The name New York City instantly conjures up images of towering skyscrapers and neon lights.
Many visitors overlook the fact that the five boroughs of New York City, New York also have a total of 11,300 acres of green space to discover. While parks like Central Park or Washington Square Park are on mandatory visits, other green spaces are often ignored. Here we introduce you to five New York parks, which mostly come up short, but are definitely worth a visit.
The High Line Park meanders on a former elevated railway line through the Chelsea district in west Manhattan.
This former elevated railway line in the trendy Chelsea district in west Manhattan was opened as a public park in 2009. The preservation of this historical place is thanks to the joint efforts of investors and locals. The High Line stretches for more than 2 km above the road and offers beautiful views of the city as well as various art installations and a few cafes. Access to the park is right in front of Chelsea Market, which is a huge draw for foodies with its gourmet stalls, casual restaurants, and curio shops.
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How to get there: There are several park entrances along 10th Avenue. The 14th Street / 8th Avenue subway station (A, C, or E) is just a few meters from the High Line.
The Riverside Park with the imposing Soldiers ’and Sailors’ Monument extends in the Upper West Side of Manhattan on the Hudson River.
Another jewel awaits in the Upper West Side: Riverside Park stretches from 72nd Street to 158th Street over 6 km along the Hudson River. The hustle and bustle of the big city are worlds away from the pedestrian and bike paths in the park. On-site, you should also stop by the Soldiers ’and Sailors’ Monument, the Mausoleum of Ulysses S. Grant, and the Riverside Church. At the end of the day, watch the sunset from the Boat Basin Café (West 79th Street) or the Pier i Cafe (West 70th Street).
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How to get there: It’s a few blocks west of the West 79th Street / Broadway station on Subway Line 1. Alternatively, you can take subway line 2 or 3 to West 72nd Street.
The Flushing Meadows Corona Park was created for the 1939 World’s Fair. Today, the park in Queens is a popular meeting place for visitors and locals alike.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is as colorful and varied as the surrounding Flushing district. With a total area of over 500 hectares, the park is 1.5 times the size of Central Park. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park was originally laid out for the New York World’s Fair in 1939 and was used again as an event site for the World Exhibition in 1964. Citi Field Stadium, home of the New York Mets baseball team, and Arthur Ashe Stadium regularly host sporting events and concerts. You can kayak, pedal boat, or play cricket and soccer with the locals at Flushing Bay. With the Queens Museum of Art, the New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Theater in the Park, the cultural aspect is not neglected either.
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Directions: For a game of the Mets or a tennis match at the US Open, the quickest way to get to Flushing Meadows / Corona Park from Manhattan is to take metro line 7 to Mets-Willets Point, and there the signs for Flushing Meadows / Corona Park follows. Otherwise, you can get off at the 111th Street subway station and walk south to the entrance on 49th Avenue.
Prospect Park in Brooklyn was designed by the same landscape architects who designed Central Park.
The green oasis of Prospect Park in Brooklyn was created based on designs by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who also designed Central Park. Prospect Park borders the trendy Brooklyn districts Park Slope and Lefferts Park and offers numerous leisure and recreational opportunities on sunny days. As in Central Park, there is also a boathouse where you can rent pedal boats, as well as a concert stage and even a zoo. Also nearby is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which continues the beautiful natural landscape of the park.
How to get there: From Manhattan, you can take metro line B or Q to Prospect Park subway station at the northeast end of the park. Alternatively, take the F line to the 15th Street – Prospect Park subway station in the southwest corner of the park.
Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is three times the size of Central Park and is a welcome change from the crowded city streets.
Do you think Central Park is big? Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is more than triple the green space in Manhattan! It follows the shores of Long Island Sound for about 21 km and has two 18-hole golf courses, numerous hiking trails, and playgrounds. In the midst of so much nature, the hectic streets of the big city are felt light-years away.
How to get there: Take metro line 6 on the east side of Manhattan in a northerly direction to the terminus at Pelham Bay Park.
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