Public courts and tracks.
Basketball, handball, tennis, pickleball and volleyball courts and running tracks in NYC parks, from NYC Parks' own list. NYC Parks' pages mention no permit for casual basketball, handball, pickleball or volleyball; tennis needs a NYC Parks permit until November 22, 2026 ($15 for a single play). The lit ones work after work.
44 parks, 176 handball courts
- Alexander Hamilton Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Blake Hobbs Playground (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Booker T. Washington Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Brigadier General Charles Young Playground (NYC Parks page)6 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Carmansville Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Central Park (NYC Parks page)12 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Cherry Tree Park (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Courtney Callender Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Crack Is Wack Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- East River Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Fort Washington Park (NYC Parks page)9 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Frederick Douglass Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Frederick Johnson Playground (NYC Parks page)8 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Harlem River Park (NYC Parks page)6 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Highbridge Park (NYC Parks page)3 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Holcombe Rucker Park (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Howard Bennett Playground (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Inwood Hill Park (NYC Parks page)8 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- J. Hood Wright Park (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Jackie Robinson Park (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Jacob H. Schiff Playground (NYC Parks page)6 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- John Jay Park (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Mae Grant Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Playground (NYC Parks page)3 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Matthew P. Sapolin Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Monsignor Kett Playground (NYC Parks page)3 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Morningside Park (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- P.S. 155 Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Peter Minuit Playground (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · concrete
- Playground One Twenty Five CXXV (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Poor Richard's Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Renaissance Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Riverside Park (NYC Parks page)7 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Riverside Park South (NYC Parks page)1 handball court · Uptown · concrete
- Sheltering Arms Playground (NYC Parks page)4 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Sol Bloom Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- St. Catherine's Park (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- St. Nicholas Park (NYC Parks page)12 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Stanley Isaacs Playground (NYC Parks page)8 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Thomas Jefferson Park (NYC Parks page)8 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Twenty-Four Sycamores Park (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Wagner Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- White Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
- Wright Brothers Playground (NYC Parks page)2 handball courts · Uptown · asphalt
What NYC Parks says
“Organized leagues or special events need a permit to use an athletic field or court; for people under 18 the permit is free. NYC Parks' field and court map shows which have been permitted.” NYC Parks, /facilities/basketball, read October 22, 2026.
Tennis
“A permit is needed to use an outdoor court from the first Saturday in April to the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Single-play permits cost $15; full-season permits are $100 for adults 18 to 61, $20 for 62 and older and $10 under 18. Most courts are open from 8:00 a.m. to dusk.” NYC Parks, /permits/tennis-permits, read October 22, 2026.
NYC Parks' pages for basketball, handball, pickleball and volleyball courts mention no permit for casual play, and we found no Parks page for running tracks, so we add no rule for those. Pickleball: Parks' own pickleball page lists more courts than its dataset flags.
New to pickup? How pickup works on Parks courts, tennis permits included.
Source: NYC Parks, Athletic Facilities (last updated July 23, 2026) and Parks Properties for park names, on NYC Open Data, fetched October 22, 2026. Courts close for repairs and events; each park's NYC Parks page has the latest.