City Parks Around the World |
| Date Added: September 13, 2007 07:11:45 PM |
| Author: |
| Category: National Parks |
by: Corry Seibert
Adventuring your way through a major city is a fantastic adrenaline rush — navigating your way on trains and subways, visiting the great museums, enjoying boisterous music at lively nightclubs, shopping in the squares, and meeting tons of people. Sometimes, though, you find yourself wanting to spend a day away from the vibrant hustle and bustle of the city life and, instead, soak in some natural beauty, see wildlife, or enjoy fun outdoor activities. Luckily, most great cities also have great city parks perfect for just such a retreat. Today’s blog introduces you to a few of the world’s best parks, nestled within lively metropolises. Central Park: New York City With more visitors each year than any other park in the United States, you have to wonder what the fuss is all about. Central Park is not only an oasis in the midst of wild Manhattan, it’s also a vast playground of activities. Visitors to this 843 acre park can look forward to days’ worth of excursions. You can spend the day paddle boating on the ponds, picnicking by the lakes, or ice skating at one of the two rinks here. There’s also the Central Park Zoo for animal lovers, many acres of natural wooded areas, an outdoor ampitheatre where Shakespeare in the Park is performed, playgrounds for the kids, and an incredible Wildlife Sanctuary. Instead of asking yourself, what is there to do in Central Park, you’ll be wondering, what isn’t there to do? Resources: Complete Guide to Central Park City Park: New Orleans This is 1,300 acres of nature, sports, and cultural activities in the heart of New Orleans. The park sustained considerable damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but due to dedicated restoration efforts, the park is open and ready for your visit. Check out great attractions like the Botanical Gardens, a golf driving range, tennis courts, a sculpture garden, Storyland (a fairytale theme park — great for kids), and a 13 acre full-service horse riding stable. In addition to exciting every day activities, the park hosts concert series’, plant sales, photography day in the gardens, and many more special events. Resources: New Orleans City Park Hyde Park: London A splash of relaxation and natural beauty in Central London, Hyde Park attracts visitors who want to enjoy a day of sports, wildlife-watching, picnicking, or just laying in the sun. The park is adjacent to beautiful Kensington Gardens, and itself offers 350 acres of grassy areas, trees, and lakes. Check out Speaker’s Corner, where undoubtedly someone will be passionately sharing their views with passersby (you may even give your two cents worth too, if you like!) Hyde Park Corner hosts a slew of memorials, and within the park you will also find the Diana, Princess of Whales Memorial. Rollerblading, horseback riding, rowing, and other outdoor sports are other great ways to spend your day at this great park. RealTraveler Karissa recently enjoyed a visit to Hyde Park, which she describes in her travel blog, Hyde Park and Kensington Palace: “What better to do on a Sunday afternoon than stroll around Hyde Park and wonder through Kensington Palace. It was a nice sunny day so we thought we get out and see something, we got on a bus to Kensington and decided to walk through Hyde Park on our way to the Palace. I was so excited when i saw the paddle boats and row boats sitting in the water, only to realize no-one was actually using them, i guess they don’t get used in the winter! The park was really beautiful and i can’t believe I’ve been living in London 5 months and never been! I’ll be definitely dragging people back there in the summertime for some fun times on those paddle boats.” (more…) Resources: Hyde Park Website Stanley Park: Vancouver Close to lively downtown Vancouver, this 1,000-acre park is a delightful sanctuary of beautiful trees, lovely gardens, and fun cultural events. As you stroll past cedars, hemlocks, and fir trees, you’ll see plenty of wildlife scurrying about, people playing games of soccer, cricket, or tennis, and incredible garden displays like the Community Garden near Lost Lagoon. The park hosts a variety of arts events and has an outdoor theatre where plays can be seen regularly. After visiting Painter’s Circle or partaking in a game of frisbee, you can enjoy a delicious bite at great park restaurants like Rose Garden Tea Room and Prospect Point Cafe. Resources: Vancouver Park Board
This 125-year-old park and recreation area is 398-acres of gorgeous gardens, hiking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, and fun activities. Home to birds, fish, rare plant species, and the famous Oak Savannah’s, beauty is in high supply. Plus, there are baseball fields, an outdoor pool, ice rink, tennis courts, a green house, a zoo, and the High Park Adventure Playground for the kids. The annual Dream in High Park — a night of outdoor theatre — is a favorite of locals and tourists alike. Resources: City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Ueno Park: Tokyo When thinking of this large urban park next to Ueno Station in Tokyo, one word comes to mind: awesome. The park is a mecca of culture, art, wildlife, natural beauty, incredible architecture, and, perhaps most important of all, cherry trees! Thousands of people gather in the park during cherry tree season to celebrate the beautiful pinkish-red blossoms that brighten the sky. Ueno is also well-known for its multitude of excellent museums — the National Science Museum, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, the Orient Museum, and many more are here to wet your appetite for art and culture. Throughout the park, you’ll also see shrines, temples, and even some giant panda bears (if you visit the incredible Ueno Zoo!) Ueno Park