In the deep south of Staten Island, this lush, more-than-300-acre green space was formed by glacial movement 20,000 years ago, and boasts enough plant and animal life to make you feel like you’re in Jurassic Park. Passing through the bucolic neighborhood of Prince’s Bay en route to the entrance begins to calm the mind, and as you continue farther south, narrow woodland trails, which can be hiked or biked, disappear invitingly into the dense foliage on either side of the street. The virtually empty beach—bordered by a playground, a tennis court and a Battle of the Bulge monument—features fine red, clay-based sand and has lifeguards on weekends and holidays through Labor Day. The shore gives way to the glassy, blue surface of freshwater inlet Raritan Bay, where 19th-century fishermen and oystermen made their living. Stand still long enough at its Japanese-honeysuckle-ringed edge, and you’ll hear yellowthroat birds warble, see a turtle slip beneath the water’s surface, and view a stalking heron snatch a bass for lunch.
Getting there: Even though it’s at the southern end of the island, the trip doesn’t involve buses (hallelujah). From the Staten Island Ferry, take the 30-minute journey on the Staten Island Rail to Prince’s Bay, walk south on Seguine Avenue, turn left onto Hylan Boulevard and continue to Cornelia Avenue. Cornelia Ave at Hylan Blvd, Staten Island (nyc.gov/parks)—Christopher Ross
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Sometimes, you just don’t have the time, money or energy for a getaway. Thankfully, there are bucolic refuges in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Hell, there’s even places in Manhattan’s perpetually mobbed Central Park to escape your fellow denizens. Pick up a friend or a book, and go reclaim some peace of mind.
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