Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park

This is my favorite corner of New York City, and lucky for me, it's just one block away from my building.  Empire State Park is the perfect backyard for anyone who wants to get outside without getting mobbed by the crowds in Central Park or Prospect Park.  It's usually empty, and on afternoons & weekends I come here to get sun, read, have lunch at a picnic table (there are plenty), and stretch before a run. I'll always remember my first week living in Dumbo, when my roommates and I sat here to watch a fantastic fireworks show on the anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge.  This park has the *best view of the bridges, downtown, and Manhattan, and you'd be missing out if you didn't have a trip over.

I love, love, love, love, love, (did I say love??)  this park.  It is the most beautiful, peaceful oasis in all of New York City, and I am so happy it's right here in Brooklyn.  When I first discovered it a few years ago,  I was riding the Q train and through the window I spotted this park, right there between the bridges, with people lounging on the grass and dipping their toes in the water.  I had no idea it even existed!  That weekend, I went to the park and fell in love.  I called it my "secret park "because not too many people knew about it.  Well, since that time it has become this glorious thing, spread out across several piers with a merry-go-round, playgrounds, and cute little places to buy food, and drinks, and what not.  

If I could, I would build a little house smack-dab in the middle, and just live there, watching the boats go by and enjoying the water.

Great views from either side, top or bottom. We chose to do the top on the way to the Statue and Ellis which worked out great, then exit wasn't as long as I would have thought. Plus, the views were great from all sides of the ferry. On the way back, we did the bottom (exhausted and thought we would cut the already minimal exit off), still great views.

This is a beautiful park, like no other. Smacked between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge is an area of lush green grass, where you can frolick and play on a sunny afternoon! This place is wonderful! Great date place also ;-)

Place is great, came here for a date. The park's perfect for those photographers out there. Even though there's a good amount of people that come here, it's still pretty quiet. Great place to explore, as well. They also have an organic food market there, during the Sunday I went. Bottomline, great place to come for a date or for photographers. Views are amazing.

Rolling hills and open lawns by the river. This park offers the best views of downtown Manhattan.

rainy day visit. No parking problems - yah!  incredible views of the river and bridges plus you can walk right to the water's edge.  Love to come back on a sunny day and have a picnic here  plenty of food places right near by.  Loved the remaining old turn of the prior century cobblestone streets and trolley tracks in the few places where they weren't fully removed. Where's that Trolley now?  I heard there was a group trying to bring one back to Brooklyn

This is a tiny state park - thanks to my cousin having served as a former Park Ranger here - I can tell you that this is the smallest State Park in New York. Despite its location here in the city, it is still State operated and maintained, and it is a wonderful place to come and hang out. You have a great view - especially during the 4th of July - and I totally saw U2 perform here! Nearby there is a great pizzeria that serves some of the best pizza in the city - Brooklyn style - and I love coming here. Great place to bring a couple of friends and throw a frisby around, maybe kick a soccer ball, and have lunch.

As this park is right between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge, you get dramatic views of both.  It's a nice place to relax next to the East River.

To the right of me glows the Manhattan Bridge, blue beams carry across cars, buses, and trains.  To the right proudly prods up the Brooklyn Bridge, doing what it does best.

This 9 acre park is state owned. You can sit in the grass under the bridges away from the sunshine, relax on the big rocks going down to the side of the east river, look through the tiny odd colored rocks bordering the water.. or even enjoy some free concerts and movies!