Exploring The Natural Side Of New York City

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When you think of New York City, you likely think of the 7,000+ skyscrapers that make up the iconic city skyline. This is a location that we automatically associate with built-up areas and busy streets, which many of us imagine are only broken up by the iconic Central Park which, as the world’s third most visited tourist destination, isn’t exactly a relaxing natural space. 

But, what if we were to tell you that there are plenty of other city-based green spaces to get stuck into after you’ve arrived at Grand Central and stashed your bags with Radical Storage NYC? As surprising as it might seem, there are roughly 200,000 acres of natural space in NYC (across around 1,700 parks), and almost 2.5 million trees. Central Park only accounts for a small percentage of that, so what other natural joys does NYC have to offer? Keep reading to find out! 

Pelham Bay Park

Central Park may get the vast majority of attention when it comes to New York green spaces, but it’s not actually the biggest park that this city has to offer. That accolade goes to Pelham Bay Park, which is significantly larger and spans across 2,772 acres (compared with Central Park’s 843 acres). That’s an insane size difference, and it means that you should undeniably include Pelham Bay Park on your trip itinerary. 

Of course, size isn’t everything, and you’ll also want to know what this park has to offer by way of nature. Luckily, you won’t be disappointed. Pelham Bay Park is located in the Northeast Bronx, and provides miles of bridle paths and hiking trails, as well as an impressive two golf courses, Orchard Beach, and 13 miles of saltwater shoreline. All of which was originally purchased from the Siwanoy, before becoming a park in 1888. It’s got history, space, and roughly four times more greenery than you’ll find anywhere else during your New York trip! 

Prospect Park 

In truth, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, which was created by the same minds as Central Park, isn’t exactly a hidden NYC gem. In fact, Prospect Park routinely welcomes as many as 10 million visitors each year. But, considering this green space is like Central Park’s younger and shyer brother, we still thought it was worth a mention here. 

This is an especially great spot to visit if you want to embrace a wilder side of New York, as its location outside of Manhattan’s grid restrictions allowed designers Olmstead and Vaux to create a space that feels far more organically beautiful. The park spans an impressive 526 acres in total, and spots particularly worth visiting for wildlife lovers include Brooklyn’s only lake, Prospect Lake, 90 acres of Long Meadows, and even the 400 animals in Prospect Zoo. 

Inwood Hill Park

If Prospect Park doesn’t quite tickle your nature-based fancy, then it might be worth heading to Inwood Hill Park. This spot, which is located on the Northernmost tip of Manhattan Island, is home to the last remaining forest lands in all of Manhattan and offers nature walks that make it feel like you’re far from the city. 

This park is far more modest than NYC’s big-hitters at just 196 acres, but a visit here can still feel like a wonderful natural escape thanks to available non-landscaped forest areas, which include 100+ year-old trees like red oaks and tulip trees. Admittedly, this park can be something of a hilly climb thanks to a location that rises 200 feet above the Hudson River, but it’s a fantastic spot if you’re willing to undergo an uphill trek. 

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens is another park that’s actually larger than Central Park, and comes in at 898 acres. Once home to the waters from a glacial lake, the park is now most iconically recognisable by its Unisphere, a massive steel globe that was originally created for the 1964 World’s Fair. And, that’s not all visitors can enjoy when they head here. 

There are also historic walks on offer, as well as scenic trails and green spaces that are perfectly suited to everything from soccer to volleyball. There’s also a recreation center and indoor pool, and a $66 million aquatic and hockey center, as well as lakes that you can visit on foot or by kayak. If you go looking in the rolling green fields of this park, you’ll also find an 11-acre zoo that’s home to animals including sea lions, bears, and farm animals. 

Little Island Park

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Little Island Park on the Hudson River may be one of the newest parks on this list, with an inception date of just 2021, but it’s already become one of the most iconic green spaces in New York City. Admittedly, with this space being entirely human-made, it’s not the best for true wildlife adventurers, but it is a space that’s well worth a visit if you’re simply wanting to see what greenery this city has to offer. 

This spot is certainly an interesting site, with 2.4 acres of greenery that are suspended above the Hudson River on 132 concrete pot-shaped structures called ‘Tulips’. The plant life included here is all native, and visitors during spring/summer can enjoy the beauty created by over 66,000 bulbs. Little Island is also home to plenty of iconic performances across venues including a 700-seater amphitheater, ‘The Amp’, and a 200-seater secret garden-esque space known as ‘The Glade’. 

Takeaway

It’s easy to book a city trip and assume you’ll be stuck in the center of skyscrapers and traffic, but New York’s rich and varied park life can feel like stepping into a totally different world. Whether you prefer to slow down and take in the scenery for your entire trip, or want to break up a busy visit with a few green-filled days, adding any of these parks to your itinerary is sure to be worthwhile. Simply consider where you’re staying, what you’re looking for from New York’s green spaces, and which of these options would be best for fulfilling those needs.