Escape from the bustle of the city: 17 places in New York where you can enjoy nature and silence

New York is full of many incredible sights: Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Museum of Natural History, etc. But there are also some unusual and little-known places that are a must-see. Many of them are so peaceful and full of greenery that you won't believe they are in a concrete jungle. The list of such places was compiled by the publication Secret nyc.

1. Forest hills gardens, Queens

This beautiful area of ​​New York was modeled after the English countryside. It was built in 1910. It is a little slice of the UK in Queens, with quaint Tudor houses and a train station in the middle.

Where: 71st Avenue, Forest Hills, New York

2. The Met Cloisters, Washington Heights

You won't believe that a medieval castle is located in the center of New York. But it is so! The Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the history of European art. It was designed and built using elements from many medieval cloisters. (Covered walkways in a church or monastery that join to form an open square in the center.)

Where: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive

Hours: Open seven days a week, March - October: 10:00 - 17:15; November - February: 10:00 - 16:45.

You can buy tickets on their website here.

3. The Ravine/Loch, Central Park

There are many little-known areas in Central Park. And one of them is called “The Ravine”. Stream valley site in Northern Forest, which covers 40 acres at the top of the park. Here you will find a secret cove that contains at least five different waterfalls, all man-made. Park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Waugh wanted New Yorkers to feel like they've escaped the city for the Catskills or Adirondacks, even if they can't afford vacations in those places.

Where: Enter from the West Side through the Glen Span Arch at 102nd Street. Follow the moving water along the dirt paths in an easterly direction.

Hours: Open daily from 6 am to XNUMX am.

4. Villa Charlotte Bronte, Bronx

Italy or the Bronx? Beautiful apartments "Villa Charlotte Bronte" as if from Europe. They were built in 1926 and are located along the Palisades, overlooking the Hudson River, in the Spuyten Duyvil area of ​​the Bronx. The design is based on an Italian villa with balconies and lush gardens!

Where: 2501 Palisade Ave, The Bronx

5. Tram on Roosevelt Island

You might think of a gondola as a means of sightseeing in a European city, but we have a tram on Roosevelt Island. Built in 1976, this tram offers some of the most amazing views of New York as it rises 76 meters above the East River. Initially, it was created for the inhabitants of the island. It is the only aerial commuter rail in the US. But now everyone can use it: both guests and residents of New York.

Where: E 59th St & 2nd Ave.

When: Sunday - Thursday: 6 am - 2 am / Friday and Saturday: 6:00 - 15:30.

6. Fort Tryon Park, Inwood

These massive stone arches look straight out of another era... and that's because they are! Built between 1901 and 1905, Billings Arcade is the last remnants of the Trion Hall mansion built by wealthy Chicago industrialist Cornelius C. G. Billings. John D. Rockefeller Jr. purchased the estate for $2 million in 1917, but it burned down a few years later. You can read more about the history at Fort Tryon Park Trust.

Where: From Riverside Dr. to Broadway (the arches are near Billings Lawn).

Hours: 6 am to 1 am daily.

7. Island Oyster, Governors Island

When you sit in the Island Oyster bar on Governors Island on a sunny day, you'll probably forget you're in the city (except for the great view of the skyline, of course). You will feel like you are on vacation on a tropical island. And all you have to do is take the $2 ferry from downtown Manhattan.

Where: 146 Carder Rd., Governors Island

Hours: Wednesday to Friday from noon to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 9pm.

8. City Island, Bronx

If you opt for a more coastal area, City Island in the Bronx will make you feel like you're in a small seaside town while enjoying fresh seafood on the dock. Enjoy great water views, plenty of outdoor dining options to sample everything from lobster to fish and chips and more. As well as quaint museums, shops and galleries. You can even rent a boat if you want!

You can go by car or train 6 to the terminus and then transfer to bus BX 29.

Where: Off the coast of Pelham Bay Park

9. Greenacre Park, Midtown

This little hidden park is in Midtown East, but it sure is impressive. There is a waterfall here, which not only pleases the eye in the center of Manhattan, but also distracts from the noise of busy streets. It was built in 1971 by the Greenacre Foundation and designed by Hideo Sasaki.

Where: 217 E 51st St.

Hours: 8am – 6pm daily.

On the subject: Planning Your Vacation Ahead: Exciting Travel Destinations for 2023

10. Andrew Carnegie Mansion, Upper East Side

The Andrew Carnegie Mansion is a historic site that now houses the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. The mansion was built in 1902 and received landmark status in 1974, although it has undergone many changes over the years. On the grounds of the mansion, now a museum, there is an expansive garden and cafe for visitors to enjoy, as well as a small luxury oasis in midtown Manhattan.

Where: 2 E. 91st Street

Hours: Thursday-Monday, 10 am to 6 pm.

11. Morgan Library, Murray Hill

The Morgan Library is reminiscent of a library from Harry Potter or the old world of Europe. This historic site was built as a private library between 1902 and 1906 for the financier Pierpont Morgan. He began collecting manuscripts and other historical materials as early as 1890, and they now adorn the walls of the museum. Here you can find the rarest musical manuscripts, early children's books, American literature, early printed books and much more. Buy tickets are available here.

Where: 225 Madison Ave

Hours: Varies, more details look on the website.

12. “Little Paris,” Nolita/SoHo

Little Paris is the work of a group of French entrepreneurs who decided to show their own enclave of French culture in New York on Center Street in Nolita/SoHo (between Broome and Grand St.). Along Center St. you'll find Maman French Café and Bakery, La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels wine bar, and Clic art and home decor store. Completing the Parisian atmosphere is the old police headquarters, located across the street from the Coucou French Classes, whose architecture was inspired by the famous Parisian Hotel de Ville (city hall) with its Beaux Arts style.

Where: Center Street between Broome & Grand St.

13. Van Cortlandt House, Bronx

The Van Cortlandt House is the oldest surviving building in the Bronx, built by Frederick Van Cortlandt (1699 - 1749) in 1748. The Van Cortlandts were a prominent merchant family who owned a plantation in the area. Generations of the family lived here for 140 years, and in 1887 it was sold to the City of New York and turned into a public park (Van Cortlandt Park itself is the third largest park in New York and has many unique hiking trails and vantage points!) to Before becoming a museum, it had many occasional, unique uses, such as a makeshift police station and living quarters for ranchers who cared for the bison herd in the park.

Where: 6036 Broadway, Van Cortlandt Park

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00-16:00, Saturday-Sunday, 11:00-16:00.

14. Stone Street, Financial District

Stone Street is one of the rare cobbled streets in New York that lends an older European feel to the modern buildings around. According to the Untapped Cities website, this street was one of the first to be paved with cobblestones (in 1658) in the Nieuw-Amsterdam colony, from where it got its name. Cars are not allowed here today. And in warm weather, because it has outdoor seating, it's one of the few places in New York where you're allowed to drink on the streets.

Where: From Whitehall St. to Broad St., between Marketfield St. and Bridge St.

Hours: open 24 hours.

15. Ford Foundation Garden, Midtown

The Ford Foundation Social Justice Center, located at the end of 42nd Street (between 2nd Avenue and UN Square), is a real hidden treasure in New York City. In the atrium, where sunlight penetrates from different directions, 39 plant species grow. It also has a reflecting pool and a sensory garden with plants you can touch and smell.

Where: 320 E. 43rd St.

Hours: Monday-Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 11am-6pm.

16. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Queens

If you want to be surrounded by nature and not in a concrete jungle, then the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is the place for you. Here you can go hiking, birdwatching, turtle nesting and a wide variety of wild flowers, moths and butterflies.

Where: Cross Bay Blvd near Broad Channel, Queens.

Hours: open 24 hours.

17. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect Heights

This lush oasis in the heart of Brooklyn will make you feel like you've been completely transported to another city. During the spring cherry blossom season, you can feel like you are in Japan. And all year round, it's a natural haven for New Yorkers with a variety of flowers throughout its very walkable area. Purchase tickets on their website.

Where: 455 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225

Hours: Varies click here.