Searching for the best parks in New York City? NYC has plenty of wonderful parks to visit. In this post, you can find a curated list of the best parks in NYC + insider tips from a Native New Yorker.
New York City has an abundance of green space and parks for leisure and recreational activities. Everyone appreciates them, considering the oasis they provide, away from the skyscrapers and loud noises of the concrete jungle.
It’s the place where people meet and mingle and, even during challenging times like these, it can be a perfect place to be among others while maintaining social distancing.
Every neighborhood seems to have their own little gems that the locals visit, regardless of the season, whether it be for walking, exercising, watching the leaves change, building snowmen (or women!), making snow angels or picnicking. There’s no shortage of activities in the parks of New York! With this list, you’ll definitely find out just how much fun it is to hang out in the park…it’s not just for kids!
The Best Parks in NYC
Best Parks in NYC: The Best Parks In Manhattan
Central Park NYC
Of course, Central Park has to be made number 1, for so many different reasons. Its prime location, wedged between the Upper West side and Upper East Side, is only one of it’s best advantages. It’s huge, diverse and, if you could only go to Central Park for the rest of your life, it would still fulfill all of your outdoor needs.
The arts? There’s Shakespeare in the Park and concerts! Sports? Well, certainly: You can have your pick between running, dancing, biking, jogging, climbing, yoga… just to get the list started.
For the romantics, there’s the iconic Boathouse and its lake, where you can take your date for some rowing and treat each other to a nice dinner afterwards. There are also many gardens and sculptures that are beautiful backdrops for romance!
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Then, there’s The Belvedere Castle, Strawberry Fields in honor of John Lennon, Central Park Zoo, and the scenic Shakespeare Garden. Steve Guttenberg (Police Academy anyone?) walks his dogs here, among many other celebrities that live nearby and can be easily spotted.
The pretty Bow Bridge has been seen in many movies, along with Bethesda Fountain and Terrace, making it such an iconic background for that quintessential NYC picture. And let’s not forget to stroll along The Mall and Literary Walk, or along one of their ponds. If you prefer to be guided, I can suggest this 2-hour walking tour of Central Park.
Of course, the mandatory hot dog stands all around can’t be overlooked either! There’s just so much to see and do that I definitely recommend that you check out our post about the best things to do in Central Park.
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is one of those parks that you will run into if you are visiting New York City for the first time or hundredth time, since it is near to so many places where visitors frequent, like it’s an easy walk from there to Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Fifth Avenue, the main NY Public Library and many more places. I truly love to walk around this park at any time of the year.
In the summer, you can grab a blanket, or bring a picnic, and sit to watch a Monday night movie. Any time in the Spring or Fall, you can enjoy a cup of coffee from Joe Coffee Company kiosk, savor a delicious Belgian waffle paired with a variety of toppings from Wafels and Dinges, meet a friend, or even have a meeting while sitting in on a bench or one of their many tables.
And the winter is extra special with the famous Bryant Park Winter Village, where you can ice skate on the rink, ride a bumper car on ice, attend the lighting of their Christmas tree, shop gifts at the artisanal boutiques or just eat your way through the many kiosks at the Holiday Market or at the rinkside bar and food hall, The Lodge by Urbanspace. New York is simply magical during the Christmas holiday season and this park epitomizes it!
Pro Tip: While in Bryant Park, you can visit the famous fifth avenue New York Library which is the flagship building in the New York Public Library system and a landmark in Midtown Manhattan. Its grand entrance is guarded by two stone lions on either side, that serve as the library’s iconic look. This branch has also been featured in many movies, set in NYC, and it’s beautiful inside and out. There are often different exhibits available and, it’s not just about books, you can rent movies, music, as well as ebooks.
Carl Schurz Park
This park is on the smaller side, but such a lovely escape from city life. It’s located on the Upper East Side and has a nice river-walk front that just invites visitors to sit upon their benches and gaze across the water. So relaxing!
It also has 2 dog parks, one for the smaller ones and another for the big- league dogs, and their playground is popular among kids from the neighborhood. Gracie Mansion, the residence of the Mayor of New York City, can also be found right in the midst of this local NYC park.
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Washington Square Park
You can recognize the park by a smaller replica of the Arc de Triumph standing at one of the entrance/exit points. Located in the heart of trendy Greenwich Village, and surrounded by NYU, the types of visitors are as eclectic as the city itself.
It’s a small, public park that is well-liked by street artists of various skills, whether it be juggling, pantomime, or playing an instrument. If you want to start out with performing for a smaller crowd, this is the park to do it!
My dear talented friend Johan became very popular in Greenwich Village as ‘The Living Statue of Washington Square Park.’ He was even featured in the New York Times, among many other big publications such as Lonely Planet, etc.
There are chess games, a dog run and lots of seating for one of my favorite pastimes: People watching! It’s basically free entertainment!
Union Square Park
Their weekly Farmer’s Market is what draws me to this park the most! It takes place three times a week and offers organic and wonderfully fresh produce, for a decent price. There are also lots of sweets including cookies, pies and cupcakes!
In addition, you can buy your meats here, as well as plants, flowers, and artisanal cheeses. The park also hosts one of the annual NYC Christmas Markets, which can inspire new gift ideas, many of which can be personalized. Not to mention the other drink options sold like German Kinderpunsch, an alcohol-free version of mulled wine, hot chocolate or spiced cider.
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Riverside Park
This park is a haven for Columbia University students, and other surrounding colleges, since it’s only a short walking distance away. It’s less crowded than many other city parks, due to its location above a 100th street, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a great place to use for walks and hang-outs.
It’s beyond charming and very scenic during the winter, and the walking paths are a wide-open, making it easier for strollers and large groups of people to enjoy. It’s a hidden treasure in the city!
Fort Tryon Park
A little more of a hike, if you are in the city center of New York City but, nonetheless, it’s another one of my favorite parks. Fort Tryon Park, situated on a ridge in Washington Heights, Uptown Manhattan is close to the Hudson River to the west, located in Hudson Heights and Inwood neighborhoods.
I totally love getting lost in this park since it does not even feel as if you are in New York City. It is very green and also picture-perfect. I consider it to be one of the most underrated parks in NYC.
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Insider Tip: I would suggest for you to combine the visit to the park with visiting a hidden gem in NYC, The Met Cloisters, which are inside Fort Tryon Park. The Cloisters is a museum part of The Metropolitan Museum of art, which focuses on European medieval architecture, sculpture, and decorative arts, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods. A must visit!
The Highline
This park is unique and unlike any other park in Manhattan. Not only because it’s completely above ground, but also because it provides plenty of comfortable seating and unobstructed views of the Chelsea neighborhood.
You can even peak into some apartment buildings that were built terrifyingly close to the walking path of the High Line. I guess their tenants don’t mind it too much! It’s a great outdoor space, and makes for a perfect excuse to stop at the nearby Chelsea Market afterwards.
If you enjoy the nightlife, after The Chelsea Market, you should check out the Meatpacking District. There are so many nightclubs in the area you can’t go wrong.
Insider Tip: For enjoying a cocktail with amazing views, I totally recommend going to the classy cocktail lounge, The Top of the Standard located in the Standard Hotel. You are bound to be impressed with the views; you can even get beautiful views from the bathroom stalls. Plus, the iconic lounge features specialty cocktails, afternoon tea, a small bites menu, live jazz music and spectacular sunsets. Inside the Standard Hotel, there’s also The Boom Boom Room to dance the night away!
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Best Parks in NYC: The Best Parks In Queens
Astoria Park
A local favorite, located right by the East River, is Astoria Park. It offers gorgeous views of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, and does occasional movies in the summer, which draws out all cinema lovers within a two mile-radius. It is one of my favorite parks as someone who has lived in Astoria for over 12 years.
It’s family-oriented and very much a park for people living in and around Astoria. It’s a bit of a walk from the nearest subway station, but well worth the trip if you happen to be in the area.
Fact: Did you know that Astoria Park also has a cool Olympic pool complex that opened on July 4, 1936? This local Queens park even hosted the swimming and diving trials for the U.S. Olympic Teams in 1936 and 1964.
Insider Tip: If you visit Astoria Park, do not miss one of my favorite Greek Restaurants, Agnanti. It is such a beautiful and intimate restaurant with super delicious food, right on one of the corners of the park. My favorite dish is their Shrimp a La Liana. Yum!
Gantry State Plaza Park
Another of my all-time favorite waterfront parks in NYC is Gantry State Park Plaza. This park offers the most amazing free views of NYC. This local Queens park is located in a former dockyard and manufacturing district. There are still a few remaining facilities from this area’s past history.
One of the highlighted features of the park is a collection of gantries with car float transfer bridges, which in turn served by barges that carried freight railcars between Queens and Manhattan.
Another popular and outstanding highlight of the park is a huge cursive, ruby-colored, neon-on-metal Pepsi Cola Sign which was manufactured by the Artkraft Strauss Sign Corporation sometime in 1936. It is a perfect spot for photos.
Did you know that this park was the home to a Pepsi bottling plant that closed in 1999? The neon Pepsi sign is the only remaining part since it is a famous and iconic sign for New Yorkers and for the Queens waterfront.
I have taken some of the most instagrammable shots of New York City from there so, Do not miss it!
Hunter’s Point South Park
Another waterfront park that stretches along the East River, south of Gantry Plaza State Park and Steven Holl’s Hunter’s Point Community Library, is Hunter’s Point South Park. As you can probably guess, you can walk around Gantry State Plaza and combined it with a visit to Hunter’s Point South Park.
Hunter’s Point South Park sits on a land (post-industrial area) that was neglected for decades before the park opened in recent years.
The park has adult fitness equipment, a dog run, bike lanes, a waterside promenade, picnic terraces, playgrounds, a basketball court, a cantilevered out of the river platform for viewing the skyline and waterfront, and a nice pavilion that contains comfort stations, an elevated cafe plaza, among many other things that they keep building over time.
If you are a library fan, do not miss Steven Holl’s Hunter’s Point Community Library since it has a cool architectural facade and large irregular windows with views of the waterfront and of Manhattan.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Flushing Meadows Park, as is it called among locals, is such a fun park to visit! It has an incredible amount of stuff to do. The US Open takes place here every year, there’s Citi Field (home of the Mets) to catch a baseball game, and you have 2 museums: The Queens Museum and New York Hall of Science, which are both awesome finds.
There’s also Queens Zoo and Queens Theatre, and Meadow Lake, where you can rent paddleboats. Or how about enjoying some indoor ice-skating at World Ice Arena? It’s impossible to choose!
Now, can it get any better? Yes, it can! Each spring through fall, you can visit the weekly Queens International Night Market, which is a must-do. You can eat food from around the world, inspired by the traditional Asian night markets, and have a picnic with all of your purchases.
There’s usually some music and, if you’re in the mood, some dancing might be in order! It’s a cool experience that many New Yorkers don’t even know about. That being said, this park rocks!
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Queensbridge Park
Another waterfront park with direct views of the Queensboro Bridge and the Manhattan skyline (if you haven’t noticed, most Queens Parks are great for views!).
It has the usual picnic areas, baseball fields, and plenty of space for fun recreational activities. But, first and foremost, you go for the views. Don’t forget your camera!
Socrates Sculpture Park
A little more off the beaten path, but one of my favorite non-traditional and underrated parks in Queens, is Socrates Park. It is an outdoor museum and public park with large-scale sculpture & multimedia installations. It is truly a unique place in my local neighborhood of Astoria.
Insider Tip: While visiting Socrates Sculpture Park, do not miss out on seeing the Noguchi Museum, which is located only one block away, at the intersection of Broadway and Vernon Boulevard. It was designed and created by the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, and it showcases Noguchi’s sculptures, architectural models, stage designs, drawings, and furniture designs. It is an incredible museum!
Best Parks in NYC: The Best Parks In Brooklyn
McCarren Park
This park is one of the best in the borough, bordering two of my favorite neighborhoods: Williamsburg and Greenpoint. That being said, it’s easy to reach by subway, large, and so beautiful.
McCarren Park also hosts “movies in the park”- events, and have a big outdoor swimming pool that is the highlight of the park during the hot city months. You can even have your pick of sports: It hosts a tennis and soccer field, as well as baseball fields with ample space to run.
Marsha P. Johnson State Park (AKA East River State Park)
Every weekend, you can venture out to the famous Smorgasburg, a pop-up, to eat, drink, shop, and listen to music. It’s one hell of an event at East River State Park and very popular with them Williamsburg crowd. Other than that, it makes for an incredible sunset-watching opportunity and beautiful views of Manhattan’s skyline.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Needless to say, once you cross the Brooklyn Bridge, you are here! The location is prime and so are the views, as you’ve probably already seen in dozens of movies.
The most iconic thing to do here is riding Jane’s Carousel and get ice cream from Brooklyn’s Ice Cream Factory. With that, your perfect park-outing is complete!
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Prospect Park
There’s another Smorgasburg happening here! Brooklyn is all about that.
You can go rollerblading in the park (apparently a new trend at Prospect Park!), and have your choice between Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Grand Army Plaza’s Farmer’s Market, and Brooklyn Museum to visit afterwards. It’s a lovely neighborhood spot with much charm.
Domino park
Another local favorite is Domino Park, which is a 6-acre public waterfront park in the neighborhood of Williamsburg.
This local Brooklyn park spans a quarter-mile along the East River near the Williamsburg Bridge, at the site of the landmarked former Domino Sugar Refinery. The views are just magnificent.
I enjoy going to sit along the East River and watch the sunset. Domino Park also features an elevated walkway, beach volleyball, bocce court, flex field, dog run, a playground for children, a fog bridge, a fountain, seating steps, among many other things.
Pro Tip: If you get hungry while exploring Domino Park, you should try Tacocina. Tacocina is a laid-back restaurant within the park that serves food inspired by Mexican flavors, such as tacos, snacks, Mexican beer, and cocktails. You can easily enjoy your food outdoors with the water views or just simply take it to-go.
Best Parks in NYC: The Best Park In Staten Island
Clove Lakes Park
This park alone is a great reason to make the trip out to Staten Island! It feels as if you’re hundreds of miles away from the city and has a rich history.
The location is ideal for privacy, idyllic walks, and enjoying an undisturbed peace of nature. If you’re looking for recreational activities, there’s no shortage of that either!
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Pelham Bay Park
As unexpected as this may sound, this park is the largest one in all of New York City! Central Park is a baby in comparison to Pelham Bay.
If you’re looking for hiking trails, you’ll find them here. They have public golf courses and even designated horse-riding paths.
Orchard Beach is located here, a favorite for many on hot summer days and, the best part, is the beautiful saltwater shoreline, of which no one can ever get enough!
Van Cortlandt Park
The thing I love most about this park is Putnam Trail: A 45-mile long walking path that used to be train tracks! It’s a scenic walk that calms one’s mind and spirit.
If you’re looking for a place to visit, check out the Van Cortlandt House. As the name suggests, this was the family’s home and carries a magnificent history with it. It’s a pretty sight too!
More than just a Concrete jungle!
Parks are all around New York City, in every borough, and you can always find one that suits your needs perfectly on almost any given day. It’s the best city to visit, with so much to do, while also being surrounded by more greenery and lush nature than one would expect!
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