not very toddler friendly in general however. No toddler equipment or small slides, no grass or landscaping, and the playground overlooks a really busy intersection. There is a musical chime feature that works better than most. I played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on it before we headed out. Starbucks, Panera, Uno's and Applebee's are just up the block.

PLAZA: Despite the freezing cold, I made a pit stop at the Park chugging on a TWISTER purchased…read morefrom the TRADE FAIR down the block. Surprisingly, the HOLIDAY TREE wasn't in its usual spot here, having moved further down on NEWTON AVENUE somewhere. RECOMMEND.

It is a nice park . It has music in the summer. It could use sprucing up a bit. It has a play…read moreground for kids and sprinklers for the summer. I like the Greek statues

A nice family friendly and just me friendly park in Astoria that has plenty to do including…read moreshooting hoops , play handball , soccer or just sit on a bench being lazy while the kiddos round around in the playground area . The NYC parks dept gets high marks for keeping the park clean and updated as nothing looks rundown or missing . After doing a bunch of shopping in the area I stopped by for an hour to enjoy my gelato cup while an intense basketball game was going on with guys and gals shooting many bricks . The stroller moms were out in force at the park while the little brats were running around the playground area having fun . I like this park in Astoria as it's my chill out and relax place when I need some alone time during the day . 4.5 stars on my yelp meter .

After a long busy day at school or during the freedom of summer, kids of all ages are flocking here…read moreto expel some built up energy and engaging in their social skills in the form of sports and/or play. The park is dominated by several basketball courts, ones of which look to be converted from old tennis courts. On the far end there is handball and mini games of soccer between groups of children. Then on the other side is a literal playground for kids and tots who are still learning how to play with other kids or even perhaps walk. It's a nice spot to sit down and people watch. Youth is a wonderful thing and its nice to see the youth of Queens enjoying themselves in the summer heat.

This is my home park for my boys, they have spent hours and hours on this 3.25 acres, running…read morearound the ball fields, or playing in the playground. It has swings (baby and big kid), slides, bridges, jungle gyms and water between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The bathrooms are functional, and when they are locked, there's always the fields. They have houses to sit in, and rubber ground so the kiddies don't hurt themselves. Sometimes there's an aggressive game of kickball, that resists transfer to the field, and sometimes you can smell cannabis from the local teenagers. Rarely is there a hobo in the houses, but once there was. They play lots of ball games on the fields on the weekends when the weather is good, and my sons have played ball there too. Sometimes the city provides a person who brings out balls or coloring pages and markers, though I haven't seen someone this year, maybe due to cutbacks in the down economy. There is some real diversity in terms of cultures here, from Jewish to Hispanic, to Indian and Polish, plus Asian. I think I'm the only WASP, but the Poles remind me of Wisconsin. At different times you see different people. Saturday is a big time for the Jewish families, all dressed up. Met a Druze mother, and all kinds of Hispanics from all over the world. Lots of very interesting people here, and often very friendly. My sons have spent quite a lot of time here, and the people are very friendly and helpful, it has a community feel to it, even if some of the people don't speak English very well. Lots of Indians here too. Also close to convenient pizza and bodegas up the block. A lovely park, to spend lots of good outside time for the children.

It's a large playground. Has a little field. Nice area. Really close to the highways which is a…read morelittle scary when you have a playground where kids play. In a good neighborhood.

Nice big park great for different age groups! Entrance on 1st ave for big playground and bathroom…read more Plenty of benches and equipment to play on. There is also a basketball quart and small field. Pretty clean and safe.

Slowly trying to hoop at all the basketball courts in the city, so I came here after work before a…read morelong weekend. We were on our 4th game of 5 on 5 on this slanted, slippery court with double rims as the Midtown skyline looked over us. We had gone 3-0 and already on wobbly legs but wanted one more to really push ourselves to exhaustion and be WHOOPED. A group of 5 17 year olds showed up and I was lowkey like damn I don't wanna play these little kids for our last game but whatever, they got next. We were going back and forth, and to be fair they were actually pretty good but just too frail to give us any problems. At 5'10 174 lbs, I'm a BIG guard. I'm left handed, but shot a right handed floater fading to my right as I'm trying to get better. If you can hit a weak hand floater on the run you will be tough to stop. I bricked it and this little 17 year old kid goes "that's a TERRIBLE shot" looking at me dead in the eyes. Like bro y'all are losing and you suck why you talking? He woke me up and I started actually trying really hard and lowkey busting their ass... but tbh normally I'm not even that good. It was just one of those days where everything was falling. I hit a 3 and yelled out "THAT'S A LAYUP." I drove hard left, euro stepped and hit a tough finish through 2 and yelled "I"M TOO BIG," while flexing. I switched onto little homie and he took a terrible stepback shot after I turned him 3 times and bricked it. I just whispered to him "I don't even gotta say nothing after that one it speaks for itself" which really pissed him off. Then I hit the game winning 3 and did the Dame wave to him as he walked off the court PISSED as hell. I sat down and then he got the courage to say "STOP TALKING SO MUCH" while he put his hand together to mimic me YAPPING. I almost stood up and said "HOW BOUT U GET WIN?" But then I realized I'm a grown ass man and there is absolutely no reason to be jawing at this little kid on a beautiful Friday in New York City. I just kind of laughed at myself and asked what is wrong with me lol. All in all, these runs were kind of weak and this court is in horrendous condition. The court on the westside highway is still my favorite in the city. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews