Flushing Bay Promenade, a hidden gem New Yorkers don't even go to

For more free stuff to see and do in Queens, click on the menu above or to the side.

The Flushing Bay Promenade is one of those spots that feels like a collision between old-school New York infrastructure and nature trying its best to reclaim the shoreline. It is a massive stretch of waterfront that feels hidden in plain sight, right in the shadow of Citi Field and LaGuardia.

I started the walk near the beginning of the promenade, and right away I saw a hole pried into the fence that was clearly an "unofficial" shortcut. I watched a steady stream of people just casually ducking through it to get toward the airport. It’s basically a hidden entrance for locals who know the geography better than the city planners do, and seeing everyone treat a gap in a chain-link fence like a legitimate transit hub was a great way to start the trip.

The promenade itself is actually really pretty once you get moving. You’ve got these wide-open views of the bay and the planes taking off from LaGuardia feel like they’re right on top of you. It’s a great mix of industrial noise and waterfront peace.

The history of this place is pretty interesting because it wasn’t always this accessible. A lot of the land here was built up or modified for the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. Back in the day, this whole area was basically a giant ash dump (the "valley of ashes" from The Great Gatsby). It took the vision of guys like Robert Moses to turn the marshland into the park system we have now, though he mostly did it to create a grand entrance for the Fairs. 

Over the years, the promenade went through some rough patches with pollution and neglect, but it’s been fixed up quite a bit. You can still see the hexagonal asphalt pavers that are so classic to 1960s NYC parks. Even with the roar of the planes, the walk is peaceful. You see a lot of people out there just taking in the water or watching the dragon boats practicing in the bay.

If you want a walk that feels historical but still has that rugged, slightly DIY Brooklyn/Queens edge to it, this is the spot.