Being cooped up for months with kids due to COVID-19 is no easy task. Finding outdoors adventures that followed safety guidelines was very fun. But I’m ready to go back to the parks.. aren’t you?
Here’s a list of Parks in the NYC that my kidz rated top notch… or at least pretty cool and a must visit so here goes:
#1 Domino Park Of course I have to begin in my hometown of Brooklyn. This cute nook of a public park is located at 15 River Street. There are entrances along Kent Avenue at South 5th Street, South 3rd Street, and Grand Street. Go and enjoy. Shhhhh, this is a hidden Gem.
#2 Owl’s Head Park is another Brooklyn Park that we love to go to.This waterfront park has breathtaking views of lower Manhattan and has not one but two playgrounds. There are walking trails, and sledding hills for the winter (keep this post in mind when the snow drops) ball courts, and a very well known skate park. Bring a blanket and relax on the grass while your tweens check out their new territory.
#3 Many only think of McCarren Park when in Williamsburg Brooklyn but if that green space gets too packed for ya keep reading .
#4 ANOTHER ONE (DJ Khalid Voice) in Brooklyn is Brooklyn Bridge Park. This treasure of a park offers breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan’s panoramic skyline and the New York Harbor. Your kids can not possibly get bored with it’s SIX diverse piers. There are numerous recreational facilities, including playgrounds, basketball courts, sports fields. There’s also a Roller rink, not sure if its open yet tho.
#5 The Alley Pond Park in Queens has 635 acres of pure fun!! Did you know… Alley Pond Park Adventure Course has team-building challenges? Like low-and high-ropes course, a trust-fall station, swings, nets, balance platforms , a climbing wall annnnddd get this a Zip line. Best of all, the course is FREE. Your Welcome.
#6 Riverbank State Park is on the edge of Harlem and overlooks Hudson River. Sure there some questionable areas that shows some ware and tear but once you arrive with your little ones you’ll forget all about them thanks to the gorgeous views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge. This park has a kid-designed carousel, playgrounds, tennis, basketball, and handball courts and sprinklers to keep cool for the summer.
#7 In upper Manhattan Inwood Hill Park is a public green space where you can enjoy the richness of the marsh from the wildlife observation deck…. or venture out on to a wooden deck stretching out to the waterway to the water gardens. There are places to sit and enjoy picnic sandwiches with the family across the river and the Palisades.
#8 1,146 acres is what Van Cortdanlt Park brings to its NYC residents and their kidz. Located in the Bronx and packed with typical park amenities such as playgrounds and athletic courts this park also boasts many unique attractions, such as horseback riding at Riverdale Stables, the historic Van Cortlandt House Museum and a nature center for hands-on learning!! Did I mention the Acreage?!! Loads and loads of space to practice social distancing while enjoying these summer months. On top of allll of that. There’s many hiking trails so pack some trailmix and head on over.
#9 Did you know the Boogie down Bronx holds the record for NYC’s largest public park? Pelham Bay Park is 2,772 acres of green space and plenty of playgrounds and sports fields and other attractions such as Orchard Beach, offers sand, surf, a small concession stand, a seaside playground, and even seal watching (all in season of course). There are also some bucolic hiking trails and fairly easy bike paths, too. Extra special activities include going for a horseback ride with the Bronx Equestrian Center, playing mini-golf at the Turtle Cove Golf Center, getting up close with critters at the FREE nature center.
Governers Island is just that, an Island nestled between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. This place is unlike anywhere else in New York (hand to heart) I solemnly swear. And if you have never gone please do. This short, almost free ferry ride ($2) takes you to this seasonal island sanctuary.Sadly, Governors Island which offers peaceful settings with sweeping views of the Harbor is still closed due to COVID safety regulations. We can not wait for Governors Island to open back up again. I mean where else can you have a picnic directly across from the Statue of Liberty with your kidz…for free?
#10 Seaside Wildlife Nature Park of Staten Island
is a playground Iused to take my kidz too on the days I was super duper Broke. The only thing we needed was metro card. Living in Brooklyn this was a full day trip. Train to the Staten Island Ferry $2.75, Staten Island Ferry transfer to NYC bus, free. Full day of exploring NYC trains, buses, and one ferry. The kidz would come back home with loads of adventure stories and my favorite time of the day…. bedtime would come much easier at night. The playground’s nautical-theme inspires swashbuckling pirates to explore its shipwreck or help marine-biologists-in-training perfect their craft. Do you have a kid who’s obsessed with boats? Let them play captain for a day here or assign them lookout duty in the lighthouse. There’s also sandboxes and sprinklers to keep cool.
Bored?? Not enough parks to choose from? check out some more parks Here.
HAVE FUN!!
CC
CC's Kidz 