Does Roosevelt Island have a park?

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is located on Roosevelt Island in New York City. The park, designed by architect Louis I. Kahn, is free to the public.



Yes, Roosevelt Island is home to several beautiful parks, the most famous being Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park. Located at the southern tip of the island, this four-acre park is a stunning architectural tribute to FDR, designed by Louis Kahn. It offers some of the most spectacular, unobstructed views of the United Nations building and the Manhattan skyline. Additionally, the island features Southpoint Park, which surrounds the historic (and slightly spooky) Renwick Smallpox Hospital ruins, and Octagon Park, which houses community gardens, soccer fields, and tennis courts. In 2026, the island’s parks are a popular escape for New Yorkers looking for greenery and quiet without leaving the city. The entire perimeter of the island also serves as a continuous waterfront promenade for walkers and cyclists, making the "island experience" feel like one large, linear park system connected by the iconic red Roosevelt Island Tramway.

Yes, Roosevelt Island has several parks and green spaces. It’s known for its waterfront parks and car-free, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Here are the main ones:

1. Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

  • Location: Southern tip of the island.
  • Description: This is the island’s most famous and architecturally significant park. Designed by the renowned architect Louis Kahn, it is a serene, monumental space dedicated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his “Four Freedoms” speech. It features granite walls, lawns, and a striking bust of FDR, with breathtaking views of the United Nations and the Manhattan skyline.

2. Lighthouse Park

  • Location: Northern tip of the island.
  • Description: A scenic spot surrounding the historic 1872 Gothic-style lighthouse. It offers grassy areas, benches, and panoramic views of the Upper East Side, Hell Gate, and the Queensboro Bridge.

3. Southpoint Park

  • Location: Along the eastern shore, south of the Cornell Tech campus.
  • Description: A 10-acre park built on the ruins of the old Smallpox Hospital (which is stabilized and lit at night). It has rolling lawns, walking paths, playgrounds, and fantastic views of the Queensboro Bridge and Midtown Manhattan. The FDR Hope Memorial (the “Girl Puzzle” sculpture honoring journalist Nellie Bly) is located here.

4. Roosevelt Island Waterfront Esplanade

  • Description: This isn’t a single park but a continuous 4-mile walking and biking path that encircles almost the entire island. It connects all the parks and offers uninterrupted views of Manhattan and Queens. It’s a central feature of the island’s green space.

5. Octagon Park

  • Location: Near the Octagon building (a residential tower built within the restored shell of the old NYC Lunatic Asylum).
  • Description: A grassy area with a playground and soccer field, situated around the historic Octagon.

6. Capobianco Field

  • Description: A large, multi-use athletic field (soccer, baseball, etc.) located in the central part of the island.

7. The Blackwell Park / Roosevelt Island Community Garden

  • Description: Smaller, more intimate green spaces and gardens scattered within the residential complexes.

In summary: Roosevelt Island is essentially one big linear park with a community built in the middle. Its greatest asset is the continuous waterfront esplanade, linked by the distinct parks at its northern and southern tips (Lighthouse Park and Four Freedoms Park), with Southpoint Park in between. It’s a fantastic destination for a peaceful stroll, a picnic, or to enjoy world-class views of NYC.

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Accessibility: This paved (asphalt, brick, and cement) trail is typically at least 5 feet wide. There are also unpaved side trails but it is possible to stay along the pavement around the island.

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On Roosevelt Island, which was developed as a middle-class neighborhood from the ruins of prisons and hospitals, affordable housing was plentiful, thanks to state programs that awarded public subsidies to apartment buildings in exchange for keeping rents low.

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Roosevelt Island Tram Tickets For adults, the ride costs just $2.90 each way. Those with an unlimited MetroCard won't have to pay anything. For a round-trip cost of just $5.80 for an adult, this is an awesome deal for an incredible view!

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Blackwell's Island, now known as Roosevelt Island, has a deep connection to disability and incarceration. For much of the early 1900s, New Yorkers nicknamed the island Welfare Island after the asylums, prisons, and almshouses that were built there.

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The island is only 2 miles (3.2 km) long and very walkable. From the south to the north, it's the equivalent of 35 city blocks. Touring the Island will take about 3 hours. It's best to go when the weather is pleasant as all the sights are outdoors.

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Roosevelt Island is a neighborhood in New York City, New York with a population of 4,510. Roosevelt Island is in New York County and is one of the best places to live in New York. Living in Roosevelt Island offers residents a dense urban feel and most residents rent their homes.

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While still a part of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island is its opposite: quiet, homely, and mostly green-colored.

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  1. Bus.
  2. Tram.
  3. Subway.
  4. Ferry.
  5. Driving.
  6. MTA 63rd Street Track Replacement Project.


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Top ways to experience The Roosevelt Island Tramway and nearby attractions. 93% of travelers recommend this experience. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. 92% of travelers recommend this experience.

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Roosevelt Island Tram Tickets For adults, the ride costs just $2.90 each way. Those with an unlimited MetroCard won't have to pay anything. For a round-trip cost of just $5.80 for an adult, this is an awesome deal for an incredible view!

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From Manhattan, you can take the Roosevelt Island Tramway, located at East 59th Street and Second Avenue, for $2.75 one way. If you're coming from Queens, you can drive or walk onto the island via the Roosevelt Island Bridge, or take the Q102 bus line.

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  • Roosevelt Island is two miles long and located on the East River between Manhattan and Queens.
  • It was formally known as Blackwell's Island and Welfare Island.
  • The F line train station on Roosevelt Island opened in 1989.
  • The island can also be reached by the Roosevelt Island Tramway, the ferry and by bridge from Queens.


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It's about 4 miles around the perimeter, with parks on each end. To access the island by foot you have to cross the Queensboro Bridge over the island to Queens and then double back — about 1.6 miles. More direct access is via tram or subway.

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Roosevelt Island can be reached via the Q102 bus from Queens. RIOC also provides the Red Bus, which is free and makes convenient stops throughout the island. Strollers and shopping carts must be folded upon request of the bus operator.

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The Roosevelt Island Tramway provides the most modern aerial tramway in the world, running every 7-15 minutes from 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island.

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