Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
John Jay Park in New York
Categories
Location on the map
New York, New York County, New York, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
No
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Phone: +1 212-794-6566
Site: https://www.nycgovparks.org/park...
Site: https://www.nycgovparks.org/park...
Opening hours
- Monday:7AM–10PM
- Tuesday:7AM–10PM
- Wednesday:7AM–10PM
- Thursday:7AM–10PM
- Friday:7AM–10PM
- Saturday:7AM–10PM
- Sunday:7AM–10PM
Comments (199)
Take your kids here and you are promised positive feedback from your tough crowd loved ones. The playground offers entertainment for all ages and there is a small water playground area as well (the little kids playground is separated by a little gate). There are restrooms and picnic tables in the back. Dont forget the marvelous free public pool and tennis courts. Ice cream vendors often visit this strategic location. It does get a little crowded here sometimes.
This playground get busy but in a good way. Kids run around in the water. It is very fun. I can seat and supervise him from a distance with no worries for hours.
The park was filled with kids playing and enjoying a warm spring day.
The water fountains are on for summer 2022. Excellent place for kids.
Large open spaces. Basketball courts, tennis, basic exercise machines, overlooks the FDR DRIVE and EAST RIVER. 2 Childrens playgrounds, sand box, tire swing, toddler swings, regular swings, many climbing apparatus. Large swimming pool, open last week of June to 1st week of September, dumb. Too many silly rules, hard to have fun here. Point off for pool.
Great park for kids of all ages, lots of fun things to do and see
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Great playground for kids. Unique city island car play area that keeps kids very entertained, just make sure to bring cars/trucks you do not mind getting dirty, and that you child does not mind sharing!
Very friendly ambiance. Kids were nice, the park was clean. My kids had a good time.
Its a nice small area, with plenty of benches and a decent sized playground for kids. I love the statue they have there.
A hidden gem with a nice playground and a public pool! Maintenance could be better.
Underconstruction and packed with people having a lot of fun it was 65 degrees out.
Excellent family friendly .. I love the sand box
Nice kids park with tons to do for kids. It was super crowded the time we went though. Tuesday afternoon around 2-3pm. My boy had fun and met a few friends. We were here while my wife was seeing her doctor at Lenox Hill and i parked 2 blocks away. Apparently they have a pool, which i was surprised to see, but mo water in it (probably coz of COVID. Not sure. Anyway, we would visit again...
One of the most beautiful places Ive been! There is much to explore and do.
Amazing park in great location. Safe and fun for all ages. Bathrooms near by.
We go here several times a week in when the temperature is above 50 degrees. Great park with multiple play areas and a wide variety of climbing and playing equipment for kids. It also has a small pull up bar and exercise section for adults with a beautiful view of the east river.
Very nice park, close to the water. If u dont feel like sitting in a noise filled park, u can sit on the benches in the back and look out at the East River. Their are also toilets, but not all the time they are functional or may have tissue ect.
Nice place to walk your pets and take your children to the playground.
A quiet refuge to recharge, mediate, pause and relax. Played some harmonica James Cotton ruffs. Peaceful and safe near the East River. Good karma here.
Very popular park and very busy. There is a huge pool during warm seasons. Basketball, and activities for children of all ages. I did not see any grass areas. People bring dogs there as well. Good park to escape the city madness when needed.
Nice a quiet, alot of places to sit and green spaces with shade. Very popular with young kids at the playgrounds.
John Jay Park is one of the citys most lovely park. Located in a totally residential area, it has one of the best childrens playground, a clean safe public pool, handball courts, trees and benches and a large cement area for dogs and people. It is clean and pleasant. I go there often.
Excellent sprinklers and playground, next to the pool...I highly recommend, your kids will love it, it is a lot to do there and very clean.
There was so much for my two-year old to do here. She enjoyed climbing the various playground structures and playing with the mini-city. There were plenty of swings here. She also enjoyed hanging off of the zip line and spinning structures. It was very easy to get here by biking off of the East River greenway. It was not busy at all when we arrived early Saturday morning. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a playground with a lot to do.
Easy to access from my loft. Cute view of the East River.
Very nice little park, it doesnt have lawns, but theres basically everything else: a free public swimming pool in summer, basketball hoops, tennis/ squash areas, lots of swings, slides, and climbing structures, small car track, water playground. The playground could definitely use a make over, especially the grounds. But overall its a great neighborhood playground with seating areas and nice views of the east river.
Out of the way & excellent facilities . by the water. Follow me @Emperorkaioyus
Beautiful park. It has changed a lot over the years from when I learned how to ride a bike here. All positive changes for your children, swim, handball, paddle ball, basketball, baseball, chess checkers or just gaze at the beautiful East River
Great local park with pools in the summer. Do your research on line to use the pools, very strict guidelines and you have to have a padlock and other than your towel, you cant take anything into the pool area. Lockers are tiny, maybe 12 square, so dont take much.Great play grounds for the younger ones and lots of open space for little ones on trikes or running around, but no green space. They do have basketball courts and walls for half courts so you can go alone and practice tennis, soccer, hand or racquetball without a partner. The one great feature is ADULT LAP SWIM. One their website you can sign up for morning or evening adult only lap swim for free and they offer swimming lessons for kids or adults for free. Great city park...but I miss the green space here.
This was a return to my roots visit of a place I spent many days and some nights in the 60s and 70s as a younger person! The park has changed many times over the last 6 decades but it is still a very nice place to bring little ones to play. Or catch a quick game of handball. And the 2 public pools, one Olympic size and the other for diving, are still as nice as they always were!
I go to this place every week, and i sort of have an emotional attachment to it. It has tennis courts, handball courts, a (fairly large) playground, a workout space, and a pool. Theres something here for everyone, and plus, there are many places nearby to fuel up after. This place can really grow on you after all the memories you make here.
Fun packed pocket park spanning 2 blocks on the East River. Pool, playground, basketball, 1 makeshift tennis court, 1 wall paddleball
This is the best neighborhood park with tons of playground things for the kids to do. Great for birthday parties with tables for food and beverages. Tennis courts and basketball courts for the bigger children and adults. Extra tables next to the FDR for family brunches. And best of all a free pool during the summer months with adult swim times too!
Great outdoor playground for all ages. There is a separate playground for toddlers, and a playground for older kids, with plenty of trees for some shade during the summer, including sprinklers for kids to cool down. There are as well basketball and tennis/squash courts and some work out equipments!
I grew up in this neighborhood, and this park was always the one we stayed away from. Usually alot more fighting on the basketball courts, but its nice to have a public pool which is a bit of a secret, also saw my first dead body in this park, so if your looking for that kind of fun, please check it out
Nice playground for kids and clean. Has a pool for the summer time.
I love this park, mainly for its public pool. I used to go a lot when I was young. The playground just got modernized 5 years ago. There are also quite a few hoops and they have handball courts too. Obviously, the pool is only open during the summer, but make sure you bring your own locks. They wont let you in without one, even if you have nothing to lock up.
The best playground in the area. For small kids recommended.
John Jay Park is a neighborhood favorite for good reason. It stands on its own as just a play park with equipment areas for children for all ages. In the summer they turn on the sprinklers and it transforms into a splash pad. Not to mention the huge Olympic sized public pool and separate diving pool (just remembered to bring your own lock for the lockers and leave the phone and food at home or in the locker).
Pool, park with water features good for kids, basketball court, multiple jungle gyms, a big but not overwhelming park. If you use the pool, plan Im bringing a combination lock for the locker. In fact, they may not let you in the pool area without one.
Fantastic slice of sanity in the Upper East Side. Tennis courts , swimming pool, and lots of seating. Great place to play chess or read a book. They have chess tables made of stone. Head to back area once you enter.
Small park. This is great for kids. The facilities here are great. A full play ground fir kids. Courts for various sports and swimming pools. Yes, pools of water in the middle of the city.There is loads of free standing exercise equipment for everyone to use.There are several dogs in the park.
Amazing place to bring your child and their friends! I recommend going there if you live near.
Nice and clean park great playground for kids with sand pit and playground. Workout station and handball courts for adults!
Pretty clean bathroom no trash on the ground theres one of those carts that serve hot dogs and an assortment of other things. Pool 2 camels people playing soccer racquetball stai chi. The other day they had a janitor who said he was going to close down the bathroom when I got there half the door was closed. Toilet paper was not on the roll on the moped floor where the tissue got wet then he said he was going to shut down the bathroom and didnt. Some boys were playing around with a ball like butt ball they had a Halloween party
I live across the street from the entrance!Also ... The facilities are old but excellent. Basketball, tennis, summer pool, beautiful childrens parks and gymnastic apparatae... Plus tables and benches overlooking the East River.Opens about 6am ..closes about 9pm.
Great place for kids to run about. Lots of structures and swings. Limited entrances, so watching kids is pretty easy. Only problem is that the restrooms are sketchy, but its a park in NYC, so what are you gonna do?
The pool is beautiful. The pool is closed. The woman wouldnt let me in because I didnt have a key. Its a beautiful pool. But you have to have a lock and a key and look good in a bathing suit...
Really cool for out door space for kids🤓& smaller kids and toddler that learning how to walk😇
You can spend the whole day here playing sports or watching the water views on the East River. Sports Lifestyle Today by Priscilla
We like to say that Carl Schurz Park is for the dogs and John Jay is for the kids. Theres a small area closest to the river where its nice to sit on a beautiful day, but be prepared for company: this is a VERY popular spot for families on the UES (so dont come here if you want to be alone). Theres also a pool, public restrooms, and some outdoor gym equipment.
My comments about John Jay Park are more sentimental than anything else. My wife and I brought our daughter there often during her years at P.S. 158 in the Upper East Side, aka the UES.John Jay is a quaint little park that has a public pool (for use during the summer), as well as an overlook area looking over the FDR highway and the East River.We sat many a day there.
Good to have in the neighborhood but not great for small toddlers because their is no separation of play areas by age.
Loved it. Has a little bit of everything. If you or your kid wants to learn how to play tennis ask for Coach Tom. Hes the best.
A good place to relax in the evening. Nice view and ambience, you get to see the East River, FDR drive with fast moving cars, two famous bridges (Queens Borough and Manhattan Bridge), the air is fresh and the atmosphere relaxing.
Classic neighborhood park. Pool in the summer is always freezing but the kids love it so go early because there is invariably a line for the pool when the weathers nice. Dont forget a padlock for a locker!
Crowded. Lots to do like monkey bars, skate boarding, soccer, basketball and swimming. City vibe yet laid back. Busy yeg yet relaxing. Lots of dogs. Children have a blast here.
Very nice park for big and small kids with floor water fountains to play in. Also has 2 rather large pools with swim classes in the summer, places to play basketball and tennis and practice against several walls.
We had a party in this park and it was an amazing place for kids to enjoy! Its a beautiful park with lots of places for activities! Its a great place for kids parties and celebrations! When the weather is great this spot is a perfect place for a party!
Excellent swimming pool, but, dont forget to take a combination lock with you; you wont get in without one. Also you must shower before going into the pool. These are strict rules which you will be told about and no discussion will be entered into.
Small oasis in Upper east side of Manhattan.
Beautiful Park, The Pool Is The Cherry On Top, And They Have A Diving Pool Complete With A Diving Board, In NYC About 95% Of The Pools Do Not Have Pools Deep Enough For Diving, Let Alone Diving Boards, So Thats A Welcoming Addition.....
Love this playground. Especially because of the slides that the kiddos under 3 years can utilize. You can sit on the bench and watch them go up the stairs and down the slide. Love it.
Nice park to breeze through. My dog and I often visit this park on walks. It is kept clean and has some good, slightly elevated views of the East River.
Hope the pool opens this summer
Quite little park. Nothing terribly exciting here , but of your in the area and want to escape Manhattan frenzy you can stop in for a little bit
Park was nice but did not like seeing a park employee smoking a joint in plain view just outside the park.
It has very amazing views of the East harbor, Bridge is also lit up at night and it also hosts Gracie Mansion where the mayor of NY stays with his family.Its like the Whitehouse but on a different scale.
Popular with homeless and crazy people (I dont always feel safe here), and pretty much just a concrete area with benches. Make the trek to Carl Schurz park if you want a nice park.
Good variety of play equipment in small space that allows you to keep an eye on little ones without relocating each time they are attracted to another ladder, slide, rope bridge, pyramid climb or swing.
Large play area with swimming pool walking distance from the Ronald McDonald house in NYC
I may be biased because this is the closest park to my apartment but it really is great to have a park like this in the mid-70s UES area. Has a swimming pool, kids playground, bathrooms, picnic tables, basketball court and my favorite part, a mini outdoor gym.
Bring a training to work out, restroom 🚻 are open and plenty of playground for the kids 😷🤭😳
John Jay Park, Is simply amazing. Spectacular views of Manhattan, and especially going for a walk or Jog early and watching the sunrise🌞. Speechless. Only in N. Y. C., Once you visit J.J.P., youll be back.
Great for kids of all ages and adults. Needs update on the grounds, basket ball hoops and benches. Theres a swimming pool open during summer jours.
Serene walkway out to the water...who could ask for more? Theres a free public pool as well as a huge playground for little kids and some basketball/wallball courts.
Well maintained, kids playground with a very nice pool.
Love this place...every summer I bring my kids..that now I bring my grandkids
Fun park. Rarely too crowded and lots to do. Especially when the sprinklers are on. Wait for sundown and the rats come out like clockwork so good for urban wildlife.
Good to seat and relax!
Older kids are always here
J ml Great NYC park,particularly for young kids. Large outdoor swimming pool!
Cool place for kids ,family and friends..
Our go to after school fun spot! Bathrooms, and lots of equipment to play on for all ages.
Love this park and location..off the river and away from stores and traffic.
Nice large playground in a quiet area. Wouldn’t call it a park as there are not too many trees though! :-)
Decent place but typically overrun by nannies during the day. The vagrants have been taking over the benches occasionally.
Nice park beside the East river. Plenty of amenities for kids and seniors.
Multiple playgrounds, a swimming pool, courts, outdoor exercise area, picnic tables, relatively quiet and relaxing, and next to the East River! The only thing I wish it had was more grass (sadly, a rare thing in Manhattan).
Not my favorite park becauseThis is kind of old and sandy. A lot of sand because the sand box is pretty big. But it has all the facilites so not such a bad option.
Relaxing placeAlso fun for kidsNice playground and pool
Very nice, secluded play ground for small children
Big park with a pool! Nice playground areas
Love the way it has the sprinklers separate it for the small childreñ.
Safe clean park to take the kids.
What a Perfect big park for babies to bigger kids. There are sand box, so many different kinds of kid gym jungles equipment, swimming pool, waiting eating areas, water view, etc.
Great park with huge number of swings, slides and climbing gyms. Ground is covered in most places with a rubber material which is great.
It is a shame that this park is so dilapidated. Local residents pay a boat load of taxes and you would think some of that money could go to having a nicer park and waterfront.
Great Kids Park....One of the citys hidden gems.... clean ,, safe ,, Fun ...
My daughter learn how to swim here. It is a little deep for 7 years old but it’s what it takes
Great for kids oh all ages, has decievingly more space than one thinks and play structures that span the ages (infant to adults)
I love this place great play ground with a great pool. Only down side were the bathrooms they were filthy.
Big park, nice open pool for the summer time. Fun place to go if you have kids.
Chaos but… a park
Its a very nice park with lot of things to play around for kids
Local park and pool I used to go as a kid in the city. Needs some work but overall still nice.
If you get to right spot, you can see the statue of liberty. Also couple of restaurants that offer a great view down there.
Spent heaps of time there..nice park..plenty of space for kids and adults to chill
Great for kids
Solid park. Many good times as a kid and a teen. Dece neighborhood
Magnificent; one of the best outdoor parks and pools. On E 77th St. and The East River.
