Gantry Plaza State Park

It is a beautiful place to walk / sit and enjoy the beautiful skyline view. Go on a cool day, and the vibe is just amazing. There are people walking their dogs, some are exercising, someone is playing music, you name it, and it's happening. It's such a scenic, happy place. Don't forget to take a picture with the Pepsi cola sign. We took a ferry to visit here, so I've no idea about parking

I love this park! The scenic view is amazing and relaxing. Great place to take the kiddos. The only thing is that they don’t keep the bathroom clean but other than that I love this park!

Even on a gray, overcast day, Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City is a breath of fresh air. The dramatic skyline views of Manhattan take on a moody, cinematic quality when framed by low-hanging clouds, and the East River shimmers with a quiet, reflective beauty. The park is clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed with ample seating, wide walking paths, and pockets of green space that invite peaceful moments. Even when the sun isn't shining.

We took a relaxing stroll alongside the park’s four piers and gardens which has a unique mist fountain. The name of Gantry Plaza came about from the LIRR having a whole freight operation going with railcars and barges shipping goods between Queens and Manhattan. Huge loading bridges called gantries took cargo back and forth. It has the Pepsi sign that's now a landmark in the park. It’s a great place to enjoy a great time along the river!

It's a wonderful park, with truly unique views of Manhattan. And it's only getting better every year. A ferry service is a fun way to travel to or back. And it's great that some part of the history of the old port there is preserved. There are also a lot of great restaurants in the area and fun concerts in the summertime.

Lovely park, calm and relaxing. When we went it wasn't crowded and there is a library close by. The view is amazing and you can sit and have a nice picnic while you are there or have some food at a near by spot.

Breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline! Perfect spot for a picnic or sunset viewing. The park's waterfront location offers stunning views of the new york city, making it a must-visit for photography enthusiasts. Love the walking and biking paths along the waterfront! Great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise. The park's playground and sports facilities are top-notch, making it an excellent spot for families. Kayaking and paddleboarding rentals are available, offering a unique perspective on the city. There are plenty of seating areas, restrooms, and food vendors make for a comfortable and enjoyable visit. The park's events and programming, such as outdoor concerts and movie screenings, are a great bonus. Highly recommend for a relaxing afternoon stroll. Great spot for a picnic, walk, or bike ride along the waterfront.

The Evening Illumination of the Park reveals a nostalgic ambiance that captivates the very need for peace and calm … All the while being able to see the busy energy across the water is breathtaking.

A beautiful waterfront park in LIC with lots of greenery and scenic views of NYC skyline. Park is kept very clean with a walkway along the East River- a great walk on a bright sunny day. There is a route on the NYC Ferry waterway with a designated stop at this park. The iconic Pepsi signage makes this park even more historically special. Park is an easy walk from the train station and boasts many small restaurants and stores for convenient shopping and eateries. Park isn't too crowded and was able to find a shady seating area to rest and enjoy the picturesque views.

A Long Island sign in queens! Years ago they had the making the band auditions in this same park. This park is a love scene and very picturesque. Plenty of restaurants nearby.

I have to say, I love Gantry Plaza State Park even more than Roosevelt Island. There's an abundance of seating and it always draws a lively crowd, making it feel both vibrant and relaxing. As the sun sets, the park transforms into a picturesque haven--truly stunning at night. One of the highlights is the clean and somewhat modern restroom nearby, which is surprisingly accessible for a public park. A lot of my friends from the eastern part of Queens were unaware of this gem until I brought them here. They were amazed by how expansive and welcoming the area is. For a quick bite, there are several food carts around offering a variety of snacks and treats, perfect if you're feeling hungry while enjoying the park. The park itself is really clean, and I just love to lie down on the grass and take a nap--it's that peaceful. Gantry Plaza State Park is definitely one of my favorite places to hang out in Queens. Super cool, relaxing, and an excellent spot to unwind with friends or solo. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing out on one of Queens' best attractions.

The Manhattan views, the food trucks, the vibe is just what makes Gantry state park worth trying out! Families, kids, couples enjoying their time and kids playing around is just what I need in a busy city. It definitely has a very relaxed charm and so needed on a weekend. We spent an hour and will be going back!

It's a beautiful park with a great view of Manhattan! Been here many times during the morning, day and night. There are rats running around at night from the bush to the grass area which is disgusting but other than that, great place to sit or walk around. Plenty of places to eat at restaurants and food trucks.

Excellent area to hangout for an afternoon. Will be excited for the food trucks and community activities in the summer. There is a nice bandshell, basketball courts, fitness equipment, and fields to lay on. One can have a picnic and run on the waterfront here.

The weather was in the high 80s today. My commute from Bayside to LIC was an hour. Gantry Plaza State Park is one of my favorite waterfront parks. It was less than a 10-minute walk from the Vernon Blvd - Jackson Av subway station. There were a lot of food trucks and restaurants nearby. I was relaxed as the waves crashed against the rocks. I enjoyed eating my delicious lunch. I put on some sunscreen before sunbathing. The cool breeze brushed against my skin on this hot day. Check out the Long Island and Pepsi-Cola signs!

Beautiful park with a great view of midtown Manhattan! For those who want to take nice photos, for families who want to play with their kids, for people who want to go for a picnic for everyone! Go, relax, enjoy! Of course Pepsi Cola sign is the landmark of this park. You can also take the ferry from this location. It will take you out to 34th str in Manhattan or somewhere in Astoria.

The Gantry Plaza State Park is right in the heart of LIC waterfront. A great park to enjoy some of the most beautiful views of the iconic NYC skyline. This park has lots to offer for everyone, plenty of loungers, benches, astroturf for sports, a cafe, and the iconic Pepsi Cola sign. There are a few restaurants and bars right across the street also if your looking for a more substantial meal. Lots and lots of beautiful paths to enjoy a scenic stroll. I really love that they are always adding to and updating this waterfront with more and more landscaping, its only getting better with time! The water ferry makes its breeze to get to and offers the most scenic route in my opinion. I feel like even at the peak of the summer this park is never overly crowded. If you plan on driving, street parking is available but if you aren't lucky enough to get a spot there are several garages near by, and the 7 train station is only a few blocks away. If you plan to visit NYC this landmark is not to be missed.

Pretty epic views of the City's skyline and a comfy place to spread out with friends. There is a stage so sometimes there's a show or live music. There are designated kid, play, grass areas and that helps with flow of foot traffic and the ability to enjoy your desired ambiance. Part of sanity as a New Yorker means seeking out green spaces, hence it's good to have a few favorite parks. Whilst far from Manhattan, it is worth the trip into LIC. Prepare to patiently seek out parking or hand over cash for a parking garage. Tons of food truck vendors line the sidewalks during the high traffic Summer days. Cash is king and choose wisely! Lots to do, lots to see!

Lovely park. Clean. Close to a lot of food and there's a section in the park that sells food You can get a beautiful view of Manhattan. The only down side is there isn't a lot of shade if you want to hang with a big group of friends.

Went there for the first time to watch the Fourth of July firework, my my the view was spectacular!! Great view of the Manhattan skyline with Empire State, pretty sunset, and you see all the fireworks blooming in the sky. 100% recommend to visit on special firework days or just any other normal day to take in the view!

We loved coming to this park. The park is quite long, with a stunning view of Manhattan, very cozy, the air is cleaner, and the atmosphere is peaceful. Our last visit to the park recently disappointed us. It was very noisy, and one of the main reasons was that the park had turned into a "beach picnic area". Loud music, noise, hot dogs and corn were being fried everywhere. It's a shame that this park has turned into a madhouse. I really hope that everything will change and the park will be rated A+ by me and others again.

Very cute and scenic park. Everyone should definately stop by and stroll through it. It gets windy so bring a jacket.

Hands down some of the best views you can get of the city from Queens. So many paths to walk, plenty of seating, ample food trucks.

