Fort Tilden Picnic Pavilion

Fort Tilden picnic site is located on the Rockaway Peninsula in the heart of New York City. Fort Tilden is a former military site that overlooks the approach to New York City and today includes athletic fields, hiking trails, an arts center, a theater, and an observatory deck on a historic battery offering spectacular views of Jamaica Bay, New York Harbor, and the Manhattan skyline. Dunes, a maritime forest, freshwater ponds and coastal defense resources including Battery Harris are all here, and it is a short walk to Riis beach. The picnic pavilion is sheltered and accessible, with an accessible restroom just across the road. Potable water is available at the restrooms but not at the pavilion. There are BBQ grills for charcoal fires; wood fires are not allowed. Alcohol is allowed at designated picnic areas, but glass containers are prohibited. Balloons, amplified sound, mechanical rides and inflatable bouncy houses are prohibited. Decorations are allowed provided they do not damage the structure (no staples) and are cleaned up on departure, and directional signs must be removed on departure. Pets are permitted but must be leashed at all times and cannot be left unattended. Dispose of garbage promptly in garbage cans. This is a day-use area. The picnic pavilion is only available on certain Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season, June 20 through September 27, 2026, between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with a 75 person maximum. All vehicles parked at the picnic pavilion need a parking pass, which a pavilion booking does not cover. Picnicking is not the only reason for visiting Fort Tilden: fishing, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and just enjoying a quiet day at the park are also popular activities. Gateway National Recreation Area exists within one of the most urbanized areas of the country, yet the park includes woodlands, sand dunes, beaches, ponds, salt marshes and forests, each of these ecosystems home to a surprising variety of animals, plants, amphibians, insects, and other creatures. Gateway has over 325 species of birds, most of them visiting as they migrate along the Atlantic Flyway, finding food, shelter and protection within the borders of this national park. Great birding spots include the back fort of Fort Tilden and the nearby Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Floyd Bennett Field's North Forty. Jacob Riis Park is located adjacent to Fort Tilden and offers ocean swimming and food concessions from Memorial Day through Labor Day.