34th Avenue is the single most convincing argument in New York that a street can become a park, and its eastern blocks around 93rd Street are where the kid programming lives — chalk, cones, a folding table, a whole avenue with no cars on it. This session slots into that daily rhythm rather than sitting apart from it, so you get the real thing rather than a staged one. If you've read about Paseo Park and never walked it, an afternoon on this block is the honest introduction.
What to expect
A block of 34th Avenue with barriers at each end and kids using the roadbed for games and activities, with neighbors on benches and the usual open-street traffic of strollers, scooters and dog walkers moving through. Programming here is informal and community-run, so it looks less like an event and more like a street that works. Jackson Heights' food blocks are a few minutes' walk south.
Good to know
- The 7 train to 90th St-Elmhurst Avenue drops you within a couple of blocks of this stretch
- Free and drop-in — open streets programming in Jackson Heights doesn't ticket
- The roadbed is flat asphalt, which makes it easy going for strollers, scooters and wheelchairs
- Best for younger kids; the corridor is closed to through traffic but local vehicles can still cross at intersections
- Roosevelt Avenue and 37th Avenue, both a short walk away, are two of the best eating streets in the city
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Common questions
What is the 34th Avenue open street?
It's a roughly 26-block stretch of 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights closed to through traffic and used as public space — the longest open street in New York, often called Paseo Park.
Is the street fully closed to cars?
It's closed to through traffic during open-street hours, but cross streets still function and local access is permitted, so keep an eye on intersections.
Do I need to register my kid?
Open-street programming here is generally free and drop-in. Individual sessions are run by community volunteers, so it's worth asking whoever is running the table.
More this weekend