This park is the gem of Long Island City with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. There are plenty of areas to sit and relax, walk, run, bike, have a picnic, or play with the pups in the dog park. Unfortunately, it can get really crowded on a summer day so it's best to enjoy in the morning or early afternoon if possible. The park also has the landmark Pepsi sign that everyone can see from the Manhattan side of the East River. For food and drinks, there's a restaurant at LIC Landing, food trucks concentrated around the main plaza, and a few restaurants and cafés running along Center Blvd.

Beautiful, stunning park work breathing views of east side of Manhattan . Waiting to return!

I love LIC piers and especially enjoy coming out during the summertime. It's beautiful to walk along and perfect view on the Manhattan skyline. A lot of restaurants nearby, "American brass" happens to be one of my favorites, if you're ever around, it's the perfect spot to go catch some lunch or dinner. I took the ferry here to green point a couple of times so it's very accessible, a lot of space - there's an ottamenelli's too if you want to grab a coffee or burger and sit by the tables located. A dog park, turf to play soccer, even sand for volley ball. You can spend the whole day here. My dog loves it and it's a perfect spot to hang out with my family!!

What a great place to view the Manhattan skyline whether it's in the morning or sunset. It's a large park that spans a couple of city blocks along the East River. There's plenty of room to take in the view. And if you're a photographer, like myself, there's plenty of places you can take photos without getting in the way of other folks. I love the little doggie park and benches in the park. A nice way to unwind and relax after a long day.

Haven't posted a review in a while, adding a short one today :) Perfect day to stop by the park and enjoy the weather. Bring a picnic mat and just hang out. You can see the views of the city and walk around. There's lots of space but it also gets pretty busy. You can order food nearby and eat it in the park!

The Gantry Plaza State Park is located on the waterfront and has become a popular tourist destination, offering complimentary events and easy access through the ferry. I enjoy taking a walk in the park when the weather is nice. I appreciate the presence of food options nearby so that I can grab something quick and enjoy the park. There are also food trucks available. Additionally, the fancy designed public library is located right next to the park for photo taking and visiting. It is dog-friendly, so you can bring your furry friend along. There are many beautiful flowers and trees to see. I would love for the staff to add information about the history of the park and list the names of the flowers and trees, to educate visitors.

Beautiful views here. Gantry Plaza State Park is nice. It seems to be a popular place with joggers. Dog friendly. The best thing about it is looking across the East River. Clean and good for families. It has a pretty nice playground. The area seems to be safe. Across the river is a great view of Manhattan. The skyline from over here is spectacular. A favorite spot of mine is the area with the piers. There's a large Long Island sign. It makes for taking great pictures. Over in this area they have concerts in the summer. It also has a place to get coffee. There's a concession area for snacks. It also has athletic facilities. There's places to play soccer and volleyball. It's one of my favorite places in Long Island City. Recently they've added Hunter's Point South Park which is south of it. This is pretty close to the Vernon Jackson station.

NYC's best hidden secret ...at least that is how I felt when I first moved to long Island City. I feel like a lot New Yorkers don't really know of this area since it's not in the city and is in Queens. Best Views of NYC...especially during the summer. There is plenty of space to throw a picnic or to host a get together with friends. There are multiple dog parks around here and the easiest way to get here is via ferry. There are two ferry stops (long Island City and Hunter's Point). Very convenient! The closet subway stop is vernon blvd on the 7 (one stop from grand central)- very close to Manhattan. The Long Island City ferry stop is right by the pepsi sign and the Hunter's Point ferry stop is a little more South and located across the volleyball court area. Lots of people come here to exercise outdoors during the summer. There are a couple restuarants in the area as well if you get hungry or thirsty. There are also two nearby supermarkets (ubran market and food cellar) if you want to buy snacks or drinks. There is a public bathroom as well. Come here for the views- day or night..still amazing!!

