1. Corlears Hook Park, Between Jackson and Cherry Streets

With magnificent views of the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, this park has an interesting history as well. It is located near the start of the FDR Drive, on what used to be a dense marshland used by Lenape Native Americans to land canoes. Mid-17th century Dutch settlers capitalized on this region’s gentle coastal incline to load vessels.

The park’s unusual name partially derives from the fact that the region used to be hook-shaped. It is also named for the Corlears – a family of Dutch landowners from the 1600s who controlled much of the property in the area.

For more on New York City parks, try 13 of the Best Pocket Parks in NYC. To read more about Robert Moses’s impact on New York City try The NYC That Never Was: Robert Moses’ Lower Manhattan Expressway (LOMEX) and 5 Things in NYC We Can Blame on Robert Moses.

Get in touch with the author at @sgeier97