4. Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx
When Freshkills Park on Staten Island fully opens, it will be the third largest park after the Greenbelt at 2,220 acres. But for now the title goes to Van Cortland Park in the Bronx. The Bronx is made up of 25 percent parkland, so it’s no surprise that two of New York City’s biggest parks are located in the borough (although the concentration of the parkland leaves most of the Bronx with less walkable access to parks than other boroughs). Van Cortlandt Park is made up of over 1,146 acres of playing fields, playgrounds, and dense forests.
The park is also rich in history: in addition to being the site of the 1778 battle of Kingsbridge where Stockbridge Mohicans died fighting for the Patriots’ cause, the park is also home to the Van Cortlandt House, the oldest house in the borough. Additionally, during the Revolutionary War, vaults in the Van Cortlandt burial ground were used to stash important New York City records for safekeeping.