Summer In The City: Getting Out Into Nature, In Queens

Summary

Podcast Summary:

All Of It with Alison Stewart (Guest Host: David Fuerst)
Episode: Summer In The City: Getting Out Into Nature, In Queens
Date: July 1, 2026
Host: David Fuerst (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Katie Honan (Reporter for The City, Co-Host of FAQ NYC, lifelong Queens resident)

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Episode Overview

This episode kicks off the annual "Summer in the City" series, exploring the best ways to enjoy New York during the hot months, borough by borough. The focus is on Queens—its beaches, parks, hidden natural treasures, and vibrant local culture. Host David Fuerst and lifelong Queens resident and journalist Katie Honan discuss personal favorites, local insights, and listener suggestions for getting outdoors and cooling off in Queens. Topics span from tips on beaches and pools, to live music venues and centuries-old fort parks, to birding, kayaking, and even where to find the borough's best sandwiches and pizza.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Queens is Special (03:28–05:18)

• Katie Honan’s Credentials: Rockaway Park native, now in Woodside, second-generation Queens resident, alum of St. John’s University.
• Experience of Queens: "You can go in a really bustling part of New York City... And within an hour, be at the beach." (Katie Honan, 04:05)
• Queens offers accessible transit between dense urban centers and serene coastal settings. Honan jokes, "I live on either end of the Q53 bus," highlighting her unique perspective.

2. The Beach is Central: Rockaway’s Distinction (06:18–09:24)

• Rockaway Beach: The only true ocean-facing public beach in NYC.

• Each stretch of Rockaway offers a different vibe and “feels different in how the water is, who’s hanging out there, and what’s happening.”

• Accessibility is Key: Beaches are free (unlike the Jersey Shore or Long Island); the water is cleaner than ever, now supporting dolphins and even whale sightings.

  • Memorable Quote: “When I was a kid, I never saw dolphins. I never saw whales. Now, every single time I go to the beach... I see dolphins.” (Katie Honan, 07:49)

• Beach Routine: Katie sets up "shop" with a beach table, wagon, and umbrella, enjoying sandwiches and late-evening pizza deliveries—always requesting a "party cut" for shared slices (09:03).

  • Pro tip: “Order a pizza to the beach and ask them to party cut it...” (Katie Honan, 09:04)

3. Free Public Pools: Astoria Pool (09:41–10:19)

• Astoria Pool: One of the world’s largest, known for its history (including Olympic trials), recent renovations, and extended hours during heat waves.
  • Insider Knowledge: "During the heat wave, they are staying open extended hours." (Katie Honan, 09:41)

4. Live Music & Culture Spots (11:46–13:15)

• Terrazza 7 (Jackson Heights): Small music venue with great Latin American food and bands. Drop by without knowing the act and still have a great night.
• Knockdown Center (Maspeth): Honan’s favorite, including the exclusive Basement club.
• Rockaway Boardwalk: Regular live music in the summer; check The Wave and Rockaway Times for schedules.
  • “On the boardwalk, any night of the summer you’ll find something, live music somewhere.” (Katie Honan, 13:01)

5. Nature Walks and Waterfront Parks (14:08–17:33)

• Fort Totten Park (Bayside): A favorite for peaceful waterfront walks and a hidden public pool. Includes a Civil War fortress and the Bayside Historical Society.
• Little Neck Bay/Throgs Neck Bridge: Quiet spaces under the bridge for walks, with amenities and views.
• Bell Blvd: A top street for diverse dining.

6. Sailing, Kayaking & Water Activities (16:00–17:33, 26:58–28:09)

• Sail Rockaway: Accessible sailing lessons/camps in Jamaica Bay; also sunrise/sunset sails, birdwatching cruises. “Despite growing up out there, I never really spent that much time on Jamaica Bay.” (Katie Honan, 16:04)
• Community Boathouse: Free kayaking over the summer, organized through volunteers (communityboathouse.org).

7. Queens Is a Water City (16:00–17:33)

• The city's relationship to water is highlighted—boating, ferries, sailing, and even observing tall ships.

8. Urban Nature, Birding, and Trails (28:09–29:49)

• Hiking/Nature Spots: Alley Pond Park (“Alley Pond rules”), Forest Park, Arverne Nature Preserve, and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge—a bird-watching paradise.
• Birding: “Queens is a birding paradise.” (Multiple producers, 29:41)

9. Sports in Queens (19:09–19:43)

• Citi Field/Mets: The pros and cons of seeing baseball in Queens ("...You might not get a win." - Katie Honan)
• Recreation under Bridges: Whitestone and Triborough bridges offer handball, basketball, shaded dog parks (with pools for pets) (25:04–25:43).

10. Art, Public Installations, & Events (20:20–21:09, 26:12–26:22)

• Ping Pong Installations: “Between Tides” near Beach 67th Street—playable art tables with sculptural elements, supported by the Public Art Fund.
• Dragon Boat Races: In Flushing Meadows every August, a symbol of the borough’s diversity.

11. Local History: Playland & Rockaway Nostalgia (23:00–24:47)

• Reminiscences about Rockaway’s lost amusement park, Playland—how “the soundtrack of summer [was] the sound of the track and screams.” (David Fuerst, 24:47)

12. Fireworks on July 4th (30:04–30:50)

• Legality aside, the Rockaways are known for elaborate unofficial fireworks shows—“It’s the illegal firework epicenter of New York City…it might as well be Macy’s.” (Katie Honan, 30:04)

13. Local Music to Represent Queens (31:01–31:58)

• Katie’s pick: “Funkin’ for Jamaica” by Tom Browne—a jazz-funk tribute to Jamaica, Queens, often misunderstood as being about Jamaica (the country).
  • "When you listen to the song, it's his kind of love letter to Jamaica, Queens, where he grew up." (Katie Honan, 31:26)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Clean Oceans: “It seems like with each passing year, our ocean gets even cleaner, which I feel like an emotional person thinking about how these changes have actually benefited all of us.”
  (Katie Honan, 07:49)
• On Queens Identity: “I am a full Queen’s—very proud person. I’m very proud of Queens.”
  (Katie Honan, 03:52)
• On Navigating the City: “I joke that I live on either end of the bus. That’s my thing.” (Katie Honan, 04:10)
• On Neighborhood Crowds: “We like the peace and quiet” (listener Rich, via email, 19:43)
• On Queens’ Music Heritage: “People might think Ramones, or they might think Nas or Mobb Deep. But I love this song…”
  (Katie Honan, 31:41)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Katie’s Queens Roots & Borough Advantages: 03:26–05:18
• Beaches & Beach Rituals: 06:18–09:24
• Public Pools (Astoria Pool): 09:41–10:19
• Live Music Venues: 11:46–13:15
• Waterfront Parks (Fort Totten, Little Neck): 14:08–17:33
• Sailing & Kayaking: 16:00–17:33, 26:58–28:09
• Sports & Recreation under Queens Bridges: 19:09–19:43, 25:04–25:43
• Art Installations (Ping Pong): 20:20–21:09
• Rockaway Nostalgia: 23:00–24:47
• Birding & Nature Trails: 28:09–29:49
• July 4th Fireworks: 30:04–30:50
• Music Outro “Funkin’ for Jamaica”: 31:01–31:58

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Listener Tips & Hidden Gems

• Rockaway Beach—Take the ferry or A train, ride the boardwalk, try late-night pizza, look for dolphins and whales.
• Astoria Pool—Massive and historic; check for special summer hours.
• Fort Totten Park—Peaceful, historic, great views and little-known public pool.
• Terrazza 7, Knockdown Center—Live music you don’t have to plan for.
• Free Kayaking—Community Boathouse (Beach Channel Dr.), Long Island City, Astoria.
• Dragon Boat Races—August, Flushing Meadows.
• Birdwatching—Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Alley Pond, Forest Park.
• Dog Parks—Under Triborough Bridge, shaded, cool pools for pets.
• Picnic on the Beach—Keep out sand and gulls, order “party cut” pizza.

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Conclusion

This episode is both a love letter to Queens and a practical guide to its summer pleasures. Whether you’re seeking ocean breezes, shady handball courts, live jazz, cheap eats, or secret birding spots, boyhood nostalgia or new urban adventures, you'll find a warm, playful mix of local wisdom, deep civic pride, and a few insider secrets.

Final Word:
“Queens is a birding paradise... Beach city, music city, food city, we’ve got it all.” (Episode summary sentiment)

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Transcript

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[David Fuerst]

I told you it was catchy. This is all of it on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst in for Alison Stewart. Coming up on tomorrow's show, we are getting revolutionary. We'll learn about an exhibit at the South Street Seaport Museum that is displaying some original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of rights and the 1787 official edition of the United States Constitution. And we'll talk about why New Jersey played such a pivotal role in the battle for independence and where you can go see history on the ground. That's coming up tomorrow. Let's get this hour started in Queens. Man, what was you doing, man?

[Caller]

What's up with that, man?

I was doing the. Ooh. Hey, yo man. Hi.

