Dixon Top 5: Parks to Visit this Spring

With the sun warming the air and the days getting longer, we’re all ready to shed our winter layers and get outside. Thankfully, despite our reputation as an urban jungle, the New York area is home to some of the best parks in the world — some more well-known than others.

1. Morngingside Park, Morningside Heights/Harlem

Designed by the legendary landscape artists Fredrick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux (of Central Park and Prospect Park fame), this hidden 30-acre gem acts as the official divide between Morningside Heights and Harlem. Set among the cliffs and outcroppings that are prevalent in Upper Manhattan, the park feels a world away from the flat, busy boulevards of Midtown. Here, ball fields and courts for baseball, basketball and handball are nestled among promenades, monuments and a stunning pond and waterfall.

2. Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Unfairly dubbed Central Park’s little sister, Prospect Park has rightly become one of Brooklyn’s biggest claims to fame. With two year-round greenmarkets —at Grand Army Plaza and Bartel-Pritchard Square — not to mention Smorgasburg, a concert series and an active dog community, the park is a cultural and culinary hub that brings all Brooklynites together. Located among its 526 lush acres you'll find a zoo, an ice rink, a band shell, a carousel, dozens of athletic and recreational facilities, lakes and miles of paths for running, strolling and biking. As if that weren't enough, Brooklyn institutions the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum line its northeastern reaches.

3. Liberty State Park, Jersey City

With unbeatable views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, there’s no better spot for picnicking and daydreaming than Liberty State Park. Stroll along the sprawling 1,212-acre grounds, picnic and barbecue, or pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial known as Empty Sky. From here, it's easy to catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, take a historical tour of the Central Railroad Terminal or enjoy the immersive and educational exhibits at the Liberty Science Center.

4. Lincoln Park, Jersey City

For more than 100 years, Lincoln Park has provided Jersey City denizens with a peaceful retreat right in the heart of the city. Traversed by the East Coast Greenway and the Hackensack Riverwalk, the park is perfect for both avid athletes and those who just want to relax. Originally known as West Side Park, this 273-acre oasis boasts lush lawns and water features, a dog run, and an impressive number of sports facilities including ball fields and courts, a tennis center and the nine-hole Skyway Golf Course.

5. Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn

Designated Brooklyn’s first park in 1847, Fort Greene Park was founded after Walt Whitman staged a successful campaign for city dwellers to have "a place of recreation … where, on hot summer evenings, and Sundays, they can spend a few grateful hours in the enjoyment of wholesome rest and fresh air." Today, the park is just that, with long, sloping hills, lots of open patches of grass, tennis and basketball courts and running paths. It’s a perfect example of what a neighborhood park should be and is fiercely beloved by its neighboring residents.