2. Septuagesimo Uno on the Upper West Side
You really can’t get more secluded than a park built in an alleyway. Septuagesimo Uno is a tiny public park tucked in between brownstones on the Upper West Side, at 71st between West End and Amsterdam Avenues. Comprising of a two-fifths-of-an acre plot of land, a few benches, and planted greenery, it’s one of the smallest parks in the city, and is a tranquil (and hidden) space to spend a lunch break or catch your breath.
Septuagesimo Uno was originally an empty lot, but through Mayor Lindsay’s “Vest Pocket Park” campaign in the 60’s (designed to create small parks within the gridwork of the city), it was developed into a small, shady park. The park’s name–Septuagesimo Uno–is actually a nod to the street it was built on; Septuagesimo Uno is Latin for “Seventy-One”.