OK, I have to admit before I ever set foot in NYC, my impressions were shaped by "That Girl", that 1960's-era chestnut of a sitcom starring an impossibly adorable Marlo Thomas as struggling actress Ann Marie who lived in an impossibly spacious Manhattan apartment. They flashed images of NYC during the opening montage, and one that stuck out in my memory was of the United Nations Building from the East River. Now I know where they must have taken the shot as Gantry Plaza offers glorious views of Manhattan from the shoreline in Long Island City. It's a 12-acre park named after the gantries that carried freight cars from Queens to Manhattan. The gantries are still there as historical landmarks as is the gigantic vintage Pepsi sign (photo). Indeed this is true New York. Diamonds, Daisies, Snowflakes, That Girl! Chestnuts, Rainbows, Springtime... Is That Girl! RELATED - Traveling to New York City? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2ZvQA2F

Wow, what a hidden secret. It feels like you have transported out of New York City, away from the hustle and bustle, and are surrounded by only nice, upstanding people in a clean and comfortable space. We even felt comfortable leaving some things in the park to save our spot and going for a walk, and our instincts were right - nothing had been touched, moved, or taken when we came back. Amazing views of Manhattan can be seen from the park, which explains why hordes of people took the subway across the river to view 4th of July fireworks here. Luckily my friend lives in the high rise building just next to the park so we were able to watch comfortably with an unobstructed view from her balcony. The entire park and surrounding streets were packed with people by the time it got dark, so I guess it's not really that much of a secret at all.

A seriously gorgeous park overlooking the Manhattan skyline and although it gets very crowded here on very nice days in the spring, summer or fall, it's a lot less touristy than Brooklyn Bridge Park, so SSSHHHHHHH keep it like that. For one, the area is a lot less commercial because most of the eating establishments are not right on the water, but there are a few that are very close to a a few blocks away. In addition, the views of Manhattan and NYC landmarks probably aren't as iconic as the ones from Brooklyn Bridge Park where people can get great shots of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges as well as downtown Manhattan. Most of the views from Gantry Plaza are of the east side of Midtown, which is for lack of a better word, less appealing, but still awesome. Gantry Plaza not only has multiple piers that people can walk out onto to take photos, but there are multiple grassy areas and beach chair-style benches that people can just lay out on to read, relax or tan. Also, the 2 most iconic landmarks here, the Long Island sign and Pepsi sign, are very easily accessible along the walkway and can easily be photographed of or with. Honestly, even though I'm Brooklyn through and through, I love Gantry Plaza more than Brooklyn Bridge because it's much more serene, peaceful and secluded. It has a much more local feel to it, which I would much rather prefer.

What kind of tree grows here? A Gan Tree! Water View? More like What A View! This is a very specifically planned area to give fancy restaurants some nice views over across the water to Manhattan from Long Island City. Maybe they'll be able to charge more for mediocre food, LOL. But for the views alone it has to get five stars. It's also the lovely park next to this area, and provides amazing views. My fave thing here is the amazing close up of the iconic Pepsi sign! Long Island City is converting from all-industrial to semi-hipster semi-industrial, and this is one of the definitively Hipster elements to it, and absolutely gorgeous as well.

Absolutely beautiful!!!! Breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline. I leave NY for a short time and look what happens! It is a lovely place to take a walk. We arrived early on a Saturday morning and was able to take advantage of the sites and sounds of the city. Local People strolling with their dogs for a morning walk and not having the crowds of a late day visit was very refreshing and relaxing. A small group was playing volleyball. What a lovely spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. It's the perfect photo op of the skyline

beautiful water side park with plenty of outdoor seating and tons of restaurants nearby. There are plenty of citibike locations nearby too so you can always rent and bike around. We ordered take out and just ate in the park.

Love the gantry state park. A great spot to talk a walk, picnic, people watching, dog watching, snapping photos of the Pepsi sign, and of course the City. What is a good spot to take in the NYC skyline? Not in the City. The park is generally clean. If you are planning to pay a visit, I hope that you will keep it clean when you leave. It used to be much cleaner before COVID, as more people come out to enjoy some fresh air and hang out outdoors, some forget that this is a public space and we should all care for it. So please please please pick up your garbage. The best time to be here is almost all hours. The park is a nice collection of cherry trees. It has a dreamy spring scene. It also has a lovely tulips patch. You won't be disappointed if you love colors. Summer/ warmer months are nice to be here. It gets a bit too cold in the winter but you will get a sobering walk for sure. You can access the park by subway, ferry, and Citi bikes. I wouldn't recommend driving. There are too many one way streets and street parking spots are hard to come by. If you walk the whole thing in a circle, it will come out to roughly 4 miles. No bad right. Enjoy :)

