Wards Island Park
📍 Manhattan, NY
Accessible via the 103rd Street footbridge, Wards Island Park offers full-size soccer and baseball fields, cycling and running paths, picnic grills, and views of the Triborough and Hell Gate bridges.
Wards Island is the spot you end up at for a soccer tournament or a random summer BBQ. Huge fields everywhere, views of the Triborough and Hell Gate are solid. The walk over from 103rd Street footbridge feels like you're leaving the city. No stores though—pack your own food and water. Bathrooms exist but spread out. Gets windy. Quiet on weekdays, chaos on weekends. Good for what it is.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for active families with school-age children who want serious field space away from Manhattan's density. Soccer leagues and informal matches run most weekends. Cyclists and runners appreciate the low-traffic road system. Families needing café facilities or on-site food will need to pack everything in, as no vendors operate on the island.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →1,629 Google reviews
Luis
a month ago
“Wards Island is the spot you end up at for a soccer tournament or a random summer BBQ. Huge fields everywhere, views of the Triborough and Hell Gate are solid. The walk over from 103rd Street footbridge feels like you're leaving the city. No stores though—pack your own food and water. Bathrooms exist but spread out. Gets windy. Quiet on weekdays, chaos on weekends. Good for what it is.”
Rudd Rayns
11 months ago
“Load of great walking areas. Toilets are far apart and few. This is a great area to exercise, go on long bicycle rides and running. The roads all look new and the area is very clean. The road system is mostly one way, the signage for the fields are a little hard to see, but slow driving helps with that. There is plenty of parking. There are plenty of trash cans around.”
Isaias Bermudez-Martes
8 months ago
“Clean Park with picnic areas to cook on the grille's, and enjoy the Manhattan Skyline or East River view. Many, soccer fields and baseball fields. Also, located on the Island is the shelter. A crappy shelter by the way.”
Daisy Malave
3 years ago
“Ever since my sister took me here, I have loved this park! Keep coming back with its beautiful flowers and view of Astoria Park across the way. Looking at boats all day and the East River!”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Wards Island Park sits between Manhattan and Queens, reached by a free pedestrian footbridge from East 103rd Street. Full-size soccer and baseball fields cover the majority of the island, supported by a newly resurfaced road system and clear field signage. Picnic areas with grills line the waterfront. Views of both the Triborough Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge frame every visit. Restrooms exist and are spread across the island, so plan accordingly.
