Frank Charles Park

Frank Charles Park

Quick Facts

Amenities

8 listed

Information, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Playground, Public Transit, Restroom, Toilet - Flush

Frank Charles Memorial Park, originally part of New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation, includes playgrounds, ball fields, shoreline access for fishing, as well as fragile, protected marshlands.

Get Started

Frank M. Charles Memorial Park was created in the 1940s. The park is approximately 20-acres and sits on the edge of Jamaica Bay with a view of John F. Kennedy airport. Visitors can watch planes routinely take off and fly over the park as they head toward their destinations.

The park was transferred to the National Park Service in 1972 after Gateway National Recreation Area was created by act of Congress. The park provides recreational activities for the public, while preserving some of the marshes in Jamaica Bay. The park is also a large breeding ground for horseshoe crabs during the late spring to early summer seasons.

People are often seen fishing and kayaking in the waters of Jamaica Bay at Frank Charles Park, while others choose to simply sunbathe and rest in the sandy waterfront.

The park has basketball courts, a handball court, two large baseball fields, multiple tennis courts, a playground, a sandbox, and plenty of grassy space for picnicking. The walking paths are lined with benches for walkers to stop and take in the sights and sounds around the park. From time to time, volunteers from various community groups host clean up efforts to help preserve the marshes along the bay's edge.

Other Services

Playground. Sports Fields (Baseball, Football, Soccer). Basketball Courts. Tennis Courts. Picnic Area. Restrooms. Waterfront.