[Priceline Announcer]

What's up

[David Fuerst]

here on all of it, we Do a series called Summer in the City. We go borough by borough and talk to the people who really know the lay of the land about the best things to do in their home borough. And we also rely on you to call in and share your suggestions. So we are kicking this year's series off in Queens. It's the city's largest borough, a place where you can eat your way through a hundred different cuisines, stroll along the east river, or watch a 70 millimeter print film at the Museum of the Moving Image. Or on a day like today with temperatures officially in the 90s, take a ferry or the a train to the Rockaways and get into the ocean. To help us today, we asked Katie Honan to join us. She covers City hall with the City Reporter and is co host of the FAQ NYC podcast. And as her bio states, she is a lifelong Queens resident. Katie, welcome back to all of it.

[Katie Honan]

Thanks so much for having me.

[David Fuerst]

So let's get your, let's establish your credentials right away here. What neighborhood did you grow up in? Where do you live now?

[Katie Honan]

I grew up in Rockaway park on the Rockaway Peninsula and now I live in Woodside, Queens.

[David Fuerst]

Okay, what do you like? You also went to college in Queens?

[Katie Honan]

I went to St. John's University. I will say my dad is a Queens native, so I'm a second generation. He also went to St. John's so I am, I am pretty. I have a Queen's flag, you know, I should have brought it and wrapped myself in it. I am a full Queen's very proud person. I'm very proud of Queens.

[David Fuerst]

You are? For real. So what do you like about living in Queens?

[Katie Honan]

You know, that is a difficult, not a difficult question, but it is hard to answer because there's so many aspects of it. Like I think being from Rockaway and then living in Woodside, I get to experience so much of the different parts of the borough. You know, the Q53 goes between Woodside and Rockaway. So I joke that I live on, you know, either end of the bus. That's my thing. And the fact that you can go in a really bustling part of New York City. Seven train overhead, LaGuardia Airport planes overhead, a really congested part of the city. And within an hour, thanks to the new bus lane, be at the beach. And living in those both worlds, I feel very spoiled that I have that opportunity. My mom is still out in Rockaway, so I have, I kind of just can bounce between the two worlds very easily where I could even coming here to Manhattan. I know we both would probably rather be the beach right now, but we're here. You could within an hour on the ferry, go from working inside City hall like I did yesterday, covering the budget craziness. I stayed with my mom last night, just took a ferry. And then you're back in the beautiful ocean breeze and it's 15 degrees cooler.

[David Fuerst]

15 degrees cooler. Another great thing to keep in mind today, even if you're not going in the water, just to be in that different climate.

[Priceline Announcer]

Now.

[David Fuerst]

We just googled the Queen's flag, by the way, and it looks very, very pretty. Some flowers there inside a circle.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, it to me is the prettiest of the borough flags. It represents the Dutch influence in the city as well. It's the different representations. And I love the little crown on top as well.

[David Fuerst]

Okay, if you want to join this conversation, we need to hear your suggestions. So listeners, what are your favorite things to do in Queens? Is it beaches, boardwalks, nature walks, restaurants? Call in and share. Here's the number, 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. And if you have a favorite thing to do in Queens when it is absolutely scorching outside, please let us know. It's going to be very hot for the next several days. Call or text us. It's 212-433-9692 and yeah, because the weather is sweltering. Let's start with the beaches. What is your favorite beach and why?

[Katie Honan]

The entire Rockaway Beach Peninsula, I will say, and this is why I will note it's the only ocean facing beach in New York City. Coney Island's nice, Orchard beach is nice, but the ocean, that's in Rockaway. And you know, I go to my particular beach in Rockaway park, but I like to get on my bike and just ride the whole length of the boardwalk because I, it almost feels if you go from, you know, like Beach 125th to Beach 97th, down the going east down the peninsula to Beach 67, 32nd, 17 Beach 9th. The water seems different to me. There's different, there's currents as well that change, but it's like a different experience at each individual beach. And obviously with such a, to me, dynamic beach where you have different groups of people going in various beaches, everything is different. So I like to do that a couple times a summer, just get on, take a towel and explore the different beaches.

[David Fuerst]

And we need to take a moment to celebrate just how accessible it is right this is not true for a lot of beaches.

[Katie Honan]

You know, if you go. I have some friends in Long beach who invite me every summer to go to Long beach. And I say, where? I have to pay. You know, I live in New York City. The beaches are free. I don't have to get a beach pass like you have in the Jersey Shore or on Long Island. So the fact that they're free and, you know, I mean, we pay for them as city residents, but that's what I love about it. And the ocean has only gotten cleaner the older I've gotten. I tell people. And this is when I feel like an old person. You know, the way my parents would talk to me about the olden days. When I was a kid, I never saw dolphins. I never saw whales.