Beautiful, with many activities and plenty of shade
Great Upper East Side park. Lots of activity and everyone keeping their distance.
Great park to take your children. There are different sections for different ahed children which is great.
Excellent park in an excellent neighborhood. Lots of kids, lots of strollers, lots of laughter. Cant ask for more.
Very good for kids, my grandson loves it, a lot of things to do and there are sprinklers in the summer.
Great Playground and great adventure.
Love this playground. But too crowded.
Excellent for children and adults clean lots of activities for both young and old
Awesome park with things for kids of a wide range of ages and a nice water feature.
Good park for little kids and theres a pool in the summer.
Beautiful area and a safe place.
Its a small park tucked off of York Ave. Feels a but hidden, which adds to its charm. Also has a public pool.
Different installations for all ages making this the best playground in the upper east side.
A huge playground with activities for kids of all ages!
I grew up in that park, its safe and fun for the kids
Take 3 mile walks along the East River. Very relaxing place to be.
Lovely park with public pool and large childrens playground.
Great for the pup in the morning. Needs to be cleaned up better though.
Beautiful playground for kids. Sandbox pool awesome park.
Great park for young to old!
Its a nice clean park. I use to play in this park when I was a kid
Good kids playground, clean facilities, well-maintained pools in summer.
I grew up with this park so it makes me very nostalgic.
Upper part of cental park nice as with all of the park. Just be carefull of people wandering around, as with any part of nyc
Small park with alot crammed into it. Cant wait to try the pool next summer.
Good place to go for your morning jog. They have a nice jogging track by the river.
Meh.
Kids love it here, so much to do
A gem
Great pool! Loved it. Nice park too.
Great park for kids and adults alike
Very relaxing. Weekend hours are a bit crowded. Staff is nice
Crazy DAD ALERT by the swings yelling at kids who are not aware if their surroundings. Please learn to #bekind
Park is small but all the facilities are available. Great for kids.
Great park but dirty bathrooms. Have complained many times on 311 without any resolution.
Very nice place cool pool
Nice park with outdoor pool. Wish they clean the park more often..
It is ok but there are sticks and leaves in the pool and it was so crowded that they had to kick some people out sucks to be them
Its a very nice park and clean.
A lot of kids. Overall very friendly kids and parents.
Park for upper east side brats so you know its gotta be good
Its very quiet place .play ground and swimming pool Nice.
Great
Pretty. Great view of city.
Great neighborhood park!
The swimming pool is good...and also has a play area for kids.....
Great place for kids to play that allows dogs in main area.
Kids love it. Great sprinklers in summer. . Very diverse for all ages.
Beautiful clean UES Park.
Small park with plenty of activities available. Great for kids.
Great park for the kids, really safe, calm
Nice Park for outdoor workout. Calesthetics bars.
Nice space away from York and the ues hustle
Over traffic pedestrian walkway makes it easy access to the FDR water front.
Its John Jay park. The pool is clean and lots of fun in the summer.
Quiet little gem for all ages and a wonderful pool.
Went for the movie under the stars night. We had a fantastic time.
I love the pool this became part of my life in sumner, Aha !
This park is abandoned, it used to be crowded!
Beautiful scenery & great way to meet new friends
This is a great Park and playground for the kids.
Has 2 swimming pools to cool off in summer.
This is my childhood park, I love it with all my heart
Good playground for kids and spectacular views
A great pool to swim in the summer every day
Its fun!
Many activities, trees and nice rest rooms
Nice size park with swimming pool.
Its a great place to go swimming.
Lots of different games for the kids to play.
Great neighborhood park, excellent playground.
Go hear mostly after school. There are a lot of fun places
It was very very nice and peaceful
Good variety of play structures, small water features, public swimming pool
Dirty
Great place to sit and enjoy mother nature
Great park, really good workers.
