This house is a historic treasure right under your nose! It has been given landmark status back in…read more2016 if I recall correctly. And it's located right across another landmark! The Van Sicklen family/Gravesend cemetery, the oldest burial ground in New York! It was actually founded by Lady Moody herself and some suspect she was also buried here herself. The cemetery was established by Lady Moody back in 1643, and the 350 gravestones in it are from mid 18th cent to the mid 1900s. The Lady Moody House was never actually her house per say. It was named after her as it was subsequently built on the land that she purchased. And most likely, it was built in the 1700s by the infamous and influential, wealthy Van Sicklen family (that subsequently gave so much historical and geographic significance to Gravesend and Brooklyn). So who's this Lady Moody? She was one of the first, if not the first woman in the New World, who was allowed to purchase/own land. Wealthy English woman who took refuge in the New World in the 1600s. And so among the lands that she purchased was the area we all now know as Gravesend. Lady Moody founded Gravesend. And the house that stands upon her land is one of the oldest houses in Brooklyn and is one of the few surviving examples of 18th century Dutch-American farmhouse architectural styles in the United States.

I guess you could call this the 'wild corner of Fort Tilden.' It's a little further west away from…read morethe housing establishments when you've just gotten off Gil Hodge.

amazing sunset views from the top of this huge cement ww2 gun battery…read more fixed up by the NPS to be a viewing platform. great place to watch the sun rise and set. be wary of loose/missing steps, the wooden stairs need some work but are still very passable. there is no parking nearby. come on an off day and park on the street or pay to park at riis and walk over pls dont leave any garbage! if you could bring a plastic bag and leave with some trash that would be great. ppl always seem to litter up here. there is a trash bin at the base of the staircase. o and watch out for the poison ivy!

Great staff and very communal atmosphere. Amazing Christmas tree lightning ceremony!read more

Stumbled into this amazing historic aircraft restoration project by accident. Lucky enough to have…read moreMario inside taking a break from his own restoration work and willing to give a guided tour complete with access to all types of military planes. Extremely knowledgeable about the planes and artifacts. Work is all by donation so please be generous. Highly recommended for history buffs and a good stop for young people to appreciate freedom isn't free.

On our random visit, entrances to the Lambert Castle and Tower were closed, but the road was open…read more We were able to admire this lovely structure from outside. Our intention anyway was to go hiking. That was accomplished. From the area of the tower, which sits higher than the castle, some panoramic views can be seen ofthe surrounding cityscape. You can also find other hiking trails that lead you further along the hilltop. A perfectly beautiful day also makes this spot... - lovely for a picnic - picturesque for a photoshoot - ideal for a background in your vlog - an escape from the noise of a busy week - nice for a nap or daydream - sweet for something romantic - zen for meditation

I took a tour of Lambert Castle a couple days prior and felt the need to explore the tower up the…read morehill. It was beautiful! Elegant stone work. A trellis covered in vines. Views of nature all the way to NYC that would've been glorious many decades ago. The valley is a bit over developed now, but still impressive. This tower would've been an extension of the extravagant home below. Just walking around it gives you a sense of power and incorporation into nature on this unique mountain in the middle of a densely populated city. Garret mountain, holds this gem, and many others. Well worth a visit!

Premier NYC Urban Explorer site;…read more GPS Coordinates: 40°34'53.9"N 73°59'40.6"W To actually get to the Quester 1, you'll need a kayak, boat, drone or something similar. Swimming is strongly discouraged and downright dangerous. One can easily view the Quester 1 located in the middle of Coney Island Creek from Kaiser Park or Calvert Vaux Park. The Quester 1 makes for great photos for photographers and a well known site for drone operators to snap pics. Great landmark for kayakers to get up and personal as well. It's history is amazing considering it was all home built. More information on this can be found at the Coney Island History Project's webpage. For decades it has been Coney Island's very own"Roadside attraction", with very few even knowing of it's existence. It's free and the hours are 24/7 for viewing. Pet friendly.

I counted only 95 steps. Still plenty of steps. The panoramic views are partly obstructed but…read moreyou'll see the tops of some well-known buildings.

Beautiful stairs. If you are around the area, it is a nice place to climb up these stairs & get…read moresome exercise and get amazing views of the area. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but will sure make a visit if I am nearby.

I discovered this cute little park off the corner or Emmons and West End Ave while walking around…read morethe piers of Sheepshead Bay. There's not too too much much to see, but there are some benches and memorial plaques of people who were part of the Holocaust. It's a nice little area to sit and read a book, or just relax and watch the hundred something swans stream along the water. If you enjoy history then you can keep yourself occupied for some time by reading the different plaques. I happen to hate history so I was more impressed with the benches. If your in the area check it out. Instead of eating at a restaurant, or even at home, bring your lunch here and enjoy the scenery! You won't be let down.

Rather dreary & depressing in the cold NYC winter. Not much…read moreto see. You would expect a much better memorial than this for the Holocaust! IMHO: I do not think that it is an appropriate place to watch birds or enjoy your lunch!

Ridgewood Reservoir use to be a freshwater wetland on the border between Brooklyn and Queens. What…read moreis now the upper area of Highland Park. I either go for a walk or run along the trailway all the time. Just recently after doing some research the 3rd basin used to be Ridgewood Reservoir until 1989 when the reservoir was drained out. One of the many fascinating history of this once Reservoir. There use to be a waterfall. At a certain distance while walking on the trail way you get to see portions of the abandoned and once waterfall. At first you would assume it was used as stairs to get to somewhere down, but nothing like it. I could only image the view. Another fascinating history behind the Ridgewood Reservoir, there used to be a keepers house and guest house. Only a small part of that house remains while the other part is long gone. Not sure if people while out running or just taking a stroll notices these tiny historical fragments distance away. Ridgewood Reservoir is very peaceful, quiet, and very well preserved naturally. If you are the walker type it can take you about 20 minutes to walk Ridgewood Reservoir. For those bike or running enthusiasts less.

One of my good friends who lives in East New York recently told me about this magical place just a…read morefew months ago. While visiting my folks the other day in Fresh Meadows, I decided to bike to the Reservoir and see what all the hype was about. I have friends who live nearby and they are always telling me to visit. While visiting my parents the other day, I borrowed my dads old 79s Italian road bike and went for it. It was about about 8 miles but it was worth it. The reservoir is not to be confused with Highland Park though they are right near each other. If you've ever have noticed a bike path on the right hand side of the Jackie Robinson highway going east bound (nearby exit 2 or 3 perhaps), this it where that leads to. If you're biking like I was, there's a pretty decent amount of bike rack space on both sides of the water. The bike racks are also pretty publicly facing so seemed decently safe to me, as long as you have a decent or good lock. With by bike secured, I was able to walk around and take in the spectacular views of the water while enjoying the sounds of hundreds of singing birds, who too decided to spend the day relaxing by the reservoir. I couldn't help but forgot that I was still technically in New York City. Seriously, it felt like I was somewhere here on Long Island. The best part about this park, is that if you're adventurous, it turns out there are some really cool hidden paths all around. I found one that gave took to this unobstructed and extremely private view of the water. I had the entire one half of the park to myself. It was just me, my thoughts and nature. Bring some binoculars if you have any and go bird watching. I spotted some beautiful Red Robin's and blue jays. If you're ever out this way, I HIGHLY suggest you check this place out.