Parks and nature outings with kids in New York
In New York, a 'hike' means finding a patch of green big enough to let a kid run, and happily the city's parks are world class, from woodland trails in the middle of Manhattan to a national wildlife refuge you can reach by subway. Each place says whether it's a stroller walk or a carrier hike.
Central Park and Prospect Park are the starting points: the Ramble's trails and Belvedere Castle feel like an expedition, and the Long Meadow is a mile of lawn. The waterfront Brooklyn Bridge Park and Hudson River Park are flat throughout. For real nature, take the A train to Inwood Hill and Manhattan's last old-growth forest, or out to Jamaica Bay for migrating birds and planes overhead; in summer, ferry to Governors Island and lie in a hammock. With a car, the carriage roads of Rockefeller State Park and Bear Mountain in Westchester are an hour away.
- 18 places
- 14 free
- 17 stroller-friendly
- closest is 15 min away
18 places
Travel times from Midtown, by subway or car
Central Park: the Ramble, Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond
5.0Manhattan · 15 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway B/C to 81 St or 1 to 79 St, then a 10-minute walk; don't drive
Central Park: Conservatory Water model boats and the Alice statue
5.0Manhattan · 15 min away
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 6 to 77 St, enter at Fifth Ave and 72 St, then a 5-minute walk
Hudson River Park (around Pier 25)
5.0Manhattan · 20 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 1 to Franklin St or A/C/E to Canal St, then an 8-minute walk
Little Island
5.0Manhattan · 20 min away
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A/C/E/L to 14 St–8 Av, then a 10-minute walk to Pier 55
Brooklyn Bridge Park piers
5.0Brooklyn · 25 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A/C to High St or F to York St, then an 8-minute walk; NYC Ferry to DUMBO
Governors Island
5.0Manhattan · 30 min away
4 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Getting there: Ferry from the Battery Maritime Building (10 minutes); free before 11am on weekends, otherwise $5 round trip and free under 12
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
5.0Queens · 30 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 7 to Mets–Willets Point or 111 St; paid lots if you drive
Prospect Park: Long Meadow and the Audubon Center
5.0Brooklyn · 35 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 2/3 to Grand Army Plaza or B/Q to Prospect Park, then a 5-minute walk
Liberty State Park
5.0Jersey City · 35 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to Liberty State Park station; free parking if you drive
Rockefeller State Park Preserve carriage roads
5.0Pleasantville · 60 min away
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Getting there: About 50 minutes by car, parking $6; or Metro-North to Tarrytown and a taxi
The High Line
4.0Manhattan · 15 min away
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A/C/E/L to 14 St–8 Av; the Gansevoort St entrance has an elevator
Fort Tryon Park and The Cloisters
4.0Manhattan · 35 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A to 190 St; take the elevator out of the station and you are in the park
Inwood Hill Park old-growth forest
4.0Manhattan · 40 min away
2.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Getting there: Subway A to Inwood–207 St, then a 10-minute walk
Van Cortlandt Park
4.0Bronx · 45 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway 1 to the last stop, Van Cortlandt Park–242 St; the park is right outside
Alley Pond Park and Environmental Center
4.0Queens · 50 min away
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Driving is easiest, with a free lot at the environmental center; Q27/Q46 buses
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
4.0Queens · 60 min away
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Getting there: Subway A to Broad Channel, then a 15-minute walk; free lot if you drive
Bear Mountain State Park
4.0Bear Mountain · 80 min away
4 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Getting there: About 70 minutes by car, parking $10; coach buses from Port Authority on summer weekends
Storm King Art Center
4.0New Windsor · 85 min away
4 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$$ · Getting there: About 75 minutes by car, free parking; timed tickets must be bought online
💡 Good to know
- Park restrooms vary wildly; check the park's map ahead, and keep big museums and malls in mind as backups.
- Urban Park Rangers run free family nature programs on weekends; find them on the NYC Parks site.