New York’s Natural Side

The Big Apple has a higher percentage of open space than any other major city in the United States. About 25%, or 53,000 acres, of New York is city, state and federal parkland, totalling more than Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia combined.

Even the most avid city explorer might want to investigate some of the attractions that New York’s nature has to offer. If you do not fancy travelling far to reach a green space, make sure you find out what parks and natural beauty spots can be found and where before you take your trip.

Staten Island is an area thriving with local garden and nature spots. Founded in 1977, the Staten Island Botanical Garden is a fifty-three acre natural woodland with over twenty specimen gardens of both period and contemporary styles.

Highlights include the Garden of Healing, the Italian Garden which was based on the Villa Gamberaia in Florence, as well as the first Chinese Scholar's Garden in the United States where you can peruse a collection of 18th and 19th century Chinese furniture and ogle at the plants and fauna native to China.

Bloomingdale Park is another Staten Island favourite where you can take a stroll through a mature forest which is intertwined by a stream, making this the perfect spot to spend an afternoon.

Wolfe’s Pond Park on Staten Island also contains mature upland woods as well as swamp forest, open marsh, ponds and the shoreline on Raritan Bay. The combination of these different features makes Wolfe’s Pond Park one of the most diverse green spaces to be found in the city so it’s well worth a look if you are in the area.

Back in Manhattan, Inwood Hill Park has the last natural forest and salt marshes in the area. The park is lush and leafy and the forests contain mature red oak and some of the largest tulip trees in the City.
Venture South of Manhattan to Brooklyn where you can find the Marine Park, home to the wetlands. Prospect Park is another noteworthy place where you can make the most of the 585 acres on offer and enjoy the woodlands and waterways.

A green island in the centre of the city, Central Park is a must-see for visitors and is hugely popular with residents. At 840 acres Central Park runs from 59th to 110th streets and is flanked by Fifth Avenue.

A reservoir divides the park in two and the larger southern part tends to hold more attractions. The north side of the park has a wilder natural setting that is perfect if you are planning a quiet picnic.

If you like the idea of always being near a green space, even in one of the world’s largest cities, look for New York hotels which can be found in close proximity to your favourite park or beauty spot. After a hard day on the city streets you might just be in need of getting back to nature.

Article Source: http://www.mycontentbuilder.com

Matthew Pressman writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated