While Central Park may get the most fanfare of the New York City metropolitan area parks, Long Island’s Eisenhower Park has plenty to offer in its own right. Spanning 930 acres in East Meadow, this park is actually larger than Central Park, and is full of a variety of activities, including athletics, golf, entertainment, swimming, and various events during the summer. Our Long Island workers compensation lawyers love visiting here during the nice weather of spring, summer, and early fall. Some of our favorite aspects of Eisenhower Park include:
Athletic Facilities
In our opinion, Eisenhower Park is the best place to enjoy athletic and physical activities outdoors in Nassau County. There are plenty of facilities here, and it’s easy to find somewhere to play or work out even when the park is busy. Facilities here include:
- 16 lighted tennis courts in the vicinity of Parking Fields 2 and 4. Participants must play an hourly seasonal fee to play.
- 17 baseball fields (14 for softball and one for hardball), four soccer fields, and three football fields – many of which are lit for nighttime play.
- One full-court basketball court, including fiberglass backboards.
- Batting cages with nine separate batting areas, including a wide range of pitching speeds for both baseball and softball. Pitching speeds for baseball are 80-85 mph, 60-65 mph,and 40-45 mph.
- Nassau County Aquatic Center – one of the country’s premium indoor swimming facilities includes a 50 m swimming pool and an athletic facility.
Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre
This outdoor theatre features a packed schedule of a variety of entertainment events during the summer months, including concerts, movies, and more. Some of the events from the summer of 2017 included:
- Prognosis (a Pink Floyd tribute band)
- German-American night
- Swingtime Big Band
- Genessa (tribute to Selena)
- Desert Highway (Eagles Tribute)
- Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway
- Tramps Like Us (Bruce Springsteen Tribute)
- Glass Houses (Billy Joel Tribute)
Golf
If you’re anything like us, golfing is one of the best parts of warm weather in Long Island. We look forward to hitting the greens every year, and can’t wait to get out there on the first warm day of the year. Eisenhower Park is home to three 18-hole golf courses which are open to the public: Blue, Red, and White courses.
The Red Course is the most prestigious, as it used to host the annual Commerce Bank Championship up until 2008. This course was part of the original Salisbury Golf Club and was designed in 1914. It was also the site of the PGA Championship in 1926.
There is also a driving range with over 100 stalls and nighttime hours in season. Finally, make sure to check out the two lighted 18-hole miniature golf courses when you’re just looking for some relaxing fun with family or friends who don’t take golf as seriously.
Memorials
Eisenhower Park has several memorials which honor a variety of heroes, including:
- A Veterans Memorial and Wall of Honor which pays respect to armed service veterans from all branches.
- A 9/11 Memorial which honors the 344 residents of Nassau County who perished in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. This is one of the largest 9/11 memorials and features two stainless-steel towers set inside of a fountain, two steel girders recovered from Ground Zero, and plaques memorializing the names of all 344 victims.
- Two memorials for Nassau County firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty, including one specifically for those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