This park holds the famous Pepsi Cola Sign, whose old school charm is overshadowed by the numerous surrounding high rise buildings that glint against the sun and give the area Blade Runner vibes-- very fitting for the times we're in. Setting my thoughts about gentrification aside, the park is quite lovely, with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline and is steps away from the NYC Ferry stop, so you can leave the ferry from Manhattan's 34th st stop and be at this park in mere minutes. My biggest gripe about the park is that there are very few shady areas, and the few that exist are often occupied by other people who want respite from summer's aggressive heat. The need to social distance makes these few shady corners even harder to come by. The park could use some trees is all I'm saying. Otherwise, there are clean public restrooms and excellent people watching to be done here. Bring a blanket, a frisbee, and a claw and you have yourself a safe, pandemic-friendly activity.

Stone's throw away from Manhattan on the 7 -- a beautiful, peaceful oasis for humans and dogs alike. Gorgeous waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline can't be beat. Loved the space, the air, everything. Felt like I could breathe here without wanting to punch anyone out. Those that have furry pals, they have clean dog runs for large and small pups and plenty of room and paths for sniffing and walking. Will be back to sit and enjoy a slice of LIC.

A beautiful park with incredible views of NYC! It's impeccably kept too. I see people tending to the flowers and maintaining the boardwalk all the time. This is a great spot for a walk or to pause for a picnic.

In the year 2022, I visited this park on July 4th, 2022 for the fireworks and no cellphone services in the area. The park layout is nice but it needs more cellphone towers in the area. Now there are food trucks on the side of the park on the curbside. but there is a field to play any sport you choose to play. the view from the park is amazing. There are restrooms available on both sides of the park. My images are copyrighted and I have taken these for the city of new york. There are shopping markets and Walgreens down the street in a nice neighborhood. You will have tons of sunlight there. Yes, there is a children's playground available for families. The subway is also up the block from the park. you are 5-10 minutes away from Vernon Blvd where there are more shops and restaurants or bars. So come check out the waterfront while you are here still in summer 2023 and explore and have fun in Long Island City friends.

Bring an oygyen tank with you, because the views here are breathtaking! Seriously, I really like the park on the Queens side of the East River. I sometimes take a run at lunchtime from my office in Court Square and it's lovely to run the full length of the park. It's roughly a half mile between the northern ferry stop and the southern ferry stop and in between there are plenty of benches, lawns, dog runs, playgrounds and fields for folks and animals of all shapes and sizes to enjoy. The views are spectacular. It's easy to see down to One World Trade and all across midtown. As nice as it is during the day, the views are more impressive at night when the Manhattan skyline is festively lit! And even if you're more of a Coca Cola fan, you'll admire the iconic Pepsi sign. It's fun to imagine you're Joan Crawford when she was married to PepsiCo Chairman Alfred Steele and you're making some unreasonable demands of the Board of Directors! Or maybe that's just me. In any event, this is a great park. If you're from out of town and hadn't considered coming here, change your plans immediately. It's easy enough to take the 7 train and make a 10 minute walk to the riverfront. You'll be glad you did.

If you wanna enjoy viewing the new your skyline in peace then you must visit gantry state park and enjoy the serine environment. Parking is a bit rough over there so suggest to use public transportation to get there. Also when there I would recommended to take the Rosvelt Island trolley.