[Caller]

Right.

[Katie Honan]

Now, every single time I go to the beach, and this is over the last 10 years, I see dolphins. I saw a video of dolphins in Jamaica Bay, which would have been unheard of 30 years ago. So that is also. It seems like with each passing year, our ocean gets even cleaner, which I feel like a emotional person thinking about how these changes have actually benefited all of us.

[David Fuerst]

Do you have a particular routine when you go to the beach? A particular food that you like to get?

[Katie Honan]

Yeah. Again, I think being from the Peninsula, I'm very spoiled in that I have access to my mom's garage and beach chairs and a big wagon. Right. I don't have to commute down there. So when I'm going with friends, you make a particular beach circle. You try to angle it based on the sun. I have a beach table that I set up. I have my wagon with, you know,

[David Fuerst]

different table that you set up.

[Katie Honan]

Oh, yeah. You need a little, you know, to put your drink and if you have a book or put your phone.

[David Fuerst]

You were setting up shop.

[Katie Honan]

You are setting up shop. I know some people put up flags, but I don't trust myself installing a flag pole at the beach. I sometimes will put up an umbrella. I do like to get sun. It's one of my worst vices. And I also like a beach sandwich is the best. I was having this discussion this week, making a beach sandwich, the structure of it, how you put it back in the bag to protect it from the sand. But if you.

[David Fuerst]

And the gulls.

[Katie Honan]

The gulls. You gotta protect the gul and protect herself from the gulls. And I love if you stay those perfect beach days where you stay late, pass the lifeguards. Not going into the water, of course, but you stay really late ordering a pizza to the beach. Asking them to party cut it, you know, which is when they cut the slices double. That's the best.

[David Fuerst]

Wow. We're getting the real insider tips right now. Party cut the pizza for you.

[Katie Honan]

They'll deliver it to the boardwalk. Yeah, they'll do it for you.

[David Fuerst]

Keep it out of the sand. But that. That sounds like a great idea. We're getting some calls and texts. Let me read this one out. Queens have one of the largest pools in the world in Astoria.

[Katie Honan]

It does. Astoria pool. It's one of the parks apartments operated pools. Sorry. And I should note, during the heat wave, they are staying open extended hours. I tried to get the beaches open extended hours with lifeguards actually on duty. That, you know, it's challenging being outside for that long in the conditions of the beach. So. I understand. But the pools are beautiful. The pools are. I actually was watching some TV news this morning and a reporter was live from the top of Astoria pool used in the 1930s. I think it was also used in an Olympic trial or I forget what year. But it's a gorgeous pool and it reopened a few years ago after extensive renovations.

[David Fuerst]

Now, I know you mentioned that you like to go the whole stretch of the beach, but we do have a text coming through because you were talking about those specific locations where you're getting the pizza. Can you please repeat what beach you're

[Katie Honan]

talking about Rockaway beach in Queens. The whole peninsula.

[Caller]

You're.

[David Fuerst]

You're not.

[Katie Honan]

I'm not being specific. Right. So that goes from the.

[David Fuerst]

You don't want to give away your spot, do you?

[Katie Honan]

That too.

[Caller]

Right.

[Katie Honan]

Beach Ninth to Beach 149th. Those are publicly accessible beaches. Beyond 149th, you get Reese park and Fort Tilden. Reese park has lifeguards federally run. Fort Hilden does not. So I would not recommend going to a beach without a lifeguard, particularly if you're not a good swimmer. But this is all Rockaway Beach. Like I think the more popular beaches on the peninsula, you. It's where there's accessibility. So Beach 108th street and a few blocks around because that's where the ferry goes and then where the concessions are. Concessions are on Beach 106th Street, 97th street and then 86th Street. And there's some pop ups along the boardwalk as well.

[David Fuerst]

And regarding those pools, Mayor Mamdani is extending hours at Olympic and intermediate sized outdoor pools until 8:30pm through the holiday weekend, through at least Saturday. From what I've seen.

[Katie Honan]

Based on the temperatures.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, based on the temperatures, exactly. And let's take a call if you want to join this discussion, by the way, the number 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. Let's hear from Greg in Woodside. Welcome to all of it.

[Caller]

Hey yeah. Can you hear me?

[David Fuerst]

Yes, hello. Welcome.

[Caller]

Hey, yeah. I want to shout out Terrazzo 7 in Jackson Heights. Incredible. Really small music venue. Also a bar too. They have really great South American food, but they feature a ton of live bands from throughout South America. Some local bands in Queens too. But one of those places you don't always need to know who the act is before you go. I've been so many times and just kind of showed up and it's always a great performance. Lot of different types of music, but yeah, it's just a great spot.

[David Fuerst]

Greg, thank you for that shout out. What about that venue and live music in general in Queensland?

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, I love Terrazza 7 too. I think with all the. There's plenty of places he live music. You know, my favorite venue in the whole city is Knockdown center, which is in Maspeth. It's former Door Factory. Lots of very different acts there, including. Not that I've ever been, I haven't tried, but I probably would not get in. But basement, one of the hardest clubs to get into in the city. So that's my favorite venue, I think for the accessibility. Forest Hill Stadium, obviously, you know, they do concerts at Citi Field. You have concerts in Fleshy Meadows, Corona park and those are obviously large scale, but there's just a lot of. I will recommend Rockaway for the live music as well. Like on the boardwalk. Any night of the summer you'll find something live music somewhere. I'd recommend reading the Wave and Rockaway Times, which are two local papers in the Peninsula that highlight the live music of the weekend.

[David Fuerst]

And I can say we have a text right now that's ready to go here saying, are you saying that Coney island is not the ocean and let's break it down because.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, I mean part of it obviously some of the water. There's not like a wall stopping the water. But the only ocean facing beach in New York City is Rockaway. That's just the way God made it. I'm not, I didn't.

[David Fuerst]

I didn't take it up with the higher authority.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, you're swimming in the ocean as it comes around. But you know, part of the beaches in Brooklyn, if you look out west, like if you look out into the horizon, you see Breezy point at a certain point in Rockaway you just see the horizon.

[David Fuerst]

Well, if you'd like to join this discussion, 212-433-9692. We're speaking with Katie Honan here on ALL of IT on wnyc, talking about Queens and taking your suggestions about places to go. And let's hear from Christina in Bayside. Welcome to all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, good afternoon. I'm calling about Fort Totten park, one of my favorite places to walk. You can walk along the waterfront. You can see Long Island Sound, Little Neck Bay. It's also one of the most peaceful places to walk. It's quiet and they also have a hidden swimming pool, a public swimming pool. And there's a Civil War fortress there that's an abandoned Civil War fortress. And it's also home to Bayside Historical Society. So I would highly recommend do that.

[David Fuerst]

And I think I may know who this is. This is my mother in law, Chris.

[Priceline Announcer]

Welcome.

[David Fuerst]

It's so great to have you calling

[Caller]

in, but we, I really enjoy walking along Little Neck Bay and Little Neck Park. It's also a very peaceful place. And you can walk under the Throtts Neck Bridge there and it's quiet. It's a nice quiet place to walk and free parking, free restrooms and it's free.

[David Fuerst]

There you go. Free, free, free. It's great to hear from you. I'm so glad you called in. And what about that location, Katie?

[Katie Honan]

I love Fort Park, Fort Totten park, too. It is really beautiful and I think some parts of particularly northern Queens don't get as much attention. Maybe that's the way some people want it. They don't want huge crowds of people. And you do need to take a bus there. These two fair zones I think it's difficult to get to. But I love Bayside in general, too. I think for food recommendations, I, I've said before, Bell Boulevard is probably to me one of the best streets for restaurants in the whole city. Some people might think that's crazy, but the diversity of cuisines you have on just on Bell, I'm a big fan of it. And if you want to do a little shopping, you can go to the shopping center down the street too. There's a good home goods there, but that's a whole other story. But I, you know, Fort Taunton park is really beautiful and even other parts of Queens with, you know, the sailing in Douglaston and things like that, those are also ways to get out on the water in New York City.

[David Fuerst]

Sailing. Do I have I heard correctly, Katie, that you're taking sailing lessons now?

[Katie Honan]

I took Sailing lessons in Jamaica Bay through Sail Rockaway, which is in Far Rockaway. And they do a summer camp for kids and they're trying to make it actually more accessible for people to get on the water. But I paid for a sailing class and despite growing up out there, I never really spent that much time on Jamaica Bay. So it was really nice to be able to do so. And they do sunset cruises and sunrise cruises. They do bird watching cruises. When I took my class, the captain had gone out earlier that day with people on a bird watching tour and they saw a bald eagle in the marshes of Jamaica Bay. So it was great. And I know they also do sailing classes in Flushy Meadows Corona Park. There's a lot of opportunities in different bodies of water in the city to just get out on a boat. I think, you know, we'll see this with these tall ships coming through this weekend. But New York City is a water city, it's a beach city. And access to that. I think there's been efforts over the last 15 years to increase efforts to get people out on the water, take

[David Fuerst]

advantage of these incredible resources that are right here. And that sounds like a really great thing to do. Could you mention that place again where you took the lessons?

[Katie Honan]

I took it at Sail Rockaway. And there's also in Fleshy Meadows Corona Park. It's tasca. I forget what the acronym stands for. But they have opportunities. You can join the organization and then they also teach it there as well. And that is on Meadow Lake and Plush. There's two lakes, Willow Lake and Meadow Lake and Plushy Meadows Corona Park.

[David Fuerst]

And we're gonna continue this discussion. We have to take a quick break, but feel free to join in. Call us up, family members. Welcome 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. We're speaking with Katie Honan, City hall reporter with the city reporter and host of the FAQNYC podcast. Back in just a moment here on wnyc. This is all of it on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst in for Alison Stewart and we are kicking off our Summer in the City series in Queens right now. What is your favorite thing to do in the borough? What's your favorite Queens Beach? What do you do to stay cool? Queens residents or fans of Queens, share your suggestions with us. You can call 212-433-9692. That's 212-433-WNYC. And let's welcome Maureen from Manhattan right now.

[Caller]

Welcome to it, hey, there's a park right underneath the Brooklyn of the Whitestone Bridge. That is cool. And you can play handball and you can play paddleball or pickleball. Well, you can't play pickleball, but it's cool. It's where I grew up, where I learned to play basketball. Handball, it's the greatest place. And it's right under the Whitestone Bridge. So you got the water right there. Breezes. Beautiful place.

[David Fuerst]

That's wonderful. Thanks for sharing. And what about sports in Queens? You could see some of the best baseball happening in the country right now with the Mets.

[Katie Honan]

Well, you can't see baseball in Queens. It is true. Whether it's good, that's a whole other question. But Citi Field is. And I am a Mets fan, so don't come for me.

[David Fuerst]

I am as well.

[Katie Honan]

Citi Field's a wonderful place to go. It's a great. Yes, there is baseball being played in Queens. We can confirm that. And beyond that, I mean, you can see a baseball game, but you might not get a win.

[David Fuerst]

You probably won't. We just got an email from Rich saying, leave northern Queens alone. We like the peace and quiet.

[Katie Honan]

That's right. That's the downside. Growing up in Rockaway at what some might say was the downturn of the Peninsula, I say this growing up, everyone would say, oh, the good old days of Rockaway, the beaches were crowded, the traffic was crazy. We had an amusement park. It was wonderful. And then when there was a resurgence and we got that back, they would just complain about it. And I would say, well, when I was a kid, isn't this what you guys dreamed of? It's back. The peninsula's back. People are back on the beach. It's crowded, there's traffic. But there's always a downside to some positive things.

[David Fuerst]

That's right. And we're taking your calls. We'll take another call in just a second. I want to mention something I also noticed happening on Rockaway beach because what ping pong needed was a lot of fanciful obstacles on the playing surface. A group of artists have designed this series of ping pong tables that are on display now near a beach, 67th Street. That is according to the New York Times. And you should see what the way these things look. One has huge tentacles reaching up around the table. Another has musical instruments embedded in the playing surface. It's called Between Tides. And according to the Public Art Fund, ping pong paddles balls are available to borrow on Fridays, Saturdays, and. And let's take another call regarding Rockaway Beach. Welcome. And you're calling from Rockaway beach, is that right?

[Caller]

I am actually Rockaway park, but it's all part of Rockaway Beach. I came in a little bit late, so I wasn't sure if Katie had mentioned that there used to be sailing right out of Reese park, whale watching cruises. They've since moved over to Brooklyn to Sheepshead Bay. But it's really something spectacular to take part in. It's really affordable. They do sunset cruises, but there's whale watching every single day on the American Princess Cruise Line. I wish it would come back to Rockaway, but it does come around on the Rockaway side and you can get it real close to see whales breaching out of the water and all kinds of good stuff like that.

[David Fuerst]

Thank you so much for the call.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, I do remember when that was at Reese. I guess it was by the Fort Tilden Dock. And I follow some people who go to these whale watching tours and the photos of the different kinds of whales just breaching it is again, something that is certainly not this close you wouldn't see 25 years ago, but it's a good reminder of just the nature everywhere, you know. Now what we have over the last couple years is you get kicked out of the ocean for a little bit because there's a shark sighting and there was unfortunately a woman who was bit by presumably a shark a few summers ago. But that again, the cleaner water creates more fish for the larger fish to come and try to eat. So they just move closer to shore and. And again, seeing the beautiful aspects of nature that are just here within an hour or so, you know, depending on subway delays or ferry lateness or something. All from lower Manhattan. It's remarkable.

