New York rental car and Pelham Bay Park

Pelham Bay Park is a park located in the northeast corner of the Bronx. It is the largest park in New York City, and is more than three times the size of Central Park. The park borders the neighborhoods of Country Club, Pelham Bay, City Island, and Co-Op City. Some of the park fluctuates between being walkable and underwater depending on the tide changes in the salt marshes along Orchard Beach. There is park on both sides of the Hutchinson River, Hunters Island, Twin Island, and Two-Trees Island in Long Island Sound.

Don't get down in the dumps

When you visit with your New York rental car, you may learn that part of the park was created by filling in part of Pelham Bay with landfill to make Orchard Beach. In the southeast section of the park there are baseball fields, a playground, picnic areas, tennis courts, a parking lot for your New York rental car, and several trails that you can explore.

Places to explore in the park

There are a number of landmarks that you can explore when you visit with your New York rental car. Orchard Beach is notable because it is the only public beach in the Bronx. The Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife area mostly made up of salt marsh where egrets and heron can be seen. The Bronx Victory Column & Memorial Grove is a 75-foot limestone column that honors servicement from the Bronx that lost their lives in war. Another interesting monument to check out with your New York rental car is Split Rock, which legend says was the place where Anne Hutchenson (an early defender of the freedom of religion) was killed.

Take your best swing

There are two golf courses here. The first course here is Pelham Bay Course. This is the easier of the two courses. The links-style design is of a medium size and speed without water obstacles. This golf course originally opened in 1901 as a 9-hole course and was expanded in 1914 due to its popularity. When you visit with your New York rental car, you may learn that it was the first course to use dynamite as a way to change the natural topography, which you can observe from the changes in the rock outcroppings on hole 18. This course was also so popular that the first reservation system for golf was implemented here. More advanced golfers may want to go to the Split Rock course. This one is more difficult because it is very wooded and has tight fairways. There is a creek that creeps through four holes over the rolling terrain. The signature hole here is the eighteenth. It is a par four that required you to go around what may be America's oldest living White Oak tree.

Getting here

To get here with your New York rental car, take FDR Drive to Triboro Bridge. Once over the bridge, keep to the left and follow the signs for the Bronx/Bruckner Expressway. Take the Bruckner to the I-95 North on the New England Thruway. Get off at exit 8B (Orchard Beach/City Island). Once off the expressway, follow the road over the bridge to a set of lights. Go straight and you will come to a traffic circle. Go half way and get off on Shore Road North. The park will come up.