Tag Archives: NY Parks
Outdoors with Kids in New York City – The Book
When my kids were little and not in school all we ever did was spent time outdoors exploring NYC. It’s how this blog got started, sharing our adventures in this way with our readers.
When visitors often think about New York, they think about the attractions that require expensive tickets and long lines, a nightmare for those traveling with kids. But those of us in the know like to spend most of our time outdoors, in the many parks, botanical gardens, and playgrounds of the city. If you like nature exploring, hiking, biking, having picnics, or just going for walks, then you want to check out Outdoors with Kids: New York City by Cheryl and William de Jong-Lambert ($17.99 paperback, $9.99 Kindle on Amazon.com). This book features 100 fun places to explore in and around the city, any time of year.
Fall Foliage in New York and New Jersey
When I was 8 years old, my parents and I moved out of the city for a bit and into the suburbs of Teaneck, NJ. After school I would walk home on my own, often taking my time because I had a crush on a boy named Andrew who seemed to move as slow as molasses and with whom I took these walks home with.
I don’t think Andrew really had much of a crush on me, but he walked with me anyway – mainly because it was in the direction of his house. Our walks were often pretty mundane, nothing too special until Fall would come along.
Westside Parks to Visit in NYC [VIDEO]
There are tons of really amazing parks in NYC. Washington Square Park, Bryant Park, Carl Shultz Park, Madison Square Park…just to name a few.
In this video, I highlight my absolute favorites along the westside on Manhattan. I hope you get to check them out when you come visit!
These videos on NYC are for SheStreams Conference, which will take place in Times Square this month of September (2011), and sponsored by AT&T.
Return to Governors Island
It has been two years. Two years since we have been to Governors Island. I don’t know why. Maybe because the last time we went it was so pathetically crowded (it was the opening day for the season after all), that I lost interest in going back, despite the great time we had. It had been so long since I had gone to Governor’s Island, that when I wrote about my experience, I was still writing this blog in the 3rd person. So long ago!
But we returned today. No particular day of importance, other than that it was a Friday before a holiday when most people have off – but not all – and a lot of those who do have off tend to go away.
Our Favorite NY Parks for Summer Fun
We talk so much about NYC being a concrete jungle. So much so that even Alicia Keys sings about it.
Truth is, and what most people don’t expect, is that New York City has a lot of green area that we can enjoy. There are truly countless of parks, from small to large, crowded to more private, for strolling through, playing in, and enjoy a picnic in.
In this post, I am going to share with you just a few of the city parks that we love that we hope you, your family and friends get to enjoy this Summer, or any season.
Pretty color fun-fun happy at Rainbow City
I know. The title seems a bit silly and sounds a tad childish, but truth is that the feeling you get the minute you step into this new sculpture garden being displayed under the High Line – with it’s cheerful color and caricature inflatables – is nothing less than pure joy.
Brought to us by FriendswithYou – with Miami-based artists Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III – and AOL, the installation is in place to commemorate the opening of the 2nd part of the High Line Overlook and is located at the entrance of 10th Avenue and 30th Street.
Perfect Day with Go City Card: The Cloisters Museum
This week started a bit on the rough side, as if loosing an hour to daylight savings wasn’t enough, my family and I got hit with a 24-hour virus that left me feeling a tad out of sorts till only a day ago.
It was time to get out of the apartment. Breathe some fresh air. Take in some sunshine and start over.
Lucky for me, I was invited by Go City Cards to experience the city, and offered me three entries to any of the many attractions and venues they provide access to. I jumped at the opportunity, because no one likes to play tourist in her own city more than me.
Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn, NY
Many times when visitors think of “Great New York City Parks” they think about Central Park. And of Central Park is pretty great, amazing even, but it’s not the only park in New York to be so. I have written about Riverside Park, but not so much about Prospect Park, in Brooklyn. And though in this adventure, my family and I only visited a small segment of park, this small segment where they started their journey is, in my opinion, a great place to start for first time visiting families.
We were taking advantage of one of the sunniest weekend days we have had in a long time. The past few weekends have been overcast and threatened rain here and there, but this weekend was anything but that. As we made our way into Prospect Park Zoo, the boys were excited and already talking about the animals they wanted to see. However, much like Central Park Zoo, and unlike the Bronx Zoo, this location is much smaller, and the list of animals that can be seen are limited, however, it is a perfect visit, and I found it especially perfect for smaller children who often can get overwhelmed with too much at the same time.
In The Rain at Madison Square Park
It’s been raining a lot in NYC for the past couple of weeks. This has caused me to get somewhat creative in the things I do with the boys do during the day. Luckily there is always something going on at the different public libraries throughout the city. I tend to venture to other neighborhoods just for a change in scenery, at times the just go to the bookstore, or museums. But with all the rain, it seems that all those activities inside aren’t enough to get rid of the desire to do things outside. So, more than once, I had settled with just getting wet.
Today was such a day. The forecast promised rained, and it had already been drizzling on and off. I had an event at the ever fun-tastic Apple seeds and was excited to take the kids with me.
The Little Red Lighthouse, Ft. Washington Park, NY
It was Father’s Day and because of a tight deadline he was on, the only thing NYCity Mama’s husband wanted to do was get some work done. It was rainy on and off (mostly on) and it seemed like the lazy Sunday would be spent inside. But with the boys getting louder and cabin fever starting to set in, she decided to take them for a nice long walk.
Not too far from where she lives, but unbeknownst to many people (even the newly arrived locals) is a hidden entrance to the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. It is “hidden” because it is covered by long branches and trees, hidden behind expressways and bridges. But she made her way down 181st St, and the long winding path that lead them right in Fort Washington Park and the newly refurbished, recently opened promenade leading toward The Little Red Lighthouse.
The Little Red Lighthouse has an awesome history, and is one of the most respected and cherished landmarks of the area. The views are amazing, even on this hazy day, encouraging the boys to sit for a rest, enjoy the wind as it hit their little faces, and watch the sailboats go by. The Lighthouse looked proud and majestic, even with the much larger George Washington Bridge as its backdrop. Cyclists and walkers all stopped to take pictures and admire the scenery. They could’ve stayed there forever…except the kids started kicking the rocks at each other which meant it was time to move on.
They walked over past the tennis courts, and down the narrow path towards the beach and picnic area. The only thing to note about this path is that unfortunately the cyclists FLY through both ways, making it very dangerous to walk on, especially for little kids.
Once they arrived to the grassy area, Mama’s 2.5 year old went on his own, taking a moment to sit on the grass and chase butterflies. His older brothers, on the other hand, went straight to the beach, and started playing with a canine friend they made while there.
It didn’t take long for her younger ones to get courageous and forget about the fact that they had shoes on and no swimsuits (and that it was the Hudson River! Though on this particular day the water seemed clear and very clean) and they jumped right in with their canine friend before Mama insisted that they come out.
It mattered little that they were wet, for not long after the sky once again became dark and rain started to fall. The boys excited about getting wet, began to run and jump and laugh full of joy. Mama knew exactly how they felt, for she too loves getting caught in the rain and the sense of freedom and carefree feeling it brings.
They hurried along to the nearest exit, which isn’t one Mama has ever taken before, and this in turn lead them onto a hiking path. The boys took on this new part of their adventure with great joy, imagining that all sorts of things were going to happen as they walked on the winding path, covered with broken twigs and berries that had fallen from the many trees that grazed their hair as they made their way through.
At one point her 3.5 year old whispered that a dragon might be hiding in the bushes.
“No, a faiwee!” exclaimed his younger brother.
“No! It’s a dark knight looking for the treasure we are carrying for the king!” added the 11 year old.
They all laughed as Mama made monkey noises and that of other wild animal of the jungle. No one cared that they had no idea where this path was leading them, or that they had been on it all the while the rain got heavier. Their shoes were muddy and soaked, and they couldn’t be happier. They eventually made their way out, and with that so did the sun. They slowly walked back home full of stories to share with their Dad.
