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A popular destination since the late 19th century, Piedmont Park is the perfect place to escape the chaos of the city. Tennis courts, a swimming pool, a popular dog park, and paths for walking, jogging, and rollerblading are part of the attraction, but many retreat to the park's great lawn for picnics with a smashing view of the Midtown skyline.
This popular park with jaw-dropping views of the Valley is a good spot to picnic, rock climb, bike, or hike in a beautiful desert environment. The moderately difficult trail is 3.5 miles out and back, winding up a mountain strewn with boulders and towering saguaro cacti. Dogs are not allowed on the trail. For more information on hiking, see Activities.
Jutting into Commencement Bay, this 760-acre park surrounds Five Mile Drive with hilly picnicking fields and patches of forest. Hiking trails, bike paths, and numerous gardens draw crowds year-round, particularly during summer festivals such as the Taste of Tacoma, in late June. The park begins at the north end of Pearl Street as you drive toward the Point Defiance Ferry Terminal, where vehicles depart for Vashon Island just across the Sound, but you can also walk or bike here via a new pedestrian bridge that connects with the new Point Ruston waterfront development. The park's one-way road meanders past a lake and picnic area, a rose garden, a spectacular 22-acre rhododendron garden, and a Japanese garden, finally winding down to the water. Here you can explore the driftwood-strewn, pebbly sands of Owen Beach—it's a wonderful place for beachcombing and sailboat-watching. Kayak rentals and concessions are available in summer. Cruise slowly to take in the scenes—and watch out for joggers and bikers.
Perched between the airport and the coast, this city park provides an entertaining hodgepodge of nature and noise—you can enjoy beautiful views of Mt. Susitna while trans-Pacific cargo jets periodically roar overhead. Walk down to the beach and head east for a picture-perfect view of the city skyline framed against the Chugach Mountains. Just off the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, expect food carts and ice cream trucks as your reward if you make the 5-mile bike ride from Downtown.
With how seamlessly the Presidio Tunnel Tops landscape flows from the Presidio's Main Parade Lawn downhill to Crissy Field, it's almost impossible to envision the two not being connected. Yet, that was always the case until this impressive 14-acre green space with 1.8 miles of winding walking paths was completed in 2022. It's a park that is both function (bringing together two important areas atop a highway tunnel) and form (beautifully designed by James Corner Field Operations, the same firm that designed New York City's acclaimed High Line elevated park).
The Presidio Tunnel Tops are a marquee destination for many reasons, but there's no escaping that the park is best known for its panoramic view of the Golden Gate Bridge. There's plenty more to do, from grabbing lunch from a visiting food truck or letting kids explore the impressive 2-acre Outpost playground that tells the Presidio's extensive history and evokes its natural habitat. There are three lawn areas for picnicking, a Campfire Circle where ranger talks are given, and 200,000 plants to gaze at.
Altogether, it's a fun breath of fresh air—and it's hard to believe that you're literally on top of the busy 101 highway. After exploring the Presidio Tunnel Tops, make sure to head over to their lesser-known "above the highway" park sibling, Battery Bluff. This park doesn't have the activities or amenities that makes the Tunnel Tops such a draw, but it's worth a visit for the views and to see the four preserved historic gun batteries.
It’s tough to top the view of Chicago's skyline from the Point—a scenic, man-made peninsula, which projects into Lake Michigan. Opened in 1937 as part of Burnham Park, this 40-acre peninsula, which was originally called 55th Street Promontory, is entered via a tunnel underneath Lake Shore Drive at 55th Street or the Lakefront Trail. The fawn-shaped David Wallach Memorial Fountain is located near the tunnel. The park's field house is a popular wedding venue, so you may catch a glimpse of a beaming bride during your visit. The Promontory Apartments building—Mies van der Rohe's first residential high-rise, completed in 1949—exemplifies the postwar trend toward a clean, simple style. Note the skylines and belching smokestacks of Gary and Hammond, Indiana, to the southeast.
A 12-acre expanse that helped redefine the neighborhood, Railyard Park is an urban park with orchards, a community garden, a bird and butterfly garden, children’s play areas, picnic areas, and some fantastic public art. In summer, there are free outdoor evening movies. The park runs past SITE Santa Fe to the Railyard Plaza via the walkable and bikeable “Rail Trail.”
The 100-acre park is what remains of Spokane's Expo '74. Sprawling across several islands in the Spokane River, the park was developed from old railroad yards, where the stone clock tower of the former Great Northern Railroad Station still stands. The modernist Washington State pavilion, built as an opera house, is now the INB Performing Arts Center. A 1909 carousel, hand-carved by master builder Charles I.D. Looff, is a local landmark. Another family favorite is the giant red slide shaped like a Radio Flyer wagon. Thanks to a multiyear redevelopment effort, the iconic U.S. Pavilion reopened in 2019 as the Pavilion at Riverfront, an event space that hosts concerts, festivals, and an eye-catching light display on weekends. For a great view of the river and falls, walk across Post Street Bridge or take the sky ride over Spokane Falls.
This expansive green space runs alongside the Hudson River—hence its name—and offers a welcome dose of tranquility from 72nd to 158th Street, as does the park's south extension, from about 59th to 72nd Street. Walking and biking paths dot the entire park, among them the broad Promenade between 83rd and 96th Streets. The park's original sections were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux of Central Park fame and laid out between 1873 and 1888. Riverside Park also includes the soaring white marble Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (at 89th Street), dedicated to New Yorkers who served in the Civil War, and the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Plaza (at 80th Street), dedicated in 1947. The 79th Street Marina, with its café, visiting yachts, and permanently moored houseboats, is closed for renovations to make the marina climate resilient and expand access for boaters.
The 1,754 acres surrounding Rock Creek have provided a cool oasis for visitors and D.C. residents ever since Congress set them aside for recreational use in 1890. The bubbling, rocky stream draws nature lovers to the miles of paved walkways. Bicycle routes, jogging and hiking paths, and equestrian trails wind through the groves of dogwoods, beeches, oaks, and cedars, and picnic areas are scattered about. An asphalt bike path running through the park has a few challenging hills but is mostly flat, and it's possible to bike several miles without having to stop for cars (Beach Drive is closed entirely to cars on weekends). The most popular run in Rock Creek Park is along a trail that follows the creek from Georgetown to the National Zoo, about 4 miles round-trip. Rangers at the Nature Center and Planetarium introduce visitors to the park and keep track of daily events; guided nature walks leave from the center. The park is open only during daylight hours.
The true highlight of the Salesforce mini-neighborhood is Salesforce Park, a sprawling urban park with 13 ecosystems atop the four-block-long Salesforce Transit Center. It's a downtown green gem, a true civic accomplishment. This is a favorite destination for families, walkers, and workers trying to get fresh air on their lunch break. A beer garden from Barebottle Brewing Co. in Bernal Heights has swiftly become the happy hour destination of choice for downtown office workers. For a weekday coffee break, there's a branch of local favorite Andytown Coffee Roasters on the seventh floor of the spectacular 181 Fremont skyscraper; it's attached to the park via skybridge. The park can be reached via elevators or escalators (a thrilling glass-enclosed gondola from ground level to the park has been closed in recent years but might reopen at some point in 2025).
A much-loved 20-acre site at one end of the 12South neighborhood, Sevier Park is the site of festivals and a weekly farmers' market on Tuesdays from May through late October. The park opened in 1948 and features trails, a creek, two playgrounds, a shelter, picnic tables, and a historic mansion (currently undergoing renovation). The updated community center was opened in 2014 and offers $3 drop-in fitness classes, including yoga. There are also tennis and basketball courts, as well as bike rentals. It's open from 6 am until dark.
