For any city, parks and recreation areas are an important part. They dilute the stone jungle and make residents and guests feel better, at least aesthetically. For New York, with its area and dense population, they are even more relevant: amid the insane traffic and gas pollution of the air, it is good to take a breath in the lap of nature. Recreation areas vary in size, specifics, the presence of nearby attractions, as well as additional entertainment facilities. Some of them are sandwiched by dense buildings and look like islands of serenity, others are more open and offer more leisure options. In the parks, they have picnics, jogging in the mornings, having lunch sitting on benches, and doing many more interesting things. If the weather is favorable, then it is always crowded and there is something to do.
The most interesting parks in the city
Beautiful alleys, squares, outdoor sports grounds and green areas! List of the main places for walks, photos with names and descriptions.
Central park
Located in Manhattan. Area - 341 hectares. It was created artificially, although it looks natural. There are a couple of lakes, playgrounds for children's games, a zoo, places for sports competitions, paths, alleys, and more. Popular with amateur bird watchers because of the sites of migratory birds. In addition to street performances, there are also buildings of small theaters, and an observatory nearby. The park's outdoor skating rink has been featured in films more than once. Some attractions: Belvedere Castle on Turtle Pond, Gapstow Bridge - a small romantic bridge, Shakespeare's Garden, Sheep Meadow - a picnic lawn.
Bryant park
Located in the Midtown area. The area is 3.6 hectares. From the east, the park is bounded by the city's public library, which determines its specificity. There are many kiosks, bookshops and small cafes nearby. A book depository has been built directly under the lawn. There are numerous tables and chairs in the green area and on the paths. Sometimes chess tournaments are held. Public Wi-Fi is working. The skating rink is filled in in winter.
High Line
Located in Manhattan. Broken on a platform that was once an elevated railroad. The park has a length of 2.33 km and was leased in sections. The latter was opened in 2018. The rails were dismantled, a paved track appeared in their place, in some places it is deliberately irregular in shape. On the sides there are green spaces, not high, so as not to block the panoramic view. There are benches and a kind of amphitheater segment.
Prospect Park
Located in Brooklyn. Area - 234 hectares. The park preserves the historical heritage, at the same time being a place of entertainment. Lichfield Villa is a reminder of the original owners of these lands, Quaker Hill is an ancient cemetery. There are protected natural areas. The Long Meadow is the largest parkland in the United States. There is a zoo, a reception building, an open stage, basketball courts.
National Memorial & Museum 9/11
It is located on the site where the Twin Towers used to stand, destroyed during the terrorist attack. It consists of two huge pools surrounded by trees and alleys. There is also a memorial museum with an extensive exposition dedicated to the events of September 11, 2001. The memorial contains the names of the victims, both civilians and rescuers from all city services. It is considered the most expensive monument in the United States.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Located on the coastline. Area - 34 hectares. Completed and partially opened. Each site has its own specific relief. Most of the ennobled area is located on the piers and embankments. They are equipped with benches and tables. Further there is a vast green area. The main attractions are the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, which offer beautiful views from the park.
Battery park
Located in the south of Manhattan. Area - 10 hectares. It stretches almost along the coast of the bay. The park is one of the oldest in the United States. Many monuments and monuments are collected here, for example, a war memorial, a monument to the inventor Ericsson in full growth and on a pedestal, Fort Castle Clinton, etc. This territory, as a former colony, has a lot to do with the Netherlands, so there are many references to this country.
Flushing Meadows - Corona Park
Located in Queens. Area - 508 hectares. Green spaces here are interspersed with whimsical structures and architectural inventions. In the center there is a huge white-transparent globe and an equally outstanding fountain located around it. In the immediate vicinity there is a zoo, a stadium, a science center and more. The Queens Museum exposition tells about the past of these territories.
Fort Tryon Park
Located in Washington Heights. The area is almost 27 hectares. A picturesque place, beloved by locals and tourists, especially in autumn, as there are many types of plants, and they change color in different ways, but very brightly. The main attraction is the Cloisters Museum. Its exposition is unusual for the United States: for the most part, the exhibition consists of European artifacts from the Middle Ages.
Washington Square Park
Located in the Greenwich Village area. Area - 39.5 hectares. The territory was gradually improved over more than a hundred years. An arch, built in honor of the anniversary of Washington's inauguration, a fountain, and several monuments appeared. Fifth Avenue, which originates from here, initially went deep into the park. Now there is a large fountain in front of the arch with platforms around it. In the coming years, the number of green spaces will increase.
Riverside Park
Located on the Upper West Side along the Hudson. Area - 131 hectares. There are several notable sculptures and statues, such as the Jeanne d'Arc monument and the firefighter memorial. Benches are installed in a row along the entire length of the tracks. The trees are selected to be abundantly flowering, so the park is most beautiful in late spring. There are a variety of sports grounds, including a soccer field. The marina is closely adjacent.