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for John Jay Park 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-21Great neighborhood park with lots to offer including racket ball courts, basketball hoops, there are markings for the tennis court but the net is improvised, an open air Olympic pool with a separate dive pool (open memorial day to labor day), a few pieces of workout equipment like a sit-up bench plus a big childrens playground. All for free!Update 6/28/21 the pool is open! You must bring a lock for the lockers and wear only white t-shirts/tops, otherwise they wont let you in.Update 6/21/22 the pool is being filled today after some renovations and will reopen on 6/28. Additionally, they have redone the gardens and benches by the pool in the north-east corner with plenty of places to picnic. The only downside about this park is the number of people who have their dogs off-leash preventing use by other dogs who are in training.The tennis court has been repainted and a new net installed.
Review №2
2021-07-03We live mid town but cones here either when we are doing other things in the area already or for a special adventure trip. I love that it has everything for every age group. The water area is like a mini water park minus the water slides. 🙂The pool is now open but Im not sure what the protocols are for using it.We always have a good time here
Review №3
2022-02-20Love this park. Been coming here since I was 4. Now I take my daughter here. Avoid 3pm weekdays though as it’s crazy crowded and elementary school kids are going wild even around the little kids swings. However it’s a great park with lots of activities.
Review №4
2022-06-26Great park for families! Public pool, tennis courts, playground, and basketball courts. All this with a view of the water!
Review №5
2018-02-15One of my favorite places for outdoor workouts.I like to switch things up and do some outdoor workouts and John Jay Park has all I need- bars for pull-ups and dips + structure for hanging, legs and abs appliances.I like to head there early in the morning. I love the view of the arising Sun over the river.The whole park is evelated and it’s situated above FDR drive which is cool, because you don’t see/hear the traffic.It has a basketball field and a tennis court, huge children playground (out of the biggest and most diverse I’ve seen in the city), and Olympic size open swimming pool.NOTE: the operation hours are 7am-10pm, but keep in mind that during the winter months they close the park earlier, depending on amount of people in the park
Review №6
2022-01-10I love John Jay, especially in the cooler months when there are not as many visitors. Lately, though, the park staff have been closing the gates earlier, tonight by 5:45pm....a record time, even though the park is supposed to remain open until 10pm. Its a great place to do an after-work walk and get some fresh air and would be great to have access to the park until the posted close time.Is there something that can be done here?
Review №7
2022-04-01The park is interesting, but the older kids arent too careful with the smaller kids around.
Review №8
2019-07-11I have lived near this park for seven years and Ive noticed several things. 1. There POOL is amazing! If you are a swimmer, sign up for the FREE Early Bird and Night Owl swim program. At 7AM I swim my daily laps. The pool also opens at 7PM for the Night Owl swimmers. There is an end of year swim and awards party at another city pool once the pool nears its season closing. Other than the beautiful pool there are rubber mat areas for ground exercises and even some antiquated exercise machines. There is a large concrete lot with a basketball hoop or two fenced off in the center of the park. There is also a wall for playing handball or paddleball. 2. If you visit this park when the sun sets, be prepared to see MANY rodents. The full trash bags of this park are stored in the center concrete area of the park. The rodents of this park simply walk over from the perimeter of the park (near the dirt and their rat holes) to feast on this food. Last year the rats had it easier as the FULL trash bags were stored beside their nests. After a phone call or two and some letters, the Park Department moved that trash storage spot. Thank you to my Assemblywoman Seawright for making the call to make this change happen. The rats now simply walk over from their nests through the park to feast on the full trash bags which are now just piled in the center of the park. Although the city claims to have purchased those rodent repelling MINT X bags, they have yet to make their appearance at this park. I think they should FIRST JUST STORE THOSE FULL TRASH BAGS in a dumpster. I will follow up to ensure that these MINT X bags are indeed used in my backyard, John Jay Park.
Review №9
2022-06-08Good place for kids, but can be a bit crowded for my child at times
Review №10
2021-01-14We have dog owners bringing their pets right inside the playground area to do their toilet needs, then exercising on the playground obstacle courses tops. Some owners bring dogs into slide area and into flower bed, to do n.1 and n2. Most owners allow dogs to urinate inside baby small playground area and on the trees inside large playground area. Usually happens daily after 6pm.