New York City
We’ve compiled the best of the best in New York City - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn HeightsThis sweeping feat of green urban renewal stretches from the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO to the Brooklyn Bridge and south all the way to Pier 6, carpeting old industrial sites along the waterfront with scenic esplanades and lush meadows. The park has playgrounds, sports fields, food concessions, the wonderfully restored Jane's Carousel, and lots of grass for lounging. In the summer, there are outdoor movies on the Harbor View Lawn. There are pickleball courts on Pier 2. You can access the park at various points; just head down the hill toward the East River and you can't miss it.
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2. Bryant Park
Midtown WestThis lovely green space spread out among landmarks and skyscrapers is one of Manhattan's most popular parks. Tall London plane trees line the perimeter of the sunny central lawn, overlooking stone terraces, flower beds, and snack kiosks. The garden tables scattered about fill with lunching office workers and folks enjoying the park's free Wi-Fi. In summer, there are free readings, live jazz, and "Broadway in Bryant Park" musical theater performances. Most popular of all is the summer film festival: locals leave work early to snag a spot on the lawn for the outdoor screenings each Monday at dusk. At the east side of the park, near a bronze cast of Gertrude Stein, is the stylish Bryant Park Grill, which has a rooftop garden, and the adjacent open-air Bryant Park Café, open seasonally. On the south side of the park is an old-fashioned carousel ($4) where kids can also attend storytellings and magic shows. Come late October, the park rolls out the artificial frozen "pond" (October–March, daily 8 am–10 pm; skate rental starts at $18) for free ice-skating (bring your own padlock for the lockers). Surrounding the ice rink are the Christmas-market stalls of the holiday shops, selling handcrafted goods and local foods.
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3. Fort Tryon Park
InwoodCome to Fort Tryon Park to visit the Met Museum's medieval branch, the Cloisters, and stay for the glorious Hudson River views, the gorgeous landscaped gardens, the 8 miles of winding pathways, and the Revolutionary War history. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan (hence "the heights,") the 67-acre oasis was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and gifted to New York City in 1935 by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and today its more than 650 varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs are the gifts that keep on giving with every season. During the Revolutionary War, the area was part of the Battle of Fort Washington, a seminal Continental army defeat in the American Revolution. While the Continental Army ultimately prevailed, the site originally named for the last British governor of colonial New York, William Tryon, continued to be referred to as Fort Tryon. Look for the monument to Margaret Corbin, a woman who took up her husband's canon when he was shot and killed during battle: “On this hilltop stood Fort Tryon, the northern outwork of Fort Washington, its gallant defense against the Hessian troops by the Maryland and Virginia regiment 16-November-1776 was shared by Margaret Corbin, the first American woman to take a soldier’s part in the war for liberty.” Other highlights include the Billings Arcade, the remains of a stunning arched entrance to a grand mansion (you've likely seen this on Instagram) and the Heather Garden, where locals welcome spring with parading bagpipes and heather shearings. Don't miss the gatehouse on your way into the park with the apt sign "NYC's coolest office."
Fort Tryon Park, New York, New York, 10040, USASight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
4. Grand Ferry Park
Hipsters, Hasidic Jews, and others hang out at this small waterfront park named for the ferry that for a century connected Williamsburg to Manhattan. The views of Manhattan and the Williamsburg Bridge are sublime anytime. Sand covers the ground in summer, and if you sit on a bench near the waves that crash against the rocks, you can almost pretend you're at the beach. Check out the inscription on the redbrick smokestack, which figured in the development of penicillin.
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5. Hudson River Park
TriBeCaThe quiet green spaces of New York City are treasured by locals, and one of the best is Hudson River Park, a 5-mile path from Battery Place to 59th Street. This riverside stretch, incorporating the piers that jut out into the Hudson, has been renovated into a landscaped park with walking and cycling paths, a seasonal minigolf course, dog runs, and skate parks. The TriBeCa portion consists of Piers 25 and 26, and has picnic spaces, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and an educational river-ecology area. The areas adjacent to the West Village (Piers 45 and 46) and near Chelsea (Piers 63 and 64) are equally attractive, with lots of spots for leisure and recreation. To the north, beginning at 72nd Street, is Riverside Park.
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6. Little Island
Meatpacking DistrictMuch like the High Line when it opened, Little Island was an instant hit with locals and visitors when the gates to this man-made isle in the middle of the Hudson River first swung open in May 2021. The 2.4-acre park is elevated on 132 tulip-looking concrete stilts and connected to Manhattan by two footbridges. Funded mostly by Barry Diller and Diane von Fürstenberg, the island park and its rolling stair-clad hills make for a fun wander. It also provides stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. There's a small outdoor food court and an ambient amphitheater for free concerts.
Hudson River Park at W. 13th St., New York, New York, 10014, USASight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
7. Louis Valentino, Jr. Park and Pier
Red HookThis small pier and park, named for a fallen firefighter, has awe-inspiring views of the Statue of Liberty and across the Hudson. You won't need prompting to take pictures. There are a few benches for relaxing.
