of the hangars have been converted into a sport arena and iceskating
101
rinks.
Inside scoop: Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of destruction in
the Rockaways, but the area has bounced back and has various
healthy shopping strips. Beach 116th Street has some fun
restaurants, such as Cuisine by Claudette.
Address: www.nps.gov/gate.
Fort Tilden, which was established in 1917, is named after
Samuel Tilden, who was governor of New York State in 1875
and 1876. It once housed antiaircraft missiles to defend from
attack be sea and air.
The fort was decommissioned in 1974 and control was
transferred to the National Park Service. It lies by a freshwater
pond and a maritime forest and is often used for art exhibitions.
An observatory deck provides breath-taking views of Jamaica
Bay, all the way to the Manhattan skyline.
Inside scoop: Two nonprofits – the Rockaway Artist Alliance and
the Rockaway Theatre Company – offer programs there.
Address: Vicinity of Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Breezy
Point.
Fort Totten Park is actually a preserved Civil War fortress that
became a working U.S. Army installation and now provides
space for the United States Army Reserve. With over 60 acres,
the area has large fields, dilapidated houses, an old officers’ club,
a sports complex, and a public swimming pool. Patrons can take
canoes into the Long Island Sound, explore a fortress, observe
migrating birds or play soccer. The park is also a frequent host to
special events, and on Halloween, Rangers allow individuals to
get spooked at a haunted house in the old water battery.
Inside scoop: The Bayside Historical Society is located in the
former Fort Totten Officers’ Club, which is known as “the
Castle.” The venue is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. See the History section for more information.
Address: 422 Weaver Rd., Bayside, www.forttottenparks.org.
Gantry Plaza State Park covers 12 acres of shoreline on the
borough’s Western coast. With the East River and Midtown
Manhattan to the immediate west, the park contains playing
fields, fishing piers, a promenade, and outdoor furniture in a site
that was once a dock facility with gantry cranes. A 120-footlong
and 60-foot-high neon Pepsi-Cola sign, which has NYC
Landmark status, adds to the mystical, urban-rural feel. (The soda
/gate
/www.forttottenparks.org
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/www.forttottenparks.org
