RT Gantry Plaza State Park

Waterfront state park featuring landscaped lawns, restored industrial gantries, public piers, and unobstructed skyline views across the river.

General Information

Hours:

Daily: 8am to 10pm
Seasonal schedule: dawn to dusk at certain times of year

Fees:

Free admission

Pet Policy:

Up to two pets allowed in designated areas; not permitted in playgrounds, piers, or certain facilities

Seasons:

All year (best in spring, summer, and fall)

Location:

444 47th Rd, Long Island City, NY 11101

Website:

parks.ny.gov/gantry-plaza-state-park

How to Get There

From Midtown Manhattan (nearest major hotel area, ~2 mi): Take the Queensboro Bridge or the 7 train toward Long Island City, exit near Vernon Boulevard, and walk west toward the East River to reach the waterfront park.

Overview

Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, Queens, opened in stages beginning in 1998 on a former industrial waterfront, has massive steel gantries that once loaded railcars onto barges, now standing as sculptures against the Manhattan skyline. Gardens, piers extending into the East River, and open lawns make it a quiet spot, especially at sunset.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and New York State Parks pages for the Gantry Plaza State Park, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.