Fodor's Expert Review Fort Wadsworth

Turned over to the National Park Service in 1994, this 226-acre historical military site on the Narrows of New York Harbor was on defense from the Revolutionary War to World War II. Today, it's the starting point of the New York Marathon each November, and makes for a relaxed summertime hangout, with views of Battery Weed and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Tours and events with living history actors are ongoing but irregular, so make sure to check their website's calendar beforehand.