Courts at the north-east corner of the Great Lawn and a larger set at North Meadow, both free and first come, first served. Turn up with a ball, or borrow one at the recreation centre — here’s how each area works.
Court areas
Pickup games
Permit approval
Ball hire
Every court in the park is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Nothing to book, nothing to pay. Turn up, wait your turn, get on.
The catch: a permit is the only thing that holds a specific court at a specific time. If you’re playing informally that’s irrelevant — you’re joining the queue like everyone else. But if you’re running an organised group, a league fixture, a tournament or anything you’ve told twenty people to turn up for, the permit is what stops you arriving to find the court already full and no claim on it.
The diamonds cluster in three places. They’re not interchangeable — the crowd, the surface and the walk from the subway are different at each.
Free play
North-east of the Great Lawn, alongside the other recreational facilities. Nets up, water fountains a few steps away, and plenty of picnic ground to sit on afterwards. Bring your own ball — there’s no hire on this side of the park.
Where
Ball hire
The main concentration is mid-park at 97th Street across North Meadow’s 23 acres. Resurfaced, nets supplied, and by a distance the most reliable place to find a game — the popularity is the point. Quieter mid-morning on weekdays.
Where
Ball hire
The hub next to the courts, and the reason to head north if you’ve arrived empty-handed. Field kits loan out on a photo ID — basketballs, bats, balls, jump ropes and frisbees. Restrooms and water are here too.
Where
Also has
Every ballfield in the park, drawn to its area. Solid for baseball, dashed for softball.
81st Street · nets · water fountains alongside
97th Street · the busiest courts · easiest to find a game
97th Street · ball hire on photo ID · restrooms
Three different answers depending on what you’re playing. Pick the one that matches your game.
Choose the closest match.
Courts are free and open on a first-come, first-served basis for informal play. Turn up, call next, wait your turn. Nothing protects your spot, which is fine for a knockabout. Check the NYC Parks field and court availability map first and avoid a court somebody has already booked.
Apply through NYC Parks. Approval usually takes 21 to 30 days, so start at least a month out — most refusals are simply late applications. A permit is the only thing that holds the court at your time, and it’s what lets you tell twenty people to turn up at seven without hoping.
Anything beyond playing on the court — spectators, amplified sound, catering, tents, a large group — is handled separately through the NYC special event permit system, not the court permit. Apply for that one as well, and expect a longer lead time than the court booking itself.
The NYC Parks field and court map shows which courts are reserved and when. Two minutes here saves a wasted trip, whether or not you end up applying for anything.
Court permits run through the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and take 21 to 30 days to approve. Most refusals are simply late applications, and the North Meadow slots go early in spring.
Spectators, amplified sound, tents, catering or anything beyond playing sits outside the court permit. That's a separate application through the NYC special event system, so file both together rather than discovering the gap the week before.
Courts close for resurfacing, events and after heavy rain, and the recreation centre has its own opening hours. Worth confirming on the day rather than crossing the park to find a locked gate.
There is almost always a game a player short somewhere at North Meadow. It’s the friendliest place in the park to ask — more courts, less pressure on any one of them, and the recreation centre next door if you need to borrow a ball.
Two areas, two different trips. Worth deciding before you cross the park with a bag of gear.
Arrive early on weekends.Both areas fill from mid-morning on a warm Saturday, and North Meadow can run several games deep by noon. If you want a court rather than a wait, be there before ten — or come on a weekday evening instead.
Not for informal play — the courts are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A permit is what secures a specific court at a specific time, and it’s required for organised groups, tournaments and special events.
Playing is free at both areas. Permits carry a fee set by NYC Parks depending on the court and how many dates you’re booking. Equipment loans at the recreation centre are free with photo ID.
Two areas. North-east of the Great Lawn, alongside the other recreational facilities at around 81st Street, and mid-park at 97th Street at North Meadow, beside the recreation centre.
For the Great Lawn courts, yes. At North Meadow the recreation centre loans basketballs and other field kit jump ropes, frisbees, bats and balls free on a photo ID. Nets are supplied at both.
Yes, but not on a court permit alone. Tournaments and anything with spectators, sound or catering need a separate special event permit from NYC Parks, so apply for both together.
Weekend late mornings and afternoons, and weekday evenings from spring through autumn. Arrive early on weekends and holidays if you want a court rather than a queue. Weekday mornings are the quietest hours of the week.
North Meadow courts · free
North Meadow & Great Lawn · permit
Wollman Rink & North Meadow · all levels
Tell us the date, the group size and whether anyone’s travelling in. We’ll tell you which area to aim for and whether it’s worth permitting.
