Ok, I must admit to trying out Suicide Hill with some friends years back after a snowfall. I'm old…read moreenough to know better but young enough to still make stupidly bad decisions. Some cardboard or plastic is all you need to go flying down this steep hill and into a chain link fence. A few bumps and bruises later and I was done. Good thing we all had a few drinks in us at the time! Felt no pain! Until the next day, ouch!

Suicide Hill 04/10/22…read more Suicide Hill is any hill the someone goes down (sledding, skating, etc.) that could possibly end in disaster, such as getting run over by a car in the street. New York City has several "Suicide Hills" in several boroughs. At Manhattan Fort Tryon Park, there's a "suicide hill" where someone sledded into the street and died. At Manhattan's Riverside Drive and 91st Street, there's another "suicide hill." That's this location. At Manhattan's Central Park on West Park Drive between 104th Street and 110th Street, there's a "suicide hill" where bicyclists became tired, and gangs of kids would swarm out of bushes and steal the bikes. I'm familiar with climbing this hill too. As I said I'm familiar with this location on Riverside Drive. I go for the hike and views. I would never go sledding down the hill. I already had one sledding experience with my cousin. It was when I was little holding on his back with my arms around his waist when he headed down the hill. We hit the fence and he lost his front tooth. I'm sure he got a beating from his father too. Oh memories......sled at your own risk.

Linden Park is such a wonderful place. The track area is HUGE and very well maintained. You won't…read moretrip over any cracks, buckles or bubbles in the asphalt while you run or power walk. The park's grounds keepers keep the entire park area spotless. There's a fitness section with actual gym equipment for public use and of course there's a play area for the kiddies-with all of the standards like a sliding board, swings etc. Linden Park has a tennis court, bleachers and benches where you can sit and catch your breath, stretch or people watch. An added bonus is the Soca fitness class. It's a free workout given by a wonderful gentleman named Paul. He sets up his speaker, plays old school Soca tunes and holds classes every Mon-Sat. He begins at promptly 9am and each class is an hour long. It's all free of charge but donations are accepted and appreciated. Mr. Paul is only there when the weather is nice so be sure to come out before the chilly weather sets in. Linden Park is tops in my book.

This park is an "all in one" treasure! You have various options in staying active. There's a track…read moreand field, football/ soccer field, basketball and tennis court, kids park, chess tables and benches, exercise station with built in equipments, and plenty of space to bring your own equipment or group and get it on! ( as people do often). Seeing people socializing and exercising motivated to keep returning. The people here are also friendly, so you might end up making a friend or two! The music from the various outdoor exercise groups will have you jamming as well. Forgot to bring your water?, Not a problem!, There is a gentleman who sells a variety of cold beverages. If you want a spot that will motivate you to keep in track and stay in shape, to bring your kids, or just plain ol' relax on the bleechers... This is the spot.

It was a nice day out, and there were so many children outside playing you would think cell phones…read moredidn't exist and we were back in the 90's, I appreciated seeing so many people make use of the park. Good spot for children, dogs or people who want to walk along trails.

On initial sight, it LOOKS like a park fulled with families of all sorts of ethnicities. After a…read morecloser look and logical thinking, I was looking at a park filled with Au pairs & nannys. None the less, it is a beautiful park covered in astroturf.

I've never met a friendlier, kinder group. People of all ages. They share rides, gear, and mad…read moreskills. They knew so much about the Adirondacks and local rivers, but even more, they also travel to Southern rivers. It's great to see a group that really bonds with each other. I was tired of groups where people just wanted to paddle and go home. Here, day trips always have a Happy Hour tailgate party where folks share snacks and stories. I've heard the camping trips are fantastic. I was afraid to sign up when my skills were new, but the instructional weekend keeps giving...people keep coaching and helping. Or, you can also be in a tandem canoe with an expert. That's how I broke into moving and whitewater adventures. Best sport I ever did...and I"ve done a lot...because this group is so professional and warm.

AMC is great! I've been a member for about 8 years now and have been a student, taught students and…read morelead lots of paddling trips around the northeast region. I thought I went to learn to kayak, but I came out with so much more... Friends, community, and hundreds of memories and amazing experiences on and off the water. Trips are lead by volunteers so if it's not free, it's really inexpensive for you get involved.

The Tarr Family Playground is another cute playground with its own style. I love the places for the…read morechildren to enter and explore. This playground was built in 2009. I was there very early morning so there weren't any children. If you live nearby or enjoy photographing playgrounds like I do, you should visit. I'm a fan of the the architecture and equipment in this particular playground. There's a large climber with a tunnel and slides, a modern net climber, a variety of swings for all ages, a wooden tree house, water feature, and a concrete maze. This playground is for preschoolers and school age children. The sand marks the boundary between two areas: one designed for preschoolers, the other for older children. There's no restroom as usual! Enjoy!

This park does look like a wild wild west scene…read more Cool structures to climb up, play on, and equipment to enjoy and slide on. It's spacious and offers the kids multiple areas to have fun, explore, be creative, while getting in some exercise and fun.

A small NYC gated children's playground located on Minetta Lane, West 3rd Street and Avenue of…read moreAmericas in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, NYC. Oh, if there was a spell to physically regress to a child in Halliwell's the Book Of Shadows from "Charmed"! I would be cavorting the spray shower on stifling hot and humid summer days without shoes and climbing the play structure. There are a pair of low swings and built-in chess tables. Certainly childhood is simpler and carefree than the complicated responsible adulthood.

Really well kept playground to bring the kids…read more Well maintained equipment to improve and play on. Nice gardening around the trees. Working water fountain. Soft matted ground in the play area. Benches to sit on. There is also a large fun water spray area which I ran through on this 100 degree day!

Some would say it's not necessary to rate the woods. Strong points include high presence of deer…read moreand chipmunks and a playlist of bird sounds. I'll withhold the fifth star since this is a short trail but I'm glad it's in my rotation of faux-rural NJ spots.

Short (maybe 3/4 mile?) paved rail trail in Ramsey NJ. Free parking in the shopping plaza that…read morehouses TJ Maxx. I'm personally not sure of the parking situation at the other end, which is near the Ramsey train station. It's kinda a pain in the butt that this trail crosses 5 or 6 roads during its short distance. There are cross walks but no pedestrian activated lights. Meaning you can wait at the crosswalk while 30-30 cars ignore you. Most of the walk is in suburban backyards. So I was a bit surprised to see 3 deer on my quick walk.

A nice neighborhood park with a pond, a bit of woodlands and lots of wildlife. The nature paths…read morethrough the woods connect to Goodhue Park.

Awesome park! It a hidden gem on the island with lots of surprises around every corner. Great for a…read morequick hike or a brisk walk, depending on what you're after. There's also rescue ladders on each side of the pond in case of an ice skating emergency.