Hudson river park
Located in Manhattan. Area - 220 hectares. It stretches for 8 kilometers along the river and the bay. It covers several areas. Islets of manicured lawns of various sizes are literally squeezed by embankments, paths and alleys. The park is located on the pier and covers a part of the water area. There are many practical as well as futuristic and decorative elements. A large number of lanterns make the park bright even at night.
Madison square
Located in the Flatiron Quarter. The area is a little less than 3 hectares. Sandwiched between a number of iconic New York buildings: Flatiron Building, NY Life Insurance skyscraper, Metlife Tower, etc. There are monuments and monuments to historical figures. Nearby is Broadway, one of the city's landmarks. The territory of the park was renovated in the early 2000s: they added plantings, modern decor, restored the old fountain.
Gantry plaza park
Located on the outskirts of Long Island. Previously, a carbonated beverage plant and an industrial port were based here. Some of the elements of the previous structures have been preserved and added to the new park plan. Along with green spaces, old buildings look like part of the composition. Walking areas are replaced by a concrete "beach" where hammocks are installed. The proximity to water gives a wonderful view and perspective for the further development of the park.
New york botanical garden
Located in Bronx Park. Area - 101 hectares. One fifth of the territory is a relict mixed forest. Spread out on both sides of the river. The greenhouses are designed in Victorian style. The territory is divided into thematic zones, all of them are open for walks. There are both exotic and local plants among the plants. There is a seed bank. The garden park hosts classical music concerts and charity events.
Brooklyn botanical garden
Occupies an area of 21 hectares in the area of the same name. The territory is divided into sectors: a Japanese garden, a park of stones, a children's corner and others. The administrative building and the greenhouse are also located here. In the latter, they are working to maintain the park's vegetation in an unchanged form, there is a modern laboratory. Points of interest: small fountains, a sundial, the Shogun's stone lantern.
Union square
Located at the junction of two highways in Manhattan. More of an area and recreation area than a park, although it is surrounded by greenery. Demonstrations, big concerts and other mass events take place here, as well as a rural market periodically. There are monuments to Lincoln, Gandhi, Washington, etc. Union Square is associated with various historical events and is one of the symbols of New York.
Bowling green
Located in Lower Manhattan. Area - 0.2 hectares. It is a platform with paths and benches. In the center there is a fountain, in a circle there are flower beds, bushes and several tall trees. There is a lot of shadow, as there are mostly high-rise buildings nearby. There are sculptures and an arch over the entrance. The attraction is a statue of an attacking bull, which has become a symbol of the region in several years.
Karl Schurz Park
Located in Manhattan. Area - 6 hectares. Named after a political and public figure. Here is the official residence of the mayor of the city. There is a statue of Peter Pan in a picturesque corner. The park periodically hosts sculpture exhibitions. Notable objects are a stone bridge with an arch and a raised circular path-staircase and so on. The park is popular as a place where marriage proposals are made.
City Hall Park
Located in Lower Manhattan. Green area with a fountain and resting places. The flower beds are quite extensive, they are fenced with chains to mark areas that are inaccessible for walking. There are large whimsical statues like modern art objects. The buildings nearby are entirely administrative: the mayor's office, municipality, court and others. The project for the reconstruction of the park is under consideration, there is a debate.
Astoria
Located in the eponymous part of Queens. One of the largest open spaces in the area. There are many sports fields including 14 tennis courts, a skate park, etc. It is the venue for the Independence Day Symphony Orchestra. Other major events are also taking place. There is also a large outdoor pool that was used during the Olympic qualifiers.
Tompkins Square
Located in the East Village. Area - 4.2 hectares. Named after the politician. Square in shape. The attraction - the Hare Krishna tree - is important for the followers of this religion. There are several sports grounds, an area for walking dogs, tables for playing chess. There is a monument to Congressman Cox and in memory of the victims of the 1904 steamboat wreck.
Pelem Bay
Located in the northeastern Bronx. Area - 1122 hectares. The eastern part faces the Long Island Strait. The park includes: the lagoon of the same name, Hunter Island, Orchard Beach and Rodmans Neck Peninsula. Attractions: a cut stone - a huge boulder, as if cut in two, a memorial to the victory of the First World War, two reserves, Glover's stone, in the past - a natural observation post.
Roosevelt Island
Located in the East River. The island is narrow and stretching for over three kilometers. Four Freedoms Park is a memorial. It is symmetrical, built of neat white blocks with clear lines and borders. Other attractions: the lighthouse built in 1872, Blackwell House goes to the ten oldest houses in New York, the Good Pastor Chapel, an octagon originally built for a madhouse.
Liberty Island
It is located in Upper New York Harbor very close to the south of Manhattan. Officially uninhabited. A tourist center that receives tourists all year round. The main attraction is the Statue of Liberty. Next to it is a park with lawns and paths around the perimeter of the entire island. There are two berths. There is an Immigration Museum, there is a close connection with the nearby Ellis Island.
