Best Parks In New York City

New York City in spite of being a sprawling, fast paced metropolis has quite a few tranquil, verdant spots in the form of its many city parks. These leafy parks offer the city’s ‘always on the go citizens’, a place to relax and rejuvenate as they escape the hustle and bustle that perennially surrounds them.

Central Park

Central Park is New York City’s iconic patch of green that extends over 843 acres in Manhattan. The boundaries of this huge park extend from 59th Street in the South to 110th Street in the North and from Central Park West to Fifth Avenue in the East. This man made park which ranks highly with New Yorkers and visitors was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux in the late 19th century. Central Park with its well laid out walkways, seven bodies of water and many attractions like the Central Park Zoo, the Great Lawn, has featured as a backdrop in numerous Hollywood films and should feature as a ‘ must-do’ on any visit New York itinerary. Central Park is also a hub of activity all throughout the year as it hosts numerous cultural events like Shakespeare in the Park, The Central Park Film Festival, The Good Morning America Concert series and more which are immensely popular with locals and tourists alike. Central Park is easily accessed via various NYC subway lines namely the number 1,2,3 and the A, B, C, D trains on the west side and the 4,5,6 and N,R,W lines on the east side of the city.

Prospect Park

If Central Park is integral to life in Manhattan, Prospect Park which extends over 585 acres plays a similar role in Brooklyn. Prospect Park was also designed by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux who were responsible for Central Park. Like its older sibling, Prospect Park also hosts numerous attractions like the Audubon Center at the Boathouse, The Prospect Park Zoo, the Drummers Grove, the Kensington Stables, the Carousel, the Long Meadow and Ball fields amongst others. Prospect Park also features a variety of events throughout the year like The Philharmonic in the Park, the Metropolitan Opera in the Park and the annual Celebrate Brooklyn Arts Festival. Moreover the Grand Army Plaza which along with the Bartel-Pritchard Circle hosts a weekly green market is also the location of a grand New Year’s Eve celebration every year which always features a scintillating fireworks display. Prospect Park can be reached by the F, Q, G, B,S, 2 and 3 lines of the New York City Subway network.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park which is located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan is a favorite with office goers who work in the area. This park which lies between 5th and 6th Avenues and 40th and 42nd Streets is flanked by the magnificent building of the New York Public library on its fifth Avenue boundary. Bryant Park offers free Wi-Fi access and hosts several year round events like free outdoor film screenings, a holiday market, and ice skating on the pond. Until recently Bryant Park was also the host location for the bi-annual New York Fashion Weeks which have now been moved to their new home at Lincoln Center. Bryant Park can be accessed via the B, D, F, M and 7 lines of the New York City Subway network. The Park additionally hosts an upscale restaurant, the Bryant Park Grill and the Bryant Park café which is an extremely popular after- work drink spot in the summers.

Union Square Park

Union Square Park is located within one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Manhattan. This park which has its boundaries, 14th Street, 17th Street, Union Square East and Union Square West hosts one of the most famous greenmarkets of New York City which attracts celebrity chefs, local restaurateurs, home cooks and enthusiastic foodies who come to buy the large variety of bursting with goodness seasonal fresh produce, meats, freshly baked breads, confectioneries, juices, syrups, cheeses, jams, honeys, butters that are always on offer. Aside from the Green Market which features several local farmers and producers as vendors, the Union Square Park is also the favorite haunt of New York City artists who daily set up shop to sell their artistic creations at the park. Union Square also offers free Wi-Fi access and hosts events like ‘Summer in the Square’ series which features many free art and cultural events. Additionally the park is also used as a stage for groups who wish to stage a demonstration to draw attention to certain causes. Union Square Park can be accessed via the L, N, Q,R, 4, 5, 6 lines of the NYC subway network.

Madison Square Park

This little enclave of greenery is located in New York City’s Flatiron District which is commonly referred to New York City’s design district. Madison Square Park occupies a space between Fifth and Madison Avenues from 23rd to 26th Streets. The N and R trains provide access to Madison Square Park at the 23rd street station. The Madison Square Park is maintained by the Madison Square Park Conservancy which organizes concerts and events in the park periodically though the Park also hosts an outlet of a popular New York City burger restaurant called Shake Shack which is a major crowd puller.

Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is located in the heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village and has a long and colorful history for before it was declared a park in 1828, it functioned as a German cemetery, a public gallows and an execution ground as well as a parade ground. Today this verdant park which is surrounded by the many buildings of New York University is a hugely popular park in downtown Manhattan. Washington Square Park lies at the foot of Fifth Avenue and has as its boundaries Waverly Place and West 4th Street which lie to the East and West of the park, University Place which lies to the north and MacDougal Street which lies to the south of the park. The park is dotted with several statues of prominent people like George Washington; Italian patriot and soldier Giuseppe Garibaldi and Alexander Lyman Holley, a talented engineer who is known for his contribution to the American steel industry. However the most prominent structure in the park is the Washington is the marble Washington Arch which was built between the years 1890 and 1892 to replace the popular wooden arch erected in 1889 to commemorate the centennial of Washington’s inauguration after whom the park is named. This park which encompasses playgrounds, chess tables and bocce courts is renowned as the meeting place of artists, street performers and musicians and it represents a great people watching spot in New York City. The park is easily accessible by the A/C/E or B/D/F/M trains at West 4th Street.

Hudson River Park

The Hudson River Park hugs the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan. This park which extends over 550 acres from Battery Park to 59th street encompasses various piers which host a wide assortment of activities and attractions like the carousel and skate park at Pier 62, kayaking at Pier 64, dog runs, a play area, boating, fishing and bike paths at Pier 84 and more. The Park additionally also hosts several music concerts and summer movie screenings which form a part of the parks RiverFlicks series. Since the park stretches along Manhattan’s extreme west side it is accessible via various New York City subway lines that serve Eighth Avenue namely the A, C, E and L lines.

The Highline Park

The Highline is a relatively new park in New York City which has been constructed along an old , elevated railway line that runs from Gansevoort Street in New York City’s main party district, the Meatpacking District to 34th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. Only a small section of the park is currently open to public though when it is complete it will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park that runs along prominent West Side Manhattan neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen. Prominent design and landscaping firms, James Corner Field Operations and architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro are responsible for the layout of the park which features concrete pathways, strategic plantings and fixed and movable seating. Dogs are not currently permitted entry to the Highline which can be accessed via the A, C, E, L, 1, 2,3 trains at various stations of the New York City subway

Brooklyn Bridge Park

The Brooklyn Bridge Park which is located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO extends over an area of 85 acres between the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. This park which is still in the process of being constructed and expanded offers stunning views of downtown Manhattan and the New York Harbor. The Brooklyn Bridge Park encompasses various areas like Pier 1, Pier 6, the Main Street lot and the Empire Fulton Ferry Section. The park currently hosts play areas, rowing and kayaking programs and hosts several summer events like the floating pool and beach, waterfront workouts, music with a view concerts and free summer movie screenings. The 2/3/4/5/M/R trains at Borough Hall station and the A/C/F trains to Jay Street/Borough Hall stations offer access to the different sections of the Brooklyn Bridge Park.