Address: 11th Ave. &, W 54th St, New York, NY 10019
Website: DeWitt Clinton Page
Hours Of Operation:
6 am to 1 am, 7 days a week
There’s nothing quite like soccer in the Big Apple. That’s why we’ve partnered with multiple pickup leagues across New York City to bring you all more field options! These leagues host their matches year-round on dozens of unique pitches across NYC, and as part of this partnership, we are bringing Plei App games to their spaces in order to fill in on days that the leagues aren’t running.
That being said, these blogs will answer all the questions that you usually ask before you head out to play some ball, like…
Is it a 6v6, 7v7, 8v8 or 9v9 field? Artificial grass or natural? What are the exact measurements? Where should I park? What subway train do I take and where do I get off? Are there good food/drink options nearby? Are there any other cool things to do or see in the surrounding area?
Fear not: all these questions and more will be answered within each blog, so you can confidently suit up, head out and have fun playing some pickup footy, New York style. 🗽😎
Created in 1906, this versatile park stretches across 5.8 acres, offering spaces for numerous sports, including basketball, baseball, football, soccer and even handball.
The park, bordered by West 52nd and 54th Streets, and Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues, is surrounded by a number of luxury car dealerships and is also in close proximity to the Hudson River.
Although the main attractions at DeWitt are the sports fields, you’ll also find a large public garden, a monument, playgrounds and dog-friendly areas.
Keep reading to learn more about this field, and some important tips that you’ll want to keep in mind before you pull up. Click below to navigate to any particular section that you’re interested in! 👇
The soccer field at DeWitt Clinton Park is incredible, and it’s for all the right reasons.
Taking up the majority of the park’s acres, this large turf space is intentionally designed to accommodate a number of sports, including baseball and football, but it’s no better sport to play here than the beautiful game.
Yes, we’re biased.
Catch exciting 11v11 pickup games under the park floodlights that will make you feel like you’re playing pro. If you’re one for scenery while balling out, then this is the field for you, because the park is completely surrounded by trees.
And if you couldn’t tell from the photo above, there’s a number of luxury car dealerships that border DeWitt, which make for some attractive snapshots when they’re lit up at night.
The Plei App first hosted a pickup game at DeWitt Clinton Park on September 6, 2023, and we continue to play here today.
Like most NYC public parks, there isn’t any sort of public parking lot, so you’ll want to look to parallel park on any of the four bordering streets (West 52nd and 54th Streets, and Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues).
Fear not, the DeWitt is 5.8 acres, so you’re bound to find an open spot fairly easily.
For those arriving by subway, we provided the closest stations to the park.
50 St (Lines E, B, or D)
7 Av (Lines C or E)
Once you arrive at the station of your choice, it’s about a 15 minute walk west to the park.
If you don’t want to walk, though, you can always hop on a bus. The closest bus stops to the park are listed below (both M12 service):
As a final alternative, you can grab a Citi Bike from one of these two docks:
You can then make your way west and return the bike at this dock which is right across the park:
As you can probably tell from the photo, the field is entirely fenced, so you’ll have to enter from one of multiple gate openings.
You’ll find the first one on the inside of the park just to the left of the flagpole and diagonal to the handball courts. A second one is just a little further down to the left of the first entrance, this time immediately across from the courts.
On the north side of the field (the one that borders West 54th Street), you’ll find another gate opening in front of a set of bleachers.
Another gate entrance can be found on 11th Avenue, but this one is typically locked. Head left of here, and you’ll walk into a trail entrance of the park where you’ll find another opening on your right.
After you’re done checking out all of DeWitt Clinton Park’s 5.8 acres, why not explore the surrounding neighborhood. We’ve listed a few neat locations to hit up, but feel free to adventure this sector of Hell’s Kitchen at your own discretion.
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Clinton Cove at Hudson River Park
There also happens to be a number of high-end car dealerships in the surrounding area of DeWitt, if you want to indulge in luxury. We’ve listed them here as well.
Because the park is located in such a convenient location boasting an active commerce scene, you’ll find plenty of food and drink options in the surrounding area. We picked three for you that we found to be most convenient, but feel free to make your own decision!
Subway (Located across the street from DeWitt. Just cross West 52nd Street at the southeast corner of the park.) - Yes, we know this is a chain restaurant. It’s right across from the park, though, and since we prioritize proximity before anything, we decided to include it. It’s right there, and you can quickly grab yourself a sub before you head home for the night.
Afficionado Coffee Roasters (Across the street, east of the park. Cross 11th Avenue and it’ll be on the corner of the building across from the Mercedes-Benz dealership.) - This stylish cafe offers single-origin coffee, plus baked goods, sandwiches & breakfast items. Open daily from 8am to 5pm. We recommend their banana tuff nutella loaf.
IL BARETTO TO GO (Located in the Clinton Towers that are just diagonal of DeWitt. Cross 11th Avenue from the northeast corner of the park before crossing West 54th Street.) - This is an Italian restaurant focused on to-go dining, making it perfect if you’re looking to head home as quickly as possible after your pickup game right across the street. They have delicious pizzas and pasta dishes and decadent dessert items; all authentic, all homemade.
DeWitt Clinton Park, on Manhattan's west side, is a park filled with history and athletic adventure. In the Erie Canal Playground one can find play equipment, safety surfacing, painted games, swings, benches, drinking fountains, concrete play mules (named Sal, Pal and Gal) and a frog spray shower within the play area, and a dog run caters to the canine set. Maria's Perennial Garden features flowers of the 1800s, rock garden species, and plants that attract birds, bees and butterflies.
Some of the park's biggest attractions are its sports fields: locals come by to play basketball, baseball, soccer, and handball.
Thanks for reading Pitchside by Plei, a blog series highlighting the best field spaces in your city! ⚽
If you want to get familiar with other unique soccer fields from the Lower East Side all the way up to Washington Heights and beyond, don’t hesitate to click the following links below! 👇