This leafy park is a favorite spot, year-round, for the neighborhood locals who lunch on the benches, picnic in the central green spaces, and put on impromptu jazz concerts. There's a year-round farmers' market by the southwest corner on Sunday, and an annual Halloween dog-costume event. It wasn't always so rosy in the park, though: in 1988, police followed then-mayor Ed Koch's orders to evict the many homeless people who had set up makeshift shelters here, and homeless rights and anti-gentrification activists fought back with sticks and bottles. The park was reclaimed and reopened in 1992 with a midnight curfew, still in effect today.
This peaceful downtown park has 300 acres of walking trails, an aquarium, an arboretum and botanical gardens, and many interactive exhibits for kids. The main draw is the stunning Santiago Calatrava–designed Sundial Bridge, a metal and translucent glass pedestrian walkway, suspended by cables from a single tower and spanning a broad bend in the Sacramento River. On sunny days the 217-foot tower lives up to the bridge's name, casting a shadow on the ground below to mark time. Access to the bridge and some trails is free, but the museum and gardens charge admission.
This formerly derelict industrial district and railroad depot underwent a remarkable transformation in the late '80s and early '90s into a gorgeous stretch of green, with a boardwalk lapped by the lake. It's also a linchpin for a number of sights and facilities, with the Echo Center on the south end, a bodacious skate park on the north, four seasonal creemee stands, and the Burlington Bike Path running through it all. Sunsets are particularly popular.
Adjacent to San Diego's County Administration Center is one of the city's most playful destinations—this 12-acre, family-friendly space is a great place to stretch out and cool off with fountain jets that are operational during the warmer months and a playground where children can climb, swing, and slide to their hearts' content. Even if you're just taking a moment to rest, the seaside view is worth the stop. Numerous concerts, festivals, and other events take place throughout the year, so check the website for a full schedule.
A former Native American gathering place and later a site of Franciscan missions in the 1700s, present-day Zilker Park is Austin's biggest public green space. Locals consider the 351-acre park complex their own backyard, albeit a massive one that stretches along the shores of Lady Bird Lake and includes adjacent sites like Barton Springs, botanical gardens, and various lakeside trails. Parking is increasingly difficult in recent years, so take the free Zilker Shuttle that runs May through September to avoid the congestion. In spring, the park hosts a beloved annual kite festival plus a long-running concert series at the Zilker Hillside Theater, a natural outdoor amphitheater shaded by century-old pecan trees; musicals and plays take over in the summer. The annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, along with hundreds of thousands of attendees, descend on the park for two weeks in October.
Enjoy spectacular views of San Francisco and Angel Island, as well as grassy expanses that are perfect for a picnic. The marina houses three restaurants and connects to bike paths and running trails. On sunny days, the 90-acre César E. Chávez Park, at the marina's northern tip, fills with kite flyers, dog walkers, and families grilling and riding bikes.
A peaceful respite awaits in this three-block park in the cultural heart of downtown, site of the State Capitol. A 1919 Greek amphitheater is in the middle of one of the city's largest flower gardens, and in spring, summer, and fall, it's the site of festivals such as Cinco de Mayo, Taste of Colorado, and the People's Fair. On Thursday, food trucks offer lunchtime alternatives. The park was born in 1906, when Mayor Robert Speer asked New York architect Charles Robinson to expand on his vision of a "Paris on the Platte." Two of the park's statues, Broncho Buster and On the War Trail, depicting a cowboy and an Indian on horseback, were commissioned in the 1920s.
The gleaming Unisphere (an enormous, 140-foot-high, steel globe) might tip you off that this 898-acre park, which is the largest in the borough, was the site of two World's Fairs. Take advantage of the park's barbecue pits, seasonal boat and kayak rentals, sports fields, and cultural festivals, but don't forget the art museum, science hall, zoo, theater, carousel, indoor pool, ice-skating rink, pitch-and-putt and mini-golf courses, and model-airplane field. Set aside a day to hit a few primary spots: several are clustered together on the park's northwest side, but reaching others will require long (though peaceful) walks.
