My wife and I wanted to do something non-touristy in Greenpoint. Check. You walk down some very…read moreindustrial back streets to get here. When you arrive at the "nature walk", you walk down a long concrete path surrounded by walls with little portholes in them, a kind of nautical theme. Then you arrive at the waterfront to an up-close view of a recycling plant, with stories-high piles of aluminum, steel, iron, etc. on the point across the creek. Behind that is Long Island City, not exactly known for its architecture or beauty. But you're on the water, and there's hardly anyone else there. Not bad for a city of 8.5 million. Then you walk down some more concrete paths to an area with markers by the bushes and trees telling you about them. I'm sure it's prettier other times of year, but in mid-April it wasn't impressive. Then it dumps you out in another industrial zone that takes awhile to loop around and get back to civilization. It was worth doing once.

I love taking a stroll here. It is 1/2 mile down and 1/2 mile back. I am not going to complain…read moreabout the creek, because after all it's a creek. A lot of time was put in to designing this walkway and it's something different off the beaten path. Great for kids too. They have great vocabulary words engraved into handrails in one place. Definitely something different and fun.

Nice sized pedestrian plaza to relax and watch the crowds stroll by…read more Situated at the base of the Flatiron building and across Eataly and Madison Square Park it offers some nice views of the area and Empire State Building. There are plenty of chairs and tables around, and on nice days like today live music can be found entertaining the masses. Plenty of shopping and places to get a bite and drink in the area. Take a seat and enjoy.

Flatiron Plaza is one of my all time favorite resting spots. I often frequent many of the…read morebusinesses nearby. By the time I walk this far I need a rest. During nice weather I get something to eat and find a seat in the plaza for my snack. You can find many landmarks and historic buildings nearby. I have lots of photos of the Flatiron Building. Just like many other people it's one of my favorite buildings. It fits snugly into the space. The best view of the building is from the Plaza. My opinion! The building has quite a history. It's not my job to regurgitate what you can find on line. Enjoy my photos...... You're Welcome!

Overall cool park but super small. Not as much of a peaceful vibe and views aren't as gorgeous…read morecompared to the south side of the island. Still cool to check out. Sculptures were interesting.

Lighthouse Park is at the northern end of Roosevelt Island and its three acres includes Blackwell…read moreIsland Light as well as a new public art piece called The Girl Puzzle honoring Nellie Bly and her work on the island's asylum. The park, which stretches from the lighthouse south to Coler Hospital, was designed by landscape architect Nicholas Quennell in 1977. The park was not always in good shape. It's had a lot of work recently and I'm sure there will be continued improvements. Definitely visit Roosevelt Island and walk to the lighthouse. That's a good place to rest!

Verdi Square has always been a gathering place for people that live and work in the neighborhood…read more The Parks Department keeps the grounds fairly clean. The statue of Verdi looks like it was restored somewhat. I liked visiting on April 14, 2025 when I was visiting my old neighborhood. It's old school New York City to me.

A romantic by day stop-off park at W. 72nd and Amsterdam Ave. At night, I don't think I would walk…read moreit alone. It sits on what's called a traffic Island and it's named after Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi. Of course, growing up in the 1970's we called it Needle Park, after the druggy movie "Panic in Needle Park". My cousin Fran still calls it that. Later in life the homeless guys would sleep on the 73rd street side by the subway grate because the warm air would jet up and keep them toasty. Then in the daytime, all the seniors hung out in the park. This week, it was pretty sweet how we grabbed our dogs, drinks and relaxed in the park for a half hour. All while we were waiting for our train to take us to 91st street and Riverside park, to see the Garden people. More to come! 01/24

Pelham Parkway is a nice stretch of land. There's plenty of greenery to play on. It's safer now…read morewith the installation of pedestrian traffic lights so that some of the tragedies that occurred in the not so far off past don't repeat themselves. There is a paved path so you can run, walk or bike ride without the fear of dealing with traffic. When traveling West to East, there's a decline and we always feel the incline when traveling back from a 3-4 mile run. This is a nice start to a long run because it leads eastward to the northbound trail that runs along the I-95, the trails that lead to City Island, Pelham Bay Park and Orchard Beach and the Northbound trail that heads along Shore Road to New Rochelle. There are a number of paths to take that will give you elevation, varying terrain and interesting views. Making the transition from the parkway to the biking/running trails can be a bit dangerous when traversing the roads. Drivers tend to speed down and don't really yield to pedestrians; they are pretty aggressive in this area. You only have about three before you have a continuous path but you must stay vigilant and be aware of your surroundings.

Though it's not as wide, this reminds me of nearby Crotonia Park. With wooded areas, rocks jutting…read moreupward like the cliffs of upstate NY and a general sense of tranquility. The Bronx is undervalued for its natural areas and this is an example of one.

One of the highlights of living on the UWS is the Riverside Park and one of the best things about…read moreRiverside Park is the 91st Street Garden! They have some fantastic volunteers who keep this garden beautifully maintained year round and it's so beautiful that you'll see families, friends, and just about everyone try to pose for pictures with the garden in the background. Huge kudos to the volunteers for maintaining such a beautiful garden and it's on top of the railroad tracks so you can see and hear Amtrak going through.

You'll love 91st Street Garden near Riverside Drive inside Riverside Park…read more Sometimes I pack a lunch and wear my comfortable shoes to walk to the West Side of Manhattan. When I get to Riverside Drive at 96th Street I head South. I pass many interesting and photo worthy places. There's gardens and playgrounds. I took special notice of the gardens on 91st Street. It's best in the Spring. If you missed this beautiful stretch of Riverside Drive, in addition to the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial and the Riverside bike path, you may see people working in this lovely community garden. This garden's claim to fame is that it was used as a backdrop in the 1998 film "You've Got Mail." After being cooped up during the pandemic I may use this garden as a destination for my next adventure in the near future. When you visit the area I suggest you stop to smell the flowers.

This little triangle of land sits between the intersections of Bleecker, Carmine and Avenue of the…read moreAmericas (aka Sixth Avenue). It's always been funny to me that in NYC every tiny, large-parking-space-worth of land that could possibly be dedicated or named, well...is. This particular swath memorializes a priest from the nearby Lady of Pompeii Church. In the countless list of similar places in the city, this one stands out as having a sizable fountain adorning its middle. During warmer months when the water runs, passerby can walk by or take a seat at one of the weathered and well-used benches lining the inner perimeter of this plaza, and listen to the sound of gurgling splashes mixed in with the sounds of cars honking, the crowds cheering on players a block up at the West 4th Street Basketball Courts, the rumble of the A/C/E subway lines running under the asphalt roadway, and general neighborhood foot traffic. During peak fall foliage the 14 trees (yes NYC Parks counts and maps all their trees) provide a vibrant scene to behold. A little bit more info at: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/father-demo-square

PUBLIC PARK: A small Park established in 1923 which was later named in honor of ANTONIO DEMO in…read more1941. DEMO was a Pastor who served at the nearby OUR LADY OF POMPEII Church. Many Record Stores used to be within striking distance of the Park. Spent many a night pounding Bombers in the neighborhood which were purchased from the WAVERLY DELI down the block during my youth. The Park is conveniently located near many Eateries in the area. WORTH VISITING.

Wonderfully manicured and well maintained park…read more Great place to take a seat and relax. Admire the flowers and greenery. Relish the escape from the concretel jungle. Check out the Doughboy statue in the middle of the park. Constructed in 1836 and reconstructed in 2004 this is one of the cleanest parks I've had the pleasure to visit here.

The only public parks very close to my apartment are Union Square and Washington Square. I also…read morepretty routinely walk by Madison Square Park. Acknowledging those are my baselines, it's refreshing to come across a public park in the city that isn't seething with hordes of people -- locals and tourists alike. It was such a pleasure to just sit for a spell on one of the ample benches and finish my bubble tea from Chelsea Market while enjoying the cool breeze. I fell into a reverie, lulled by the dappled light filtering through the towering shady trees that protected us from the glare of the scorching summer sun. Although Abingdon Square's located in the heart of the West Village, the sounds of the city and the traffic outside of the park just gently blend into the background. I wish we had more serene reprieves from Manhattan's hustle and bustle akin to this little oasis.