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8. Prospect Park
Prospect ParkBrooklyn residents are passionate about Prospect Park, and with good reason: lush green spaces, gently curved walkways, summer concerts, vivid foliage in autumn, and an all-season skating rink make it a year-round getaway. In 1859, the New York Legislature decided to develop plans for a park in the fast-growing city of Brooklyn. After landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux completed the park in the late 1880s, Olmsted remarked that he was prouder of it than any of his other works—including Manhattan's Central Park—and many critics agree. On weekends, those not jogging the 3.35-mile loop gravitate to the rolling hills of the Long Meadow to picnic, fly kites, or play cricket, flag football, or Frisbee. On summer Sundays, foodies flock to Breeze Hill, site of outdoor food market Smorgasburg's second Brooklyn location. The park's north entrance is at Grand Army Plaza, where the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch (patterned on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris) honors Civil War veterans. On Saturday, year-round, a greenmarket at the plaza throngs with shoppers. A good way to experience the park is to walk the Long Meadow—or stop in for the occasional free yoga class—and then head to the eastern side and south toward the lake. Along the way, you'll encounter attractions including Brooklyn's last remaining forest, including the Lefferts Historic House (now closed for renovations), Prospect Park Audubon Center, and the LeFrak Center. The Prospect Park Carousel, built in 1912, still thrills the kids. The Boathouse, dating from 1905, is a stunning example of Beaux-Arts architecture. The annual Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival takes place at the Prospect Park Bandshell from early June through mid-August.
View Tours and ActivitiesProspect Park W, Brooklyn, New York, 11215, USA718-965–8951Sight Details
Rate Includes: Carousel $3, Carousel closed Mon.–Wed. -
9. Riverside Park
Upper West SideThis expansive green space runs alongside the Hudson River—hence its name—and offers a welcome dose of tranquility from 72nd to 158th Street, as does the park's south extension, from about 59th to 72nd Street. Walking and biking paths dot the entire park, among them the broad Promenade between 83rd and 96th Streets. The park's original sections were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux of Central Park fame and laid out between 1873 and 1888. Riverside Park also includes the soaring white marble Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (at 89th Street), dedicated to New Yorkers who served in the Civil War, and the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Plaza (at 80th Street), dedicated in 1947. The 79th Street Marina, with its café, visiting yachts and permanently moored houseboats, is closed for renovations to make the marina climate resilient and expand access for boaters.
View Tours and ActivitiesFrom 59th to 158th St., New York, New York, 10024, USA212-870--3070 -
10. Shore Park and Parkway
This narrow park follows the Bay Ridge waterfront and has spectacular views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the ships in New York Harbor. The promenade is perfect for a long walk or a bike ride. At the north end is the American Veterans Memorial Pier, where the NYC Ferry docks. The pier is also home to Brooklyn’s official monument honoring those lost on 9/11.
Entrances along Shore Rd., from Bay Ridge Ave. to 4th Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11209, USA -
11. Sunset Park
The neighborhood’s namesake park offers fabulous views of New York Harbor and the Lower Manhattan skyline from one of Brooklyn’s highest hills. Stretching three blocks between 5th and 7th avenues, the green space has a seasonal public swimming pool, playgrounds, and multiple ball courts. Head to the park at sunset to see why it’s worthy of its name.
41st to 44th St., Brooklyn, New York, 11232, USA718-439--7429 -
12. Tompkins Square Park
East VillageThis leafy park is a favorite spot, year-round, for the neighborhood locals who lunch on the benches, picnic in the central green spaces, and put on impromptu jazz concerts. There's a year-round farmers' market by the southwest corner on Sunday, and an annual Halloween dog-costume event. It wasn't always so rosy in the park, though: in 1988, police followed then-mayor Ed Koch's orders to evict the many homeless people who had set up makeshift shelters here, and homeless rights and antigentrification activists fought back with sticks and bottles. The park was reclaimed and reopened in 1992 with a midnight curfew, still in effect today.
From 7th to 10th St., between Aves. A and B, New York, New York, 10009, USA -
13. Union Square Park and Greenmarket
Union SquareA park, farmers' market, meeting place, and the site of rallies and demonstrations, this pocket of green space and surrounding public square sit in the center of a bustling residential and commercial neighborhood. The name "Union" originally signified that two main roads—Broadway and 4th Avenue—crossed here. It took on a different meaning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the square became a rallying spot for labor protests; many unions, as well as fringe political parties, moved their headquarters nearby. Union Square is at its best on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday (8–6), when the largest of the city's greenmarkets draws farmers and food purveyors from the tristate area selling fruit and vegetables, plants, fresh-baked pies and breads, cheeses, cider, fish, and meat. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, artisans sell gift items and food at the large Union Square Holiday Market ( www.urbanspacenyc.com). New York University dormitories, theaters, and cavernous commercial spaces occupy the restored 19th-century commercial buildings that surround the park, along with some chain stores and restaurants. Statues in the park include those of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi (often wreathed in flowers), and the Marquis de Lafayette (sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, designer of the Statue of Liberty).
