New Rochelle is commonly referred to as 'The Home Town' because of the significant amount of single-family, residential development that exists throughout most of its 10+ square miles. While the formerly industrial downtown section is more densely developed, with condominiums, high rises, offices, shopping centers, affordable housing complexes, a medical center, nursing homes, two college campuses and an inter modal transportation hub, the rest of the city consists of sprawling, residential neighborhoods. There are more than 11,500 single family units within the city, more than that of neighboring Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Scarsdale combined. The total number of separate households surpasses 26,000, more than that of neighboring Pelham, Pelham Manor, Eastchester, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck and Larchmont combined.

Parks and Recreation:

Waterfront

While the shoreline within the City of New Rochelle measures 2.7 miles (4.3 km), but with its many irregularities and off-shore islands, the actual length of the waterfront is 9.3 miles (15.0 km). The unusual coastal features have over the years earned it the nickname, "the Queen City of the Sound."

Yacht, sailing and rowing clubs dot the coast on Long Island Sound and beach clubs line the shores of Davenport Neck. Beckwithe Point, The Greentree Country Club and The Surf Club are the largest of the private shore clubs, providing waterfront recreation to members during the summer season. The New York Athletic Club sits on Travers Island, located on the border of New Rochelle and Pelham Manor.

• New Rochelle Yacht Club, Echo Bay Yacht Club and Imperial Yacht Club are several well known, private yacht clubs in the city.

• New York Sailing School and New Rochelle Rowing Club each have histories dating back over 100 years.

• The City operates a large marina with 300 slips and 150 mooring spaces.

Parks

The City has an impressive collection of parklands and nature preserves, with 102.5 acres (0.415 km˛) of inland waters, 231.51 acres (0.9369 km˛) of public park lands and 168 acres (0.68 km˛) of park lets.

• Glen Island - In 1879 John H. Starin, a former U.S. Congressman and New York transportation king, bought five islands which he named 'Glen Island ' and created perhaps the first theme park open to the public. His 12 steamboats transported millions of New York residents and others to the attractions which included a zoo, a natural history museum, a railway, a German beer garden (around the castle-like structure which still stands today), a bathing beach, and a Chinese pagoda. Today the park is a 105-acre (0.42 km˛) island property connected to the mainland by a drawbridge built in the 1920s. One of the main features of the park is its pristine, crescent shaped beach offering access to Long Island Sound.

• Five Islands Park is a series of islands connected by small footbridges and pathways, offers playground, sports, hiking and camping facilities for all residents to enjoy.

• Hudson Park encompasses 13 acres (0.053 km˛) along the city's harbor front and includes a beach for residents, the city boathouse, greenhouses, the shore station of the United States Coast Guard and several yacht and rowing clubs. The park is traditionally accepted as the original landing place of the Huguenot settlers. A granite boulder with bronze tablets commemorates the event.

• Davids' Island, a 78 acre island of the coast of the city, is being transformed from a former American military base (Fort Slocum) into a park and environmental preserve. Beginning just after the Civil War, the island was a military base used to protect New York Harbors, during World War I it served as an army recruitment station and up until 1967, it maintained various ‘Cold War’ facilities. Today it is home to a variety of plants, birds, and animals. These include the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, and rare birds such as osprey and least terns. Davids Island also supports valuable wetlands, rare rocky intertidal areas, and sandy beaches. The waters surrounding the Island are home to Winter Flounder, Atlantic Herring, and Atlantic Silversides.

• Ward Acres, located in the North End, is a combination of untouched forest, wild lawns and meadows, acres of hiking, exercise trails and historic horse stables/cemeteries. It encompasses 62 acres, with the forests divided into four main sections (North Woods, Northwest Woods, Central Woods, Southeast Woods), each distinct in both general characteristics and species presence.

• The Leatherstocking Trail is a 2-mile (3.2 km) long, inter-municipal hiking trail situated between New Rochelle and Mamaroneck, eventually linking into Saxon Woods County Park.

• Sheldrake Lake which formerly served as a reservoir supplying the areas drinking water, is now a 60 acres (0.24 km˛) park and nature conservancy promoting an increased understanding of the local ecology.

• Twin Lakes Park, ccombined with the adjacent Nature Study Woods comprise 220 acres (0.89 km˛) of woods, marsh, lakes, ponds and some fields along the Hutchinson River in New Rochelle’s Northend. There are many foot trails weaving through woods, marshlands, fields and around two large lakes (formerly reservoirs).

Golf

• Wykagyl Golf Club, located in the Wykagyl section of New Rochelle on North Avenue just south of Quaker Ridge Road. Golfweek magazine ranks Wykagyl as one of America's Top 100 Classic Courses.

• Pelham Country Club, straddles the border of New Rochelle and Pelham Manor. The course is a mile from the Westchester, New York City border and Pelham Bay Park.