When our Westchester workers’ compensation have free time on the weekends, we like to escape from the noise of the city and relax at natural spaces throughout the region. One of our favorite places to visit is Glen Island Park in New Rochelle. This 105-acre park offers all of your favorite summertime recreational activities, and everyone in the family can find something fun to do. If you’re not a Westchester resident and visiting from out of town, you’ll need to pick up a park pass for access. Some of our favorite ways to kill a few hours on a relaxing summer day include:
Picnic Areas
Glen Island Park has several picnic areas where families can bond with each other while enjoying a great meal in nature. The backdrop of blue water, green grass, and trees make this park an idyllic setting for a picnic.
Boating
Glen Island’s easy access to Long Island Sound makes the park a popular location for boating enthusiasts from across the metro and tri-state areas. While boating on the Hudson or East River in the city may be fun, boating at Glen’s Island lets you boat among the beauty of a natural setting, instead of the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. Personally, we think boating is always more fun in nature.
Biking, Running, & Walking Paths
Glen Island Park is surrounded by paved paths, which plenty of visitors make use of for a good cardio workout. On any given visit here, you’ll see dozens, if not hundreds of active New Yorkers and Westchester residents jogging, biking, or walking. A great way to burn off some extra calories after enjoying a big picnic meal with the family.
Glen Island Harbour Club
Glen Island Harbour Club is a catering and banquet hall, which used to be a casino. The Glen Island Casino was a popular spot for Big Band music during the 1930s, and held performances by legends like Ozzie Nelson, Les Brown, Clause Thornhill, and the Dorsey Brothers. The casino closed down in 1978, but was reopened in 1983 with the original shell of the building and original dancefloor still intact.
The casino underwent a $10 million dollar renovation, transforming it into the Glen Island Harbour Club. Today, the Harbour Club is one of Westchester’s most highly regarded banquet facilities. It makes a great choice for a wedding, as there are few places more beautiful to celebrate the union of love through marriage.
Glen Island Castle
Glen Island was originally constructed as a theme park in the late 19th century. During these days, former U.S. congressman John H. Starin bought Glen Island and the four nearby islands, converting them to a park which features attractions like a bathing beach, natural history museum, zoo, and a German beer garden and castle. While the castle is no longer in use today, the structure still remains untouched. History buffs can enjoy views of traditional 19th-century German architecture just a few dozen miles outside of New York City. It’s a unique and surreal experience.
