Best Parks in Brooklyn
After a day of exploring the trendy galleries, hip boutiques and stylish eateries of Brooklyn, return to nature with a visit to some of the borough's best parks
Leave the crowded cobblestone streets and brownstones behind for patches of green where you can experience life at a slower and simpler pace, even in the midst of a concrete jungle. The best parks in Brooklyn include added perks like recreational adventures, inventive playgrounds and views of the sprawling Manhattan skyline from across the East River.
Brooklyn's Best Neighborhood Parks
American history meets recreational play at Fort Greene Park (Washington Park St. to St. Edward St., Brooklyn), a former Revolutionary War fort converted into Brooklyn's first park in 1847. Work up a sweat on the park's basketball or tennis courts, or take a walk along the quaint, flower-lined nature trails. The park hosts a farmers market each Saturday year-round, which offers local, picnic-ready produce.
Although Park Slope's J.J. Byrne Playground (344 5th Ave., Brooklyn) boasts high-tech and interactive play equipment, summertime crowds flock to the splash pad where water cannons and geysers cool off the young and old alike. Be sure to stop by the Old Stone House and Museum, site of a pivotal 1776 Revolutionary battle.
Spend the whole day at Prospect Park (between Prospect Park West and Parkside Ave., and Flatbush Ave. and Prospect Park Southwest, Brooklyn). This is Brooklyn's largest park and home to its own zoo, a 1912 carousel and the Imagination Playground where kids can create unique structures from foam building blocks. The big draw, however, is the aptly-titled Great Lawn, which invites you to toss a ball around or just picnic—it's an added bonus if you can grab a barbecue pit! Athletic types make quick use of the horseback riding trails, ice and roller skating rinks, and the lake with kayaking and fishing.
Located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of the same name, Sunset Park (41st St. to 44th St. between 5th Ave. and 7th Ave., Brooklyn) provides hilltop vistas of Manhattan with particularly dazzling displays at dusk. Splash-time fun is on hand at the park's 1936 Art Deco-style outdoor pool, while the sand volleyball courts will get your competitive juices flowing. A 9/11 memorial provides a tranquil space for quiet reflection.
Brooklyn's Best Waterfront Parks
Fish or play beach volleyball along the banks of the East River and in the shadows of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges at Brooklyn Bridge Park (334 Furman St., Brooklyn). Designers turned old underutilized piers into recreational space to make this 85-acre urban oasis, adding facilities like a skating rink, in addition to basketball, handball and bocce courts. With lower Manhattan as its dramatic backdrop, the park also hosts outdoor concerts and movie screenings. The Pier 6 Playground provides little ones with a splash pad that features interactive water tables and enormous sand boxes.
Located in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood, Louis Valentino, Jr. Park and Pier (between Coffey St. and Van Dyke St. on Ferris St., Brooklyn) is nestled along the Buttermilk Channel where graffiti art adorns the walls of the surrounding buildings. Whether you're walking along the pier or resting on the park's small lawn, the space provides panoramic views of Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan's skyline. Save some cash during the summer when the park offers free kayaking lessons and outdoor movies.
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