Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

More than 300 different types of birds migrate through or live in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, part of Gateway National Recreational Area, in Queens. It's one of the most important birding spots in the state. Alas, we saw only a handful during our 1.75-mile loop through the West Pond Trail--including osprey, ducks, geese (which use footpaths to cross from pond to pond), and gulls--and we missed the terapins too, whose habitat is closed off for research during the summer.

But we did spy the Empire State Building just through the marsh (you'll have to take our word for it, as the top photo didn't quite capture its tiny silver spire), as well as a flowering native cactus (yes, it's true--and it's called the prickly pear).