You may do a lot of different things at Hempstead Lake State Park. A historic hand-carved wooden carousel, bridle trails for horseback riding, a children's playground, a softball field, basketball courts, biking & hiking trails, shaded picnic areas, and a beautiful observation deck overlooking Hempstead Lake are all part of the package. There are also 18 tennis courts, a softball field, and a basketball court.

McDonald Pond, Hempstead Lake, and South Pond are the three freshwater lakes in the area that can be fished. Trout are introduced in the fall, and anglers can pursue them throughout the year. Chain pickerel, largemouth bass, carp, yellow perch, and sunfish are also found here. 

Hempstead Lake is the largest lake in Nassau County and allows the launching of cartop boats like kayaks, canoes, and rowboats as well as National Marine Manufacturers Association-approved inflatable boats. The use of trailers is prohibited. 

The Carousel Party Room is available for hire in Hempstead as well. Unlimited carousel rides for up to 90 people are included in the rental charge of $350 (weekends/holidays) or $300 (weekdays) for a three-hour party.

When it comes to environmental management and storm preparedness, no other facility compares to the Environmental Education and Resilience Centre. The purpose of these events is to bring people together with nature through outreach and education. Storm response is another important function of the Centre. Data collected from the center's monitoring of the Hempstead Lake Dam will be used to better prepare for and respond to storms.

Hempstead Lake has a long history as a premier fishing spot on Long Island. Due to high temperatures and a lack of rain, Hempstead Lake dried up in the summer of 2002. Yellow perch, black crappie, bluegill sunfish, banded killifish, pumpkinseed sunfish, golden shiners, and chain pickerel were reintroduced to the lake in 2003 by the Region 1 Fisheries Unit. 

Stocking of largemouth bass began in 2004. Eight years after the initial stocking, researchers surveyed the fish population in 2012. Except for the golden shiner and the banded killifish, all of the stocked species were represented by juveniles, showing that they are continuing to reproduce naturally. Although DEC did not intentionally stock common carp, they were also caught in the study. Carp is a good target for anglers looking for a larger catch, as most of the lake's other fish species are very small.

Nassau County Fire Fighters Museum
WTI Self Storage