New York City may be known for its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, but visitors are often surprised to find pockets of lush greenery scattered throughout the five boroughs. While Central Park was named the best tourist attraction in America, it isn’t the only grand urban park worth exploring. In Queens, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park offers a sprawling landscape of open fields, scenic trails, and cultural landmarks — without the overwhelming crowds. Among its meadows, the park is home to a zoo, an art museum, and a theater.
At 897 acres, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is even larger than Central Park’s 843 acres, offering plenty of space to explore. Its expansive grounds feature two lakes, miles of walking trails, and historic remnants of two World’s Fairs. The park is located in Flushing, home to one of the most festive American Chinatowns, making it a perfect stop before or after a dim sum feast. To get there, the F train takes visitors from Times Square to 75 Ave station at the southern end of Flushing Meadows in about 40 minutes. The park is also accessible via the Long Island Rail Road and multiple bus routes. LaGuardia Airport is just 10 minutes away, while JFK Airport is a 20-minute drive.
Flushing Meadows, from ash heaps to the World’s Fair
Long before it became a park, the land that is now Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was inhabited by the Matinecock people. In the early 20th century, the area had become an unsightly wasteland filled with ash dumps. That changed in the 1930s when the site was revamped for the 1939-1940 World’s Fair. While most structures from that event were dismantled, the New York City Building remains — it later housed the United Nations before becoming today’s Queens Museum. The park once again played host to the World’s Fair in 1964, leaving behind Space Age relics like the New York State Pavilion, with its Jetsons-esque observation towers, and the soaring rockets that now belong to the New York Hall of Science. But the park’s most iconic landmark is the Unisphere, a 140-foot-tall stainless steel globe surrounded by dancing fountains — a tribute to global unity and the park’s enduring history.
Today, Flushing Meadows (as it’s often referred to by New Yorkers) is a lively, expansive space. One Tripadvisor reviewer put it best: “I always enjoy walking around this gigantic park. It can actually be easy to get lost in here!” The park features several walking trails, including a 5.6-mile loop around Meadow Lake, where park-goers can also go freshwater fishing for perch, carp, and bass. Another water site, the World’s Fair Marina on Flushing Bay, offers boating and kayaking. Tennis lovers will recognize the park as home to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the U.S. Open is held each year. If you prefer to play rather than spectate, the park also has 10 public tennis courts available for a friendly match.
Museums, wildlife, and whimsical attractions at Flushing Meadows
