BBR_NewYork-43

Start: The circular plaza at the end of the number 7 subway ramp at the Mets-Willets Point subway station, next to Louis Armstrong Stadium

Length: 10.1-mile loop (6.0-mile loop, short option without Flushing Bay)

Approximate riding time: 2.0 hours (1.5 hours, short option)

Best bike: Hybrid, road, or mountain bike

Terrain and trail surface: The trail is paved throughout and flat.

Traffic and hazards: This route runs along the perimeter of and into Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The interior pathways are entirely car-free. The perimeter roads (Meadow Lake Road, Shea Road, Perimeter Road) have very light traffic. Stay alert as you approach Flushing Bay, north of the park. To reach the bay, you have to duck underneath the Grand Central Expressway, where you’ll cross an access road to the expressway. Check for oncoming traffic in both directions before crossing.

Things to see: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Meadow Lake, Unisphere, Flushing Bay Promenade, Citi Field, World’s Fair Marina

Map: New York City Bike Map

Getting there: By public transportation: Take the 7 subway to the Mets-Willets Point station. There is direct access to Flushing Meadows Corona Park via a passerelle heading south. Your starting point is at the end of the passerelle, next to Louis Armstrong Stadium. By car: Take the Long Island Expressway E/I-495 E to exit 21 at 108th Street. Turn left onto 108th Street. Turn right onto 52nd Avenue. Parking is at the park, along 111th Street. To get to the starting point from the lot, bike into the park and follow the signs to the number 7 subway (Mets-Willets Point) or the tennis center. Your starting point is the circular plaza beside Louis Armstrong Stadium. GPS coordinates: N40 45.078’ / W73 50.548’

THE RIDE

Louis Armstrong Stadium, just west of your starting point, was the US Open tennis tournament’s principal match venue until it was replaced by Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1992. To commence your journey from here, turn left (when facing the park), heading northeast and away from the tennis stadium. You’ll reach Perimeter Road just ahead, which circumnavigates the entire north portion of the park. While you share the road with motorists here, traffic is light. The first part of your journey orbits the entire park via its perimeter roads. You’ll then explore the park’s interior at the end of the ride.

Going clockwise along Perimeter Road, you’ll soon cross Flushing River along Porpoise Bridge, built for the 1939 World’s Fair to keep saltwater from Flushing Bay from inundating the fairgrounds during storm surges. As you round the bend to the right, you’ll then pass the park’s Ice Rink on your right, with the expressway running parallel to your route overhead on your left. Continuing southward, you can catch sight of the park’s most emblematic icon from the 1964 World’s Fair, the Unisphere. From the rounded Industry Pond on your right, your sightline stretches westward, across the elongated Fountain of the Fairs, to the 12-story, stainless steel sphere that represents the world.

Continuing onward, when the road begins to veer away from the overhead expressway, keep your eyes peeled for a sharp left turn that takes you south, underneath the expressway, and toward Meadow Lake. Created for the 1939 World’s Fair, Meadow Lake is the city’s largest freshwater lake. Boats can be rented—paddle boats, rowboats—during summer months, and, on fair-weather days, barbecues and family gatherings dot the lakeside. As you orbit Meadow Lake, you’ll pass gently swaying forests of cord grass, sprawling meadows, ball fields, and playgrounds. Then, heading north along the lake’s western shore, Grand Central Parkway will flank your journey on the left. When you reach the north end of the lake, veer slightly right along Sri Chinmoy Street, one of many tree-lined park alleés lined with benches on either side. The benches here and lakeside wooden deck up ahead are great spots for a rest.

To continue en route, circumnavigate the roundabout at the end of Sri Chinmoy Street to catch Amphitheatre Bridge across the Long Island Expressway and head back to the northern section of the park. As you ascend the bridge, the Unisphere will suddenly loom large up ahead once more. A U-turn on the other side of the bridge then brings you back to Perimeter Road, which you’ll follow northward along the western edge of the park. Along the way, you’ll pass the Queens Museum of Art on your right, approach the park’s national tennis center, and soon come to a crossroad, where Perimeter Road forks to the right. You here have the option of bypassing Flushing Bay Promenade by turning right, following Perimeter Road back toward your starting point. If doing so, skip ahead in the route description.