This location is still so very beautiful and a delightful place to come. The spring time is by far the best. If you thought to yourself that you ever wanted to get a dog this place will make you want to get one. They have two dog parks and are in the process of making the pier more accessible to the public. The best part of the park is the awesome views. You literally have a view from the 59th street bridge all the way down to the freedom towers. The park got some better upkeep since my last review. There is a playground for children closer to the iconic Pepsi Cola sign. Being outside and looking around not your thing? Try checking out the restaurant blend on the water they have the best views for eating. Of course if you're a coffee lover they have coffeed with seating areas right next to the ferry. But be careful at night time because the rats like to run around outside like they own the place. The ferries have two different locations along the east river that can take you to astoria, wall street and 34th street. I'm sure there is more but I cannot remember them off the top of my head. The fun thing is that they have a field area where most people are playing soccer or depending on the time of year you can catch a outside movie. But that is only in the summer months. This place is great for people watching if you are into that sort of thing. I can't even tell you the countless amounts of people who come here after they just get married. To think this used to be a wasteland of train yards. Some sections of the park actually have the original train tracks. Being in this neighborhood for over 30 years is amazing. It is wild to see what they did with the area. If you're looking to workout or play some basketball you're able to do that as well because there are some sections for this kid of play. As, I mentioned earlier there is two sections for your dogs to play because they have their own little park. There is also a bicycle lane. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IS TRYING TO FIND PARKING IS TERRIBLE. You've been warned. The 7 train is about 3 blocks away from the park. I don't recommend this place for people who are allergy ridden, you definitely need to bring your asthma pump with you. If you hate dogs don't come here. If you hate children running around don't come here. If you hate tons of families walking around and seeing the sights then don't come here. We definitely don't need that kind of hate in such a wonderful location.

SUCH a nice park. I wish I had known about this place earlier because I would've come here a lot more often. From Flushing, you just have to take the 7 train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Ave Station and walk for about 10 minutes. The park is super spacious - grassy areas for you to sit, multiple benches along the water, hammocks, etc. There's even a playground in the park for kids. This is perfect to stay socially distanced while hanging out with friends outside. You can go for a jog along the water, have a picnic underneath the Pepsi-Cola sign, or walk on the pier. They have a lot of spots for photo opportunities as well. My friends and I stayed out after our picnic to watch the sunset behind the NYC skyline - amazing view!! Once the sun is down, you can get some nice pictures with a red hue from the lit up Pepsi-Cola sign. It was very peaceful here and doesn't feel crowded at all if you find a good spot to stay at. I will definitely come back in the future for more picnics or try taking a ride on the Long Island City ferry. :)

Beautiful park. I'm not sure when it was renovated, but is extremely well maintained. I felt fine lying on their modern looking benches with perfect waterfront views of Manhattan. You can also get some great shots of the Pepsi-Cola sign and the Long Island City sign. You can walk on a pier and also visit the new Hunter Queens Library nearby afterwards. This place reminds me of a more peaceful Battery Park. I was surprised to not so many other people here when I came on a Sunday Fall afternoon. Perhaps it gets more crowded in the Summer, but crossing my fingers it stays this quiet. There are plenty of food options around the area. It's also near the Waterway, so you could catch a boat to Brooklyn or the City pretty easily. This place is perfect whether you want a nice romantic stroll or to be alone with a book. There is something so calming about looking at the water here (probably because there aren't 100 other people there like in DUMBO or Battery Park).

This isn't something I would come all the way to Queens for on it's own, but it's definitely neat to see and good for a photo opportunity. It has the historical Pepsi sign, but it's also a nicely kept park with benches, where you can rest and enjoy views of the water and Manhattan. It's also right next to the Long Island City ferry dock. I would recommend coming to Queens on the ferry for the views, to try some of the amazing ethnic cuisine, and explore the neighborhood, with this as part of the agenda.

This LIC park is wonderful! They have a food and beverage stand, multiple chairs along the waterfront, a volleyball court and an area for people to cater a dinner. So many seats to enjoy the sun and gaze at the Hudson! There are dog parks and children playgrounds in Gantry. They also have AstroTurf soccer field where kids were tossing around a football. We arrived on a weekend to stroll, to walk off a heavy meal and enjoy the sunset. The view of the Manhattan skyline was amazing! It was a little crowded on the weekend but great for people watching! People were taking scenic pictures for prom and sweet 16s. I will definitely come back to throw a frisbee, and enjoy the waterfront. Avoid the water because sometimes when it rains, there is overflow of sewage.

A scenic, wonderfully designed park along the queens side of the East river stretching from just south of the 59th Street Bridge all the way to the Williamsburg border. Plenty of playgrounds and open lawn spaces. Winding trails through replanned salt marshes. There are plenty of benches, loungers, and picnic tables all around. Scattered throughout the park are public restrooms and concession stands and food trucks. The only downside is the limited parking and distance from the subway.

You get a magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline for free!!! There's plenty of grass for sunbathing, having a picnic, throwing a frisbee with friends, etc. Strolling down the park during sunset you get the best experience since you get to see the Manhattan skyline day view and then night view. It really is breathtaking the first time around. The downside is that this area is still up and coming so, immediately around the park are nice, big, and new condos but after that and around the train station area there are some places that look a little sketchy. Getting here via car, the street parking is a but difficult. Getting here via the train, it'll be about a 15 minute walk here. Overall a very great experience. My wife and I have come back here a few times now. There are a few restaurants around the area so if picnicking isn't your thing; there's always dine in, but you might want to check if the restaurant has a dresscode before going. We will definitely be returning to Gantry State Park.

Love gantry state park! A great place to walk, people watch, picnic, bike riding, and staring at the gorgeous skyline of NYC.

Gantry Plaza State Park offers great view across East River, and it's very relaxing to sit and stare out at the river. The park is maintained well and has many seating areas. I brought goodies I bought from the pastry shop Cannelle LIC and enjoyed brunch here. It will definitely give you a mood boost!

For my 100th Yelp review, I decided it was only right that I reviewed my favorite place in all of NYC: Gantry Plaza State Park Gantry stretches along the waterfront of LIC and offers plenty of amenities ranging from a dog park to well-maintained areas for running and lounging. There are interesting artistic pieces scattered throughout the park that double up as spots to sit and rest. The park is spacious, peaceful, and not overcrowded with tourists. I really hope it stays that way. The breath-taking view back into Manhattan is definitely the best part about Gantry. It's so easy to forget what a special place NYC is when you're constantly stuck inside the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. There was a time when I was disgruntled about everything ranging from the rat-infested subways to my grumpy landlord. You name it, I hated it. But then I discovered gems like Gantry Plaza State Park that reminded me of how excited I was when I first moved to NYC. It's truly a special feeling when you can look back into the city and admire the beautiful skyline and architecture without needing to be bombarded by the overwhelming sounds, smells, and people of NYC. It's here that I finally realized what Alicia Keys meant when she sang matter-of-factly "New York... concrete jungle where dreams are made (of)."

Gantry Plaza State Park right in the heart of Long Island City. You are a contemporary modern day park with all the amenities that anyone could ask for. Beautiful benches and chair for all to sit and enjoy the spectacular view of the Manhattan Skyline on the Queens side. The smell of the East River! Oh my! Fresh air and that cool breeze on a hot, humid and muggy day like today. Photography aficionados taking snapshot from their iphone, android, and camera. Families walking around the park and children playing in the park. There is something for everyone. I will be back for some of their activities. Just so peaceful and quiet early in the morning. You had me at Hello this morning. :-)

The view of Manhattan across the waterfront is absolutely breathtaking. We were able to watch the sun set, and the skyscrapers light up from darkness. There is so much I envisioned in the summer here since I visited a few days ago (December). There is a section that has an outdoor elliptical along with other outdoor equipment which I thought was nice. My bf and I plan to return in the future for an outdoor workout. The walking paths, are open and clear of debris. There are tons of chairs to relax in a variety of styles, there is a onsite snack/coffee shop (you can also purchase a glass of wine). There is also a restroom located at the snack shop which was also clean. There is a section for soccer, and a sandy area for volleyball, several parks for small children. The park is very open and spacious for enjoying a picnic with the family, relaxing with a favorite book, or enjoying kicking back to enjoy the view.

To continue our summer tradition of picnic in the park we came to Gantry Plaza State Park. I can't begin to tell you how gorge it is. Being able to view the beautiful Manhattan skyline without stepping an actual foot in Manhattan is priceless. It felt like we were on a mini vacation with a breathtaking view right at our fingertips. I can't believe how open and spacious this place is. It's the perfect park for date night, family fun, sunbathing or having a picnic. Out of all the parks we've visited this one is the most breathtaking and romantic.