Ocean Parkway extends over a distance of about five miles (8 km), running almost north to south from Machate Circle at the southwestern corner of Prospect Park to the Atlantic Ocean waterfront at Brighton Beach. The NYSDOT designates the 4.86-mile (7.82 km) section south of Church Avenue as an unsigned reference route.^[3]

Ocean Parkway begins at Machate Circle at the southern entrance of Prospect Park and travels westward before merging south into Prospect Expressway.^[4]: 2 After the expressway ends at Church Avenue, then passes through Windsor Terrace and what is present-day Kensington. The parkway runs roughly parallel to Coney Island Avenue, an important commercial avenue several blocks to the east. After running through several neighborhoods such as Midwood, Homecrest, and Sheepshead Bay, the parkway ends at Surf Avenue in Brighton Beach, close to the Riegelmann Boardwalk and ocean.^[1][3]

The parkway is similar to Eastern Parkway in its layout. It includes a 70-foot-wide (21 m) central seven-lane roadway (the middle lane being used for left turns), two 20-foot-wide (6.1 m) grassy medians on each side with bike and pedestrian paths, two 25-foot-wide (7.6 m) service roads on the periphery, and two 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) exterior sidewalks, for a total width of 210 feet (64 m). The Brooklyn Parks Commission initially controlled another 30 feet (9.1 m) to each side.^{[4]: 1 [5]} According to the original legislation, the medians could only be used for trees, plazas, and other ornamentation.^[5] As such, trees, playing tables, and benches line the pedestrian path and boulevard.^[4]: 1 A bike lane is located on the western median.^[6] The route is between the MTA's Culver and Brighton rail lines. They run parallel northbound from the Belt Parkway to Church Avenue.