To follow the main route to Flushing Bay Promenade, continue straight, under the train overpass up ahead, onto what becomes Shea Road. When the road dead-ends at the Mets’ Citi Field baseball stadium, turn left and duck underneath the Whitestone Expressway toward Flushing Bay. After passing underneath the overpass, use caution as you approach Flushing Bay for you’ll cross a busy access road. Check for oncoming traffic in both directions before crossing the road and turning left. Then veer quickly right into the World’s Fair Marina parking area and to the promenade along the water’s edge.

From here, the promenade extends a mile to the west and half a mile to the east, making it a popular gathering spot for anglers and bay-side barbecues. Begin by biking westward toward LaGuardia Airport, where you can spot planes taking off and landing in the near distance. Enjoy the salt air and listen for the clanging of ship masts moored offshore (and ignore the rumble of traffic on the expressway overhead on your left). When you hit the western end of promenade, make a U-turn to explore the promenade’s eastern end. Then return via Shea Road to connect to Perimeter Road, where you’ll turn left toward Arthur Ashe Stadium and through parking lot B at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Bike through the lot and veer left back toward your starting point.

The route now leads into the park’s interior toward the Unisphere, an unofficial symbol of Queens that was built to mark the dawning of the space age and has since been featured in innumerable print ads, television shows, and popular films (Men in Black, most famously). To get there, take the park lane known as Avenue of Commerce southeastward. Herbert Hoover Promenade then leads you southwest along the Fountain of the Fairs to the Unisphere. Explore the surrounding park space at your leisure, take a break, and then return to your starting point.

MILES AND DIRECTIONS

0.0 From the plaza at the end of the subway passerelle, turn left (when facing the park) to cycle northeastward, in between the tennis courts and toward the northeast edge of the park.

0.2Veer right across Porpoise Bridge.

1.0Make a sharp left to head underneath the expressway toward Meadow Lake. After the small bridge, go straight (south) through the parking lot and access Meadow Lake Road West on the other side, continuing south.

2.3Round the southern tip of the lake to head north along the lake’s western edge. Veer right up ahead to stick to the road (and to avoid the on-ramp for the expressway!).

3.4Go straight along the tree-lined alleé of Sri Chinmoy Street and circumnavigate the roundabout up ahead.

3.6Exit the roundabout to cross Amphitheatre Bridge, heading north. As soon as you descend on the other side, make a U-turn to your left.

3.8Turn right onto Perimeter Road.

4.5To bypass Flushing Bay, turn right to stay on Perimeter Road and skip ahead to mile 8.6. Otherwise, continue straight.

5.1When the road dead-ends at Citi Field, turn left to duck underneath the expressway. Use caution and stay alert. Cars descending from the expressway on this road travel at a quick tempo. Check both ways for oncoming traffic before crossing.

5.2After going under the overpass, cross to the north side of the road up ahead and turn left. Veer quickly right and into the World’s Fair Marina parking lot and toward the water’s edge. Access the bay promenade to head west toward LaGuardia Airport.

6.1At the end of the promenade, turn around to retrace your promenade route and continue to the promenade’s eastern end.

7.8When you reach the eastern end of the promenade, make a U-turn to return toward where you accessed the promenade.

7.9Stay alert as you descend from the promenade onto the road. Then veer left to turn left underneath the expressway once more, returning toward Citi Field.

8.0Turn right onto Shea Road.

8.6Turn left onto Perimeter Road, going east toward Arthur Ashe Stadium. (This is your pick-up point if you bypassed Flushing Bay.)

9.0Turn right to enter parking lot B at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Veer left at the end of the parking lot to return to your starting point. Once you hit the plaza where you started, catch the second alleé to your right (Avenue of Commerce) into the park’s interior.

9.2At the circular Industry Pond, take your first right onto Herbert Hoover Promenade, putting the elongated fountains on your left, the Fountain of the Fairs.

9.5Circumnavigate the Unisphere and take a break. To continue, return eastward along the Fountain of the Fairs on Dwight Eisenhower Promenade, with the fountains on your left.

10.0Loop around Industry Pond and then turn right to return to your starting point via Avenue of Commerce.

10.1Arrive at your starting point.

RIDE INFORMATION

Restrooms

Start/end: There are restrooms at the foot of the subway passerelle next to the circular plaza.

Mile 3.6: There are restrooms in the park building on the east side of the Amphitheatre Bridge.