The best parks in NYC in 2026 are Central Park and Brooklyn's Prospect Park, both designed by Olmsted and Vaux; Brooklyn Bridge Park and the High Line for skyline views; Fort Tryon Park with the Met Cloisters; and Governors Island, reached by ferry. Little Island, Flushing Meadows and the Bronx's Wave Hill gardens complete the list.
The world's most famous urban park.
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, Central Park's 843 acres hold lakes, meadows, woodland, a zoo, the Reservoir and landmarks from Bethesda Terrace to Belvedere Castle.
Rent a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse in warm months.
Good to know: Rowboats at the Loeb Boathouse are a classic.
Olmsted and Vaux's Brooklyn masterpiece, with the vast Long Meadow.
Prospect Park was designed by Central Park's creators, and many think they perfected their ideas here: the Long Meadow is one of the largest urban meadows in the US, and the park has a lake, a zoo and woodland ravines.
The Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden are next door.
Good to know: The Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket runs by the park's main entrance on Saturdays.
Waterfront lawns and piers facing the Manhattan skyline.
Brooklyn Bridge Park stretches 1.3 miles along the East River, with lawns, sports piers, playgrounds and Jane's Carousel, all facing Lower Manhattan.
Above it, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade adds another classic view.
Good to know: Stay for sunset behind Manhattan.
A park on an elevated railway.
The High Line's 1.45 miles of planted walkway on a former freight line is one of the most influential parks of the century, copied by cities worldwide.
It is free and open daily.
Good to know: Weekday mornings are quietest.
Hudson River views, Heather Garden and the Met Cloisters.
Fort Tryon Park, at Manhattan's northern tip, has sweeping Hudson views, the beautiful Heather Garden and The Met Cloisters, a museum of medieval art built from parts of European monasteries.
It feels a world away from Midtown.
Good to know: Visit The Met Cloisters while you are there.
A car-free island park with hammocks, hills and harbor views.
Governors Island, a short ferry ride from Lower Manhattan, is a car-free former military base turned park, with lawns, hammock groves, bike rentals, art and views of the Statue of Liberty from The Hills.
Check ferry schedules — they vary by season.
Good to know: Rent a bike to explore the whole island.
A whimsical park floating on concrete tulips in the Hudson.
Little Island rises from the Hudson on sculpted concrete pillars, with winding paths, lawns, overlooks and an amphitheatre.
It is free, with timed entry at busy times.
Good to know: Go at sunset.
The Unisphere, two World's Fairs and the US Open.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park hosted the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs, and the Unisphere still stands at its heart. It is home to the Queens Museum, the New York Hall of Science and the US Open tennis tournament.
It is a big, open, local park.
Good to know: Visit during the US Open in late summer for the atmosphere.
A tranquil public garden and estate overlooking the Hudson and the Palisades.
Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center on a former estate in Riverdale, with gardens, greenhouses and views across the Hudson to the Palisades.
It is one of the most peaceful places in the city.
Good to know: Combine it with Liebman's Deli in Riverdale.
Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx is the largest — over three times the size of Central Park. Central Park, at 843 acres, is the most famous.
The major parks are busy and well used during the day and evening. As in any big city, stick to lit, populated paths after dark.