Parks in Staten Island Near the Hotel

Choose among these parks by the outdoor setting and activities you want to include. Clay Pit Ponds has wetlands and woodlands, Freshkills has a multi-use path and several distinct areas, and Willowbrook combines trails and natural areas with sports facilities and a playground.

If you’re planning around a particular activity, check the park details below before setting out. Clay Pit Ponds does not allow pets, and riders using its bridle paths must bring their own horses.

Freshkills Park and Willowbrook Park each take about 7 minutes by car from the hotel, but offer different ways to spend time outdoors. Freshkills is a 2,200-acre park being developed on the site of the former world’s largest landfill.

At Freshkills, North Park Phase 1 is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Its facilities include a multi-use pathway, picnic area, bike stations, overlook structures, a parking lot and a composting public restroom.

You can enter at Wild Avenue and East Service Road or through Schmul Park. Access details for Freshkills Park on Staten Island include its entry points and park facilities.

Freshkills also includes Schmul Park, with handball and basketball courts and a playground with climbing equipment, and Owl Hollow Fields on Arthur Kill Road, which has four soccer fields, a pathway, parking and lawn space. The New Springville Greenway runs along the eastern edge of Freshkills, paralleling Richmond Avenue; it is a 3.3-mile multi-use path.

Willowbrook Park is at Richmond Avenue, Victory Boulevard, Ashworth Avenue and Forest Hill Road. Its 214.95 acres include hiking trails, natural areas, public restrooms, barbecuing areas, baseball fields, dog-friendly areas and fishing.

The park also has tennis courts, playgrounds, ballfields and an archery range. Its Carousel for All Children is a handicap-accessible merry-go-round with 51 hand-carved wooden animals. Willowbrook’s paths and pond are among its outdoor features.

Graniteville Quarry Park takes about 10 minutes by car from the hotel, and Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve about 11 minutes. Clay Pit Ponds is a 265-acre preserve near Staten Island’s southwest shore, with wetlands, ponds, sand barrens, spring-fed streams and woodlands. It is open year-round, daily from sunrise to sunset.

Hiking trails and more than five miles of bridle paths cross the preserve. On the White Trail, a wooden overlook at Sharrotts Pond offers a place to watch for Great Blue Herons or egrets.

Amenities also include equestrian trails, a nature center, a visitor center, and pavilion and shelter rentals; the visitor center and rental shelters are identified as accessible.

Pets are not allowed. If you plan to ride, bring your own horse: rentals are not available. The preserve was created in 1981 through acquisition of privately owned land, New York City-owned land and transportation rights-of-way. The Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve has hiking trails and bridle paths.

Elm Park takes about 9 minutes by car from the hotel. Graniteville Quarry Park takes about 10 minutes, while the preceding sections describe features of Freshkills, Willowbrook and Clay Pit Ponds.

For a visit with stated daily hours, North Park Phase 1 at Freshkills and Clay Pit Ponds have clear opening patterns. Hours and access details can change, so check the official site before you go: use NYC Parks for Freshkills and Willowbrook, and New York State Parks for Clay Pit Ponds.

Which parks are closest to the hotel by car?

Freshkills Park and Willowbrook Park each take about 7 minutes by car from the hotel. Elm Park takes about 9 minutes.

Is Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve open year-round?

Yes. The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset throughout the year.

Can you bring a dog to Clay Pit Ponds?

No. Pets are not allowed at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve.

Are horses available to rent at Clay Pit Ponds?

No. The preserve has more than five miles of bridle paths, but riders must bring their own horses.