There are many incredible parks in New York City and you shouldn’t miss out on these if you’re going on a trip to the city.
The parks in the city aren’t only very beautiful, but they also have a lot to offer. For example, at one of them, you can find an old carousel, at another one you can find stone chess tables, and at some, you can enjoy an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline. Also, at some of the parks, fun events take place, including events during which you can see an outdoor movie.
These are the best parks in NYC you should visit!
Best Parks in New York City
Little Island
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District Why you need to go here: It’s a very beautiful artificial island park
Little Island is an artificial island park that you can find next to the Meatpacking District in the Hudson River, close to the Chelsea neighborhood. Two footbridges connect Little Island to Hudson River Park.
It’s one of the newest parks in the city as it opened in 2021.
It has a modern design and is built on top of 132 tulip structures that support it. Because the tulip structures all have different heights, the whole park has a hilly landscape.
You can visit it for free and many shows take place there, most of which you can attend for free. These shows are also amazing if you’re looking for date ideas in New York City.
Besides attending an event at Little Island, you can also go there for a relaxing walk and get an amazing view of the Hudson River while doing that.
Washington Square Park
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village Highlights: There are stone chess tables in the park and you can find the Washington Square Arch here, which is a marble memorial arch
Washington Square Park is located in the middle of Greenwich Village.
It features lots of trees, beautiful flowers, several lawns, and a fountain.
You can find the Washington Square Arch there. This is a historic monument made of marble that commemorates George Washington, America’s first president. On the side of the arch, you can see several monuments of George Washington.
It also features stone chess tables where you can play a game of chess against other people.
In addition to that, many free events take place in the park, including events with live music.
Going to Washington Square Park is also one of the best things to do in Greenwich Village.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Neighborhoods: Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo Great things to see at the park: Jane’s Carousel, which is a 1920s carousel, and the Brooklyn Bridge
You can find Brooklyn Bridge Park in the northwestern part of Brooklyn. It is situated on situated on the East River.
This is a great park to visit if you want to enjoy beautiful views, as you can get amazing views of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the East River from there.
This park is also great if you’re looking for things to do with kids in NYC as you can find Jane’s Carousel here. This is a historic 1920s carousel that is located in a glass pavilion. The carousel features wooden horses and carriages, and children can ride this carousel year-round.
You can also find Bargemusic in the park, which is an intimate classical music venue located on a floating barge.
Central Park
Where to find it: Between the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side Why you need to go here: It’s the most famous park in the city, and it’s the most visited park in the country
Central Park is the most famous and popular park in NYC, and you can find it in the middle of Manhattan, nestled between the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side.
It has a size of more than 800 acres, and there’s much that you can do there.
For example, there are two large lawns, the Sheep meadow and the Great Lawn where you can relax while being surrounded by nature and views of the skyscrapers of Manhattan.
You can also find one of the most famous bridges in NYC here, which is the Bow Bridge. This is a pedestrian cast-iron bridge that dates back to the year 1862. It spans Central Park Lake.
Lots of events take place there. For example, you can see a free show of the annual Shakespeare in the Park event.
You can also find Central Park Zoo here, which is one of the best zoos in NYC.
Rockefeller Park
Neighborhood: Battery Park City Great to know: You can get a great view of the Statue of Liberty from this park
Rockefeller Park is located in Battery Park City, next to the Hudson River. It features large lawns, sculptures, trees, and plants, making it a great place if you want to relax.
You can lay down a blanket, sit on one of the benches, or you can go for a walk and enjoy a great view of the Hudson River at the same time. When you stand next to the river, you can also get a great view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Going to Rockefeller Park is also one of the best things to do in Battery Park City. After spending time there, you can go to the nearby Brookfield Place, where you can find lots of shops and restaurants.
Bryant Park
Neighborhood: Midtown South Great to know: In summer, you can see outdoor movies at this park during the Paramount+ Movie Nights
Bryant Park is located in Midtown South. The park, which has an area of about 9.6 acres has a lawn where you can place a blanket and have a picnic, and there are benches and chairs as well.
Lots of events take place there. For example, during the summer months, you can see an outdoor movie while sitting on the lawn during the Paramount+ Movie Nights.
The Bryant Park Picnic Performances also take place here. This is a free outdoor festival that takes place in summer during which you can listen to a large variety of live music performances.
In winter, there’s an ice skating rink at this place.
You can find the park next to the New York Public Library, which is one of the most famous buildings in New York City.
McCarren Park
Neighborhood: Williamsburg Why you’ll love this park: You can see gorgeous cherry blossoms here during spring
McCarren Park is located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, close to the Greenpoint neighborhood.
It has a size of 35 acres and is a great place for relaxation. During spring, you can see beautiful cherry blossoms at this place. This is also one of the best picnic spots in NYC.
The park is also home to various sports facilities, such as a running track, tennis courts, and baseball fields.
You can also find the McCarren Park Pool at this place, which is a free outdoor pool that is open during the summer season.
The High Line
Neighborhoods: Chelsea and Greenwich Village Great to know: The park was created on an abandoned section of the New York Central Railroad
The High Line is an elevated linear park in New York City. You can find it in both Chelsea and Greenwich Village.
It was created on a section of the former New York Central Railroad that was abandoned in the year 1980. The first part of The High Line was created in 2009.
Through the years, the park was expanded a few times.
In total, it has a length of about 1.5 miles.
The linear park features a path that stretches from the north to the south and is surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers. You can go for a relaxing walk on the path and enjoy nature, while also enjoying views of the city’s buildings.
Domino Park
Neighborhood: Williamsburg Why you should go to this park: You can get a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline from here
Domino Park is a park that you can find in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg. It is situated on the East River and close to the Williamsburg Bridge. When you go here, you can enjoy a great view of the river, the bridge, and the skyline of Manhattan.
It features several lawns, benches, and paths. You can also find a large playground here and there’s a beach volleyball court.
It was created on the site of a former sugar refinery that was built here in the year 1882. This refinery made the “Domino” brand of sugar, which is the reason for the park’s name. You can still see the structures of this former factory when you relax at this place.
You can also have a picnic at Domino Park, which is one of the best things to do in Brooklyn.
The Battery
Neighborhood: Battery Park City Must-see in this park: The SeaGlass carousel, which is a fish-themed carousel
The Battery is a public park that you can find in the southernmost part of Manhattan. It is situated next to the Hudson River and the New York Harbor.
When visiting Battery Park City or the Financial District, it is easy to go here.
You can go for a walk along the waterfront and enjoy a beautiful view, including a view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
One of the attractions that you can find in the park is the SeaGlass Carousel, which is a modern fish-themed carousel that opened in 2015. Its fish theme was chosen because The Battery used to be the home of the New York Aquarium. You can ride the carousel and sit inside a fish while doing so.
You can also find the Castle Clinton National Monument in The Battery. This is a former fort that had many functions throughout the years. For example, it was the first American immigration station.
Marsha P. Johnson State Park
Neighborhood: Williamsburg Great to know about this park: During summer, Smorgasburg takes place here, which is an open-air food market
Marsha P. Johnson State Park is a small state park that is located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. It has a total size of 11 acres.
From there, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the skyline of Manhattan, and you can relax while being surrounded by nature.
It is one of the newest parks in New York City as it opened in the year 2007. It was created on the site of the former Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal.
During the summer season, you can go to Smorgasburg there, which is one of the most fun things to do in Williamsburg. This is an open-air food market that is held on Saturdays.
At the market, there are more than 75 food vendors from whom you can get many different types of food. You can eat this food at one of the picnic tables of the food market.
In addition to that, a variety of other types of events take place at this place.
City Hall Park
Neighborhood: Financial District Great to see in the park: The Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain, which is a historic fountain
City Hall Park is located in the Financial District. The park’s history dates back to the early beginning of New York City. Various rallies and other events took place there before the American Revolution. For example, George Washington read the Declaration of Independence at the park.
It is home to various historic structures, including the Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain and the New York City Hall.
Furthermore, there are beautiful trees, including cherry blossom trees.
Several historic buildings surround City Hall Park, such as The Woolworth Building, which is one of the earliest skyscrapers in the city.
Madison Square Park
Neighborhood: Flatiron District Great to know: You can see the Flatiron Building from this park
Madison Square Park is located in the Flatiron District and has a size of about 6 acres.
It’s one of the oldest parks in NYC as it dates back to the end of the 17th century.
It features beautiful nature, a lawn that is perfect if you want to lay down a blanket and have a picnic, a fountain, and much more.
Several historic buildings surround this place, including the Flatiron Building, which is a building that has a unique triangular shape.
Many types of events take place here, including live performances, events during which you can learn about nature, and free guided tours. During a free tour, you can learn about the different species of plants that grow in Madison Square Park.
Bowling Green
Neighborhood: Financial District Why you should visit Bowling Green: It’s the oldest public park of the city
Bowling Green is a small park in Manhattan’s Financial District. It is the oldest public park in the city as it became a park in 1733.
You can see a fountain, trees, and beautiful flowers there.
Before the American Revolution, there was a large statue of King George III at Bowling Green, but this statue was torn down.
Various historic buildings surround the park. For example, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House is situated next to it.
You can also find the oldest fence in the city at Bowling Green. It surrounds the park and was created in 1773.
Bowling Green is also home to one of the most famous sculptures in New York City, the Charging Bull, which is a large bronze sculpture of a bull, that represents Wall Street and financial prosperity.
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Parks in NYC Tips
At many of the parks, there are often events that you can attend. These events usually take place during the summer season and they are usually free for the public to attend. Some types of events that take place at some of the parks are live music performances and movie screenings. It can be fun to attend such an event, so I recommend finding out when one takes place.
Also, to have a more comfortable time at the parks in NYC, I recommend bringing a blanket with you. That way you can sit down on one of the lawns.
New York City Parks Map
This was my list of the best parks in New York City. I hope I helped you find a park you want to visit!