From 14th to 17th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA212-788--7900 -
14. Washington Square Park
Greenwich VillageNYU students, street musicians, skateboarders, chess players, and those just watching the grand opera of it all generate a maelstrom of activity in this physical and spiritual heart of Greenwich Village. The 9¾-acre park with its iconic central fountain had inauspicious beginnings as a cemetery, principally for yellow-fever victims—an estimated 10,000–22,000 bodies lie below (a headstone was even unearthed in 2009). In the early 1800s, the park was a parade ground and the site of public executions; the notorious Hanging Elm still stands at the northwest corner of the square. The triumphal European-style Washington Memorial Arch at the square's northern flank marks the start of 5th Avenue. The original wood-and-papier-mâché arch, situated a half block north, was erected in 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of George Washington's presidential inauguration. The arch was reproduced in Tuckahoe marble in 1892, and the statues—Washington as General Accompanied by Fame and Valor on one side, and Washington as Statesman Accompanied by Wisdom and Justice on the other—were added in 1916 and 1918, respectively.
View Tours and Activities5th Ave. between Waverly Pl. and 4th St., New York, New York, 10003, USA -
15. WNYC Transmitter Park
GreenpointGreenpoint residents of all ages head to this waterfront park to soak up the sun and stunning views of the Midtown skyline. From the manicured lawn and the benches on the esplanade, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building seem just a stone’s throw away. Formerly the site of WNYC radio's transmission towers, this pristine public space opened in 2012, part of the city's ongoing project to redevelop waterfront property throughout the five boroughs.
West St., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA -
16. Bowling Green
Financial DistrictThe small plaza that is Bowling Green, at the foot of Broadway, became New York's first public park in 1733. Legend has it that before that, this was the site upon which Peter Minuit purchased the island of Manhattan from the Native Americans, in 1626, supposedly for what amounted to 24 U.S. dollars. On July 9, 1776, a few hours after citizens learned about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, rioters toppled a statue of British King George III that had occupied the spot for 11 years; much of the statue's lead was melted down into bullets. In 1783, when the occupying British forces fled the city, they defiantly hoisted a Union Jack on a greased, uncleated flagpole so it couldn't be lowered; but patriot John Van Arsdale drove his own cleats into the pole to replace it with the Stars and Stripes. The copper-top subway entrance across State Street is the original one, built in 1904–05. Many know Bowling Green as the home of Arturo Di Modica's 7,000-pound, bronze Charging Bull statue (1989), look for it on the northern tip of the park.
Broadway and Whitehall St., New York, New York, 10004, USA -
17. Bush Terminal Park
The opening of this park in 2014 marked a major milestone in the effort to reclaim Sunset Park's formerly industrial waterfront. Once part of the Bush Terminal port complex, the 11-acre public green space has soccer and baseball fields, as well as a nature preserve containing saltwater tidal pools. The preserve's restored wetlands are helping to purify the nearby aquatic habitat. Enter the park at 43rd Street and 1st Avenue and walk past several industrial buildings to get to the park gates. The waterfront esplanade has sweeping views of New York Harbor, including the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.
Marginal St., Brooklyn, New York, 11232, USA888-697–2757Sight Details
Rate Includes: Oct., daily 8–5; Nov.–Feb., daily 8–4; Mar. and Apr., daily 8–5; May–Sept., daily 8–8 -
18. Bushwick Inlet Park
A $30 million investment turned a former parking lot into this lush green space adjacent to East River State Park. Part of a major revitalization project aimed at the Williamsburg and Greenpoint waterfront, the renovation added a sloped pavilion leading up to a public promenade, a playground, an athletic field, and an environmentally sophisticated building (with restrooms) for community activities. The views are expansive, taking in everything from the Williamsburg Bridge to the Empire State Building.
Kent Ave. between N. 9th and N. 10th Sts., Brooklyn, New York, 11211, USA -
19. Carl Schurz Park
Upper East SideFacing the East River, this park, named for a German immigrant who was a prominent newspaper editor in the 19th century, is so tranquil you'd never guess you're directly above the FDR Drive. Walk along the promenade, and take in views of the river and Roosevelt Island across the way. To the north are Randall's and Wards Islands and the RFK Bridge (aka the Triborough Bridge)—as well as the more immediate sight of locals pushing strollers, riding bikes, or walking their dogs. Within the park is a Federal-style wood-frame house that belies the grandeur of its name: Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the city's mayor.
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20. Christopher Park
West VillageYou might have to share a bench in this tiny park with George Segal's life-size sculptures of a lesbian couple: titled Gay Liberation, the white-painted bronzes were cast in 1980 but not installed until 1992. Standing next to them is a gay male couple, captured mid-chat.
Bordered by Stonewall Pl. and W. 4th, Grove, and Christopher Sts., New York, New York, 10014, USA
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