New York City Car Rental and a New Hyde Park Overview

New Hyde Park is a village in Nassau County on Long Island that you can visit with your New York City car rental. This is primarily a commuter town with single family homes as well as warehouses and light manufacturing along the Jericho Turnpike. New Hyde Park is part of both the Town of Hempstead and the Town of North Hempstead. It was incorporated in 1927.

Learn about the past

The area that is today part of New Hyde Park was once called Hyde Park and one of the oldest and most historic settlements in the country. The first settlers were Dutch and English, coming to the area in 1624. The English settled the town of Hempstead in 1644 on Long Island Sound. When you visit with your New York City car rental, you may learn that Salisbury Plains was chosen to establish a race course, a first in the colonies. This location was where you will now find New Hyde Park Rail Road Station. The races were an annual event, with a silver cup going to the winner. Today, this tradition is still alive in Belmont with the Belmont Race Track. The area around Hyde Park remained farmland for many years.

Travel far distances

The Jericho Turnpike opened as a toll road to carry produce to the market. In 1837, the Long Island Railroad came through New Hyde Park, but for years there was really nothing there for the station. After the Civil War, industry slowly came to the area, which was accessible by the turnpike and railroad station. Residents in the area wanted to be recognized by the U.S. Postal Service as "Hyde Park", but the name was already taken in Dutchess County, therefore the name "New Hyde Park" was incorporated in 1927.

Off to the races

Also in the Town of Hempstead is the Belmont Race Track, which you can visit with your New York City car rental. This is a mile-and-a-half dirt race track that is the largest of its kind in the world. Belmont is a must-see because it is one of the best landscaped venues in American sport. There is a stately backyard behind the grandstand where the horses are saddled before the races. Here you will find big, attractive trees and two lakes. This is considered to be one of the most gorgeous and accommodating race tracks in the country, so you will not want to miss it with your New York City car rental.

Pick a winner

The Belmont Stakes is held at the Belmont Race Track, part of the Triple Crown. Sometimes this race track is referred to as The Championship Track because almost every major champion in racing history since it opened has competed here, including the 11 Triple Crown winners. This race is part of the third leg of the Triple Crown, after it has completed the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. For this particular race, three-year-old colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds, while fillies carry a weight of 121 pounds around the 1.5 mile race track.

New Hyde Park is an interesting community to visit with your New York City car rental for what it is like living in the suburbs of New York.