Three Places to Stroll in New York

We love walking around New York. Every time we visit, we probably cover 8 miles a day. Or more. Here’s where we strolled on our last visit:

The High Line Park

The way-western side of Manhattan is interesting. There are empty lots. There’s new construction. It almost doesn’t feel like Manhattan, but the High Line has been written about in nearly every magazine we read and we had to see it. Guess what? It’s awesome.

Getting there is a bit of a hike. We entered on 30th Street. Did I mention the park is very, very west? We walked all the way to the park from the Upper East Side and then all the way from 30th through Chelsea. (I can’t wait to explore more of Chelsea.) The High Line Park ends in the Meatpacking District. Once on the elevated surface of the park, you’ve got a better vantage point than you’ll ever get on a sidewalk and the pace is just slower than everywhere else in Manhattan  It’s pleasant. You can stroll. There are park workers that will buzz you on bikes, but there are neither taxis nor delivery trucks. It’s peaceful.

Rumor is there are exhibitionists in the apartments along the route (the naked type), but we failed to see them. Maybe next time.

If you go, skip walking all the way to the 30th Street entrance and explore Chelsea first, then stroll through the park, entering at one of the middle access points.

The Ramble, Central Park

All our previous forays into Central Park have petered out around The Lake. Pushing on a bit is worth it. The Ramble is a bird-filled mess of paved trails perfect for strolling. We found very few tourists in this area on our visit. It’s almost like it’s Manhattan’s secret spot. Looking at a map, I see that we still haven’t explored at least 60% of Central Park — The Ramble isn’t even the half-way point. Central Park is HUGE. Oh well, I guess we’ll have to return.

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

This was our first time in Brooklyn, and we both really liked the vibe — it reminded us of Chicago. Strolling through Prospect Park was wonderful. It feels more “natural” than Central Park — less planned and busy. And like Central Park, it’s huge and could be explored forever. If you go, know that there’s a wonderful library near the park’s northern point. In the winter, it’s a great place to warm up. Every other season, it’s a perfect spot for a bathroom break before setting out for a beer at a local Brooklyn dive bar (the library is open 7 days a week).