Fort Tilden, which once housed antiaircraft missiles, is nearby. It lies by a freshwater pond and a maritime forest and is often used for art exhibitions. An observatory deck provides breath-taking views of Jamaica Bay, all the way to the Manhattan skyline. Floyd Bennett Field, which straddles the Brooklyn-Queens border, is a former airfield that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hangar A and Hangar B are often open to the public and display historic aircraft and other exhibits. Some of the hangars have been converted into a sport arena and ice-skating rinks. Inside scoop: Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of destruction in the Rockaways, but the area has bounced back and has various healthy shopping strips. Beach 116th Street has some fun restaurants, such as Cuisine by Claudette, and some great stores, such as Blue Bungalow. Address: www.nps.gov/gate. Gantry Plaza State Park Gantry Plaza State Park covers 12 acres of shoreline on the borough’s Western coast. With the East River and Midtown Manhattan to the immediate west, the park contains playing fields, fishing piers, a promenade, and outdoor furniture in a site that was once a dock facility with gantry cranes. A 120-foot-long and 60-foot-high neon Pepsi-Cola sign adds to the mystical, urban-rural feel. (The soda maker used to operate a bottling plant in the northern portion.) Inside scoop: The park keeps growing. Recently, LIC Landing was completed in a section to the south of Gantry. With similar spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, this new public space features a promenade, children’s play area, fields, and an upscale café, COFFEED. A ferry that goes to Manhattan and Brooklyn stops there too. Address: 4-09 47th Road, Long Island City, and www. nysparks.com. Forest Park Thanks in large part to a glacier that passed through about 20,000 years ago, today’s Forest Park is a windy and hilly 538 acres with natural hiking and horse-riding paths through what is called “knob and kettle” terrain. Despite a few years of lumbering and a chestnut blight in 1912, the 67 QUEENS IN YOUR POCKET • www.itsinqueens.com 67
QIP2015
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