[David Fuerst]

It's our Summer in the City series. We are focusing on Queens right now. What is your favorite thing to do in the borough? 212-433-9692. Let's hear from Charlene in New Haven. Welcome.

[Caller]

Hi there, it's Charlene and I'm on 95, traveling now to Connecticut. But I am a Rockaway. I. I moved there in the sixth grade. My kids are now in the sixth grade. But I have to tell you that Rockaway is forever in my heart. We no longer have Playland and that was a big draw for people from the city. But coming into Rockaway, if you do come, it's the A train, simple. You get off at 105th street or 116th street and you walk across the street and you're at the beach. Lovely, beautiful, quiet. Yeah, we miss Playland, but now it's quiet and it's just a beautiful place to be. I miss it. I'm in traffic on 95.

[David Fuerst]

Well, let's dream about. What was it? Playland.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Katie Honan]

Rockaway's Playland was an amusement park. It closed in the summer of 85 and I think was torn down in 87. So it had, like, a lot of amusement parks in the city. You know, thinking of, I guess, Coney island and Rockaway in particular. They were built at the beach, the end of the subway lines. But through the 70s, I guess people's habits changed and they started traveling further away. You would take your family to Disney World and not Playland. It changed, but I didn't go to Playland. It predates me, but my whole life it's really been this ghost throughout the Peninsula in a good and, you know, I guess a bad way of representing what Rockaway used to be. But I do think we're back on the upswing now, the Peninsula. But the beautiful photos you could see. I like to look at the municipal archives, photos from the 1940s, and there's photos of just a little bungalow. And you see in the back, it's a roller coaster. And I like to imagine, like, imagine living in a bungalow in, you know, 1950s Rockaway, and there's just a roller coaster every minute going around you. So that's like a little time capsule to the past.

[David Fuerst]

The soundtrack of summer being the sound of the track and screams.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, exactly.

[David Fuerst]

So quieter now, as she was suggesting. Let's take another call. 212-433-9692. Frank in Astoria. Hello.

[Caller]

Hey, hello. From Manhattan's backyard in the best part of Queens, I'm calling to let you know about a dog park underneath the Triborough Bridge, which is shaded, has water, has an area for small dogs and big dogs, and in the summer they have little kiddie pools. It's Tri Borough Bridge Playground C. It's on Hoyt Avenue and 24th Street. And especially now when the pavement's really hot, it's a great place to bring your pet and chill out. And you can walk to the rest of Astoria park pretty easily as well.

[David Fuerst]

And thank you, Frank. And enjoy the shade provided by the bridge.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, I don't have a dog, but I've seen that dog park before. And I think especially for pet owners, and they want places for their dogs to run around and have that space that it's one of many dog parks here in Queens with just opportunities for dogs to roll around and especially cool off in the summer in a pool.

[David Fuerst]

Oh, yeah. And cooling off in the next few days could be very important. Someone texting in to talk about the Dragon Boat Festival. Races are in Flushing Meadow in August.

[Katie Honan]

Yes. That is. I've always thought maybe one day I could get a team, but it actually is very difficult to do. It requires a lot of training.

[David Fuerst]

Well, you've done your sailboat training.

[Katie Honan]

It's certainly not as difficult as a dragon. You know, that is very intense rowing. But I think also the Dragon Boat is an example of just the diversity of Queens and how all different kinds of people were all utilizing the same geography here and how we make use of it and how people use the water and the waterfront. And then, you know, in that case, it's a lake. How we take advantage of what's there.

[David Fuerst]

Let's take another call. What do you love to do in Queens? What's your favorite thing to do in the borough? 212-433-9692. Tracy from Long beach, welcome.

[Caller]

Hi. Former Rockaway girl. I don't think Katie mentioned, but there's Community Boathouse, which is free kayaking all summer long. They do sunset kayaks. It's all volunteer. It's communityboathouse.org and I believe you reserve on Eventbrite, so that's just a fabulous opportunity as well.

[David Fuerst]

Tracey, that's a great idea. Kayaking. And where is that kayaking happening? What water are we talking about?

[Katie Honan]

Yeah, where Tracy mentioned, I should note we always joke in Rockaway, like when someone moves from Rockaway to Long beach, she's moving up in the world. So congrats, Tracy. You moved to Long island. But that park is on Beach Channel Drive and I believe like 88th Street. And it's a fairly new park. It had been abandoned for most of my life. And there was a real local effort to turn it into a park and to work on this accessibility for kayaking. So that's an opportunity. And like Tracy said, I think you reserve it on Eventbrite. So it's not that complicated. There's also kayaking in Astoria and in Long Island City. So there are a lot of opportunities to take a water. And I think you don't have to be like a kayaking expert to do that.

[David Fuerst]

You don't have to be a kayak.

[Katie Honan]

No. There's, you know, different levels, obviously. And I think it is beginner friendly to help people get on the water.

[David Fuerst]

What have we not hit in Queens that we should? Hiking, nature trails, birding, I think, and

[Katie Honan]

I'm not a birder So I don't want to, and I'm sure birders will know, But I will say, look, the peninsula is great. All this water, all this opportunity to go sit on the beach. But there's also opportunities and lots of places to just hike and get out in nature. Alley Pond Park, Forest Park. There's just all these places that when you're on the trails, although in Alipond park, you can kind of hear cars, but you will forget that you're in Queens. And even again, on the Rockaway Peninsula, there's the Arbor Nature Preserve, which is also pretty new, relatively new. That is right next to the boardwalk in Broad Channel. There's Sunset Cove, hiking trail and park, and obviously for the birders, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Broad Channel. I, again, I will go by the people with their long lenses. I think I went on a hike there as a Girl Scout many years ago, but that is such a diversity of birds there. Even out in the tip of Breezy Point, which, you know, because it's a private community, there's some accessibility things, and it's not as easy to get to, but there are so many birds. I went to Raptorfest at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, which is something that the Parks Department sponsors, where that's, you know, they bring the birds in, but for birders, those are really great locations. And, yeah, I mean, if you want to just like, let's say you spend the day at the beach, but you want to walk around and take a hike, go on the Arver Nature Preserve, just experience this ecological change from where you just were in the ocean.

[David Fuerst]

Multiple Olivet producers writing in to say Alley Pond rules Queens is a birding paradise.

[Katie Honan]

There you go.

[David Fuerst]

Yeah, there you go. And, okay, we have July 4th coming up right around the corner. Maybe we should try to finish there. It's coming. Where can people go to see fireworks? I guess all over Queens. There's some obvious locations, but maybe. What about the Rockaways as well?

[Katie Honan]

I will say, first, you should not set off illegal fireworks. You should not do illegal fireworks, unsanctioned fireworks. A lot of bad things can happen. That being said, plenty of other people do, and Rockaway has. If it's the illegal firework epicenter of New York City, like the amount of fireworks you will see in the beach, it is. It might as well be Macy's grocery show, because it is really. I mean, I know some people who are talking about the amount of fireworks they are buying, and they really put on a show.

[David Fuerst]

Okay.

[Katie Honan]

So if you want to look for fireworks In Queens, I would just, like, keep your eyes and ears open, because as soon as the sun goes down, I mean, the sun doesn't. Sometimes the sun doesn't even go down, or they're lighting, which seems kind of foolish, but they're all over. They're everywhere.

[David Fuerst]

Okay. And we should finish with a little bit of music.

[Katie Honan]

Yeah.

[David Fuerst]

There's a particular piece of music that you chose to help represent Queens today. Can you talk about this piece?

[Katie Honan]

The song is Funkin for Jamaica by Thom Brown. He's a trumpeter, a jazz trumpeter. And the funny thing about the song, it's from the 80s. I don't know the exact year because it's Jamaica. People presume that it's Jamaica, the island, you know? And he has said, I saw an interview with him where he said he visited Jamaica. And everyone thinks, like, hey, oh, my God, thank you so much.

[David Fuerst]

Oh, thanks for writing about us.

[Katie Honan]

Thanks. But when you listen to the song, it's his kind of love letter to Jamaica Queens, where he grew up. And he's talking about the Jamaica Avenue Mall on 165th street and all this kind of stuff. So. So I love it. It's very good and funky. So I think when people giving options for Queen songs, there's some songs, you know, people might think they're Ramones or they might think Nas or Mob Depp. But I said, I love this song so much. I don't play the trumpet, but I love this. The song is great. And I love that everyone thinks it's for the country, but it's for Jamaica, Queens.

[David Fuerst]

Well, let's go out celebrating Queens with this music. Katie Honan, cover City hall for the City Reporter and is co host of the FAQ NYC podcast. Thanks so much for joining us.

[Katie Honan]

Thanks so much for having me.