The outdoor Queens Night Market ( www.queensnightmarket.com) is held Saturday evening, late April through October, near the New York Hall of Science. It's reminiscent of Asia's popular food markets and generally has about 100 vendors serving flavorful, often-adventurous global fare.
The flat grounds are ideal for family biking; bike rentals are available at two locations from March to early November.
The park is open from 6 am to 9 pm, 365 days a year (as in most city parks, exercise caution when visiting outside daytime hours).
Carved by the Arkansas River more than 3 million years ago, the Royal Gorge canyon walls tower up to 1,200 feet high. The site is known for the 1877 Royal Gorge War between the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and the Santa Fe Railroad over the right-of-way through the canyon. Rival crews laid tracks during the day and would dynamite each other's work at night until the Denver & Rio Grande eventually prevailed. Today, a private company runs the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, featuring the highest suspension bridge in the country, constructed in 1929 as a tourist attraction. The 956-foot-high bridge sways on gusty afternoons and the river can be seen clearly between gaps in the boards, adding to the thrill of a crossing. Climb the canyon walls on the Via Ferrata cable system or ride the astonishing aerial tram (2,400 feet long and more than 1,000 feet above the canyon floor) or experience the Cloudscraper, America's highest zip line. Renovations to the park following a devastating wildfire in 2013 brought a Children's Playland with a playground, carousel, maze, and splash pad to the site. A ride on the Royal Rush Skycoaster ensures an adrenaline rush—you'll swing from a free-fall tower and momentarily hang over the gorge. Also on hand are outdoor musical entertainment in summer, and the usual assortment of food and gift shops.
Named for a former governor revered for his statewide land-use planning initiatives, this park stretches north along the Willamette River for about a mile from near the historic Hawthorne Bridge to Steel Bridge. Broad and grassy, Waterfront Park affords a fine ground-level view of Downtown Portland's bridges and skyline. Once an expressway, it's now the site for many annual celebrations, among them the Rose Festival, classical and blues concerts, Portland Pride, Cinco de Mayo, and the Oregon Brewers Festival. The arching jets of water at the Salmon Street Fountain change configuration every few hours, and are a favorite cooling-off spot during the dog days of summer. Both the Hawthorne Bridge and Steel Bridge offer dedicated pedestrian lanes, allowing joggers, cyclists, and strollers to make a full loop along both banks of the river, via Vera Katz Eastside Esplanade.
Up Kokomo Road in Haiku you'll find a large puu (volcanic cinder cone) capped with a grove of columnar pines and the 4th Marine Division Memorial Park. During World War II, American GIs trained here for battles on Iwo Jima and Saipan. Locals nicknamed the cinder cone "Giggle Hill" because it was a popular hangout for Maui women and their favorite servicemen. The park includes an impressive playground, picnic tables, and lots of wide-open space.
Situated at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street, this tiny sliver of a park was named for the philanthropist and professor Alcée Fortier, who owned much of the surrounding area in the late 19th century and who founded a public school. A neighborhood favorite, the park is almost completely maintained by the efforts of local volunteers who tend the lush landscaping, which includes palms, caladiums, and azaleas, keep up the collection of whimsical sculptures and art, and make sure the concrete chess tables are ready for game time (complete with baskets of chess pieces). A focal point of the Bayou St. John neighborhood, Alcée Fortier Park is surrounded by a concentration of hip restaurants and neighborhood grocers.
The work of landscape architect Alfred Caldwell, this serene oasis---comprising a gracefully curving pond and Prairie-style pavilion amid native vegetation---hides in plain sight beside Lincoln Park Zoo’s parking lot, poised to allay weary zoo warriors with a Zen break.
This parcel of open land on the banks of the Willamette River is named after the late publisher of Eugene's newspaper, the Register-Guard, and is the site of many community events. Live music is performed in summer at the Cuthbert Amphitheater. There's fine hiking and biking on a footpath that runs along the river for the length of the park, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Also worth seeing is the Whilamut Natural Area, an open space with 13 "talking stones," each with an inscription.
