Alicia Keys famously dubbed New York the Concrete Jungle but did you know that the city has nearly 2,000 parks and playgrounds across the five boroughs? Many people assume that Central Park is the only green we have, but the truth is the city maintains many lovely parks. In the summer, you’ll find them filled with picnics, birthday parties, sports, and sunbathing – really, all life moves outdoors. Whatever activity you choose to spend the golden days of summer, here are 7 parks in New York you must visit this summer
1. Central Park
Yes, this has to make it on the list. Some may say it’s overrated, but it really is a core part of New York. Generations have fought to preserve this nearly 7-mile stretch of green in our city, and it truly is one of the greatest parts of New York.
The park is huge and can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan but here are some spots you might enjoy are: Sheep Meadow for a lazy lounge, the Mall to walk to under a beautiful canopy of trees (walk all the way to Bethesda Terrace), or Belvedere Castle for majestic views.
If you love sports, you can usually catch a baseball game in North Meadow, which has 12 baseball fields. Or catch some tennis at the Tennis Center (where Federer has played!).
2. Battery Park
Tucked away just a couple of streets away from the World Trade Center is Battery Park. It’s a section occupying the very bottom tip of Manhattan and has a grassy area as well as a paved walkway and benches closer to the water. It’s a quieter and lesser-known area where you’ll find few tourists and mostly locals. It’s arguably the best place to view the Statue of Liberty from land. There are a lot of cafes and coffee shops nearby, making this a perfect spot to enjoy a coffee or a quick bite.
3. Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is a small but mighty park! Set in the heart of Greenwich Village, it’s packed with locals, NYU students, musicians, artists, and families – making it the coolest and most varied group of people. The iconic arch and fountain are what make this park recognizable, but it also has a playground and two dog parks. It’s a great spot for people-watching or meeting a group of friends. And there’s always music which makes it extra cheery.
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4. Bryant Park
New Yorkers joke that unless you’re a tourist or work in finance, there’s no reason to go to Midtown, but we would argue that Bryant Park is worth venturing into Midtown. Just a couple of blocks away from Times Square and surrounded by high-rising office buildings, this park is a surprisingly peaceful oasis. The perimeter is lined with tall trees, and the interior has stalls of food vendors making this a great lunch spot. In the center is a large grassy area which is often kept guarded off. The empty grass plus the fountain at the entrance makes this park feel awfully European.
5. High Line
The High Line is a great park for when you want to go for a walk but don’t want to be in the streets. Funny enough, the High Line was actually never intended to be a park but a more efficient passageway, yet now the linear park is one of the most popular in the city and used far more frequently for leisure. It is built on old, unused railways which you can still see! It starts at Gansevoort St. in Chelsea and will take you all the way up to Hudson Yards, covering about 1.5 miles.
6. Brooklyn Bridge Park
The opening of this modern park brought life to an unused section below the Brooklyn Bridge. It now has walkways, benches, and some grassy portions to lay out on. There’s much to see here between the action over the Brooklyn Bridge and boats coming through the water. It’s particularly gorgeous at sunset here as the sun sets over Manhattan and the bridge.
7. Prospect Park
Covering nearly 600 acres, Prospect Park is the Brooklyn version of Central Park. In fact, it was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the architectural masterminds behind Central Park. They say they preferred Prospect Park as they weren’t up against tight space constraints like they were working in Manhattan’s grid layout.
Prospect Park is far less crowded and here, you’ll find a meadow, lake, forest, zoo, and even the attached Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. It’s the perfect spot for a bike ride, picnic, or lazy nap.
Be sure to check out the arch at the Grand Army Plaza entrance, the Art-Beaux Boathouse (and the famous Camperdown Elm Tree nearby!), Long Meadow, and Prospect Park Lake.
8. Governor’s Island
Get away from the hustle of the city to Governor’s Island, where no cars are allowed! You don’t realize how many sounds you’ve grown used to drowning out until you’re basking in angelic bird song. Take the ferry from The Battery Maritime Building in Manhattan or Pier 6 or Atlantic Basin in Brooklyn and spend a day on Governor’s Island. It’s an entire island of green so you won’t have trouble finding a park to enjoy but be sure to visit Discovery Hill for a stunning skyline view.
9. Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island is a park off the beaten path. As its name suggests, this island is a little strip that lies between the east side of Manhattan and Queens. The best way to get here is by the tram that goes from 59th Street to the island. The waterfront park has great views of the United Nations and skyline on the Manhattan side and the iconic Long Island Pepsi sign on the Queens side.
And that wraps up our list of 9 parks to visit in NYC this summer. With this list, you won’t be missing the suburbs for a minute 😉
I never knew that about Prospect Park, really need to get over there.