2. Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx
More than three times the size of Manhattan’s Central Park, Pelham Bay Park is the city’s largest park property. The park’s most well-known claim to fame is Orchard Beach, the Bronx’s only public beach, a man-made oceanfront created by Robert Moses. Luckily, there is a hiking trail that can help you absorb the park’s sheer size and beauty. The Kazimiroff Trail provides self-guided long and short loop paths around 189-acre Hunter Island, leading visitors along the island’s wetland border, through its interior forest, and onto the shore of beautiful orchard beach.
Beyond the trail, other spots in the park include the Bartow-Pell Mansion, a World War I statue, and a statue that is the remnant of a demolished athletic facility. There are plenty of other secrets hidden throughout the park, so feel free to use our guide to help you plan your adventure!