There is Central Park and its impressive outer-borough cousins, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, together with Staten Island’s Narrows Botanical Gardens. Apart from these well-known Parks, there are many other less familiar green sites that will get you off the beaten path and show you New York from a different view.
Practical Information:
Take the AirTrain from you terminal to the nearest subway/train station is you are flying into LaGuardia, JFK, or Newark. The AirTrain is faster and cheaper than a taxi, and it is the newest piece of NYC’s well-developed mass transit system. If you are planning to move around the city by subway, purchase an unlimited Metrocard, which is sold by the day, week, or month and is less expensive than the $2 per ride fare. At any fare booth, while you are in the subway station, pick up a free map.
Get Outdoors:
New York City may be considered as the concrete jungle, but it has some amazing green spaces which include:
The Science Barge. This is run by the New York Sun Works Centre for Sustainable Engineering. It is part school-on-a-ship and part urban farm. This barge is anchored on the city’s West Side Hudson River and is powered by solar, wind, and biofuels which produces food that generate no carbon emissions, no net water consumption, and no waste steam. During warmer months, the barge can be visited for free.
Hudson River Park. This is New Yorkers’ waterside playground. The Hudson River Park runs almost the entire length of Manhattan’s West Side, offering recreational opportunities for enthusiasts of rollerblading, biking, kayaking, climbing, skateboarding, fishing, amongst others. During the summer months, one of the major attractions is the free kayaking which is for beginners to experts, with the former offered lessons and the latter offered kayak polo games and trips north on the Hudson.
Union Square Greenmarket. This is one of the city’s many outdoor markets and is considered to be the best of the best.
Walking Tours. Get off the double-decker bus and get walking! New York City has some of the world’s very best walking tours, with a tour for every interest. There is the food tour, the ghost tour, and tours for nearly every immigrant group that passed through Ellis Island’s portals.
Go Inside:
Open House New York. Green is not just about the physical environment, it is about being conscious of the environments we build and in which we live, work, and play. OHNY’s best event is the weekend city-wide “Open House,” which takes place every year, but it also have programs throughout the year that give people access to places that are normally beyond the public’s access and view.
Go Eat:
The Green Table. This is a tiny organic restaurant whose menu changes every day/ it is built around seasonal organic ingredients and organic ingredients, wine and beer.
The New Leaf Café. The food here is great and the setting is amazing. It overlooks the Hudson River and is located in a park. The best thing is that net proceeds from the café and go right back to the parks restoration and maintenance.
GOBO: food for the five senses. Organic, vegetarian, small plates, good for sampling and sharing.
Just Go:
You should know all about the subway, but keep in mind other mass transit options. Namely the water taxi, Roosevelt Island Tramway, pedicabs, or even your own bike.