Skip to content
My Trips Plan a trip

National Recreation Area

Gateway National Recreation Area

  • Northeast

Plan a Gateway trip

About Gateway

Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for millions of visitors every year. Gateway offers green spaces and beaches alongside historic structures and cultural landscapes. Every day, Gateway is open for you to explore, envision, and enjoy!

From the National Park Service.

Region
Northeast
States
New York and New Jersey
Designation
National Recreation Area
Entrance fee
None listed
  • Trail data for this park is still being added.
  • Places for this park are still being added.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, weather and getting to Gateway.

Entrance fees

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.

Hours

Jamaica Bay Unit hours

Mon
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Tue
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Wed
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Thu
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Fri
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Sat
6:00AM - 9:00PM
Sun
6:00AM - 9:00PM

Includes Bergen Beach, Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Tilden, Frank Charles Park, Hamilton Beach, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Canarsie Pier, Jacob Riis Park, North Channel Bridge, Plumb Beach and Spring Creek.

Weather and when to go

Gateway National Recreation Area includes several separate land areas spread throughout the New York metropolitan area. The New York area experiences four distinct seasons. Temperatures are moderate in the spring and fall, but range from the high 90's during the summer to snow and sleet in winter.

Getting there

Gateway is located in two states; NJ and NY, and has three units: Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook and Staten Island. You can access most of our park by car and public transportation. Please visit our website for specific directions to all of our units

Directions from the National Park Service

Contact the park

Address
210 New York Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
Official site
nps.gov/gate

From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.

Trip planner

A day-by-day plan for Gateway

Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.

Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.

Things to do in Gateway

The park service's own list, with how long each takes.

  • Fishing at Gateway

    Fishing · about 3.3 hours

    Visitors are able to fish at many sites throughout Gateway. A fishing/parking permit is required after hours throughout the park. There are also some sites that require permits at…

  • Sandy Hook Multi Use Path

    Road Biking · about 1.3 hours

    See the breathtaking natural scenery and historic military buildings of Sandy Hook's peninsula by bike. Sandy Hook's multi use path is open year-round. The park is open from 5 am…

  • Cross Country Skiing at Floyd Bennett Field

    Cross-Country Skiing · about 2.7 hours

    After a snow fall visitors can cross country ski in Floyd Bennett Field's North Forty Natural Area. Park rangers will cut a trail through the snow for visitors to follow.

  • Birdwatching at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

    Birdwatching · about 1.7 hours

    The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is well known as a great place to bird watch, for both the beginner and experienced birdwatchers.

Campgrounds in Gateway

Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.

What to pack for Gateway

Gear & Essentials

Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:

The basics

Worth having in the car whatever the park.

For this trip

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

More park sites in New Jersey

All 11 in New Jersey All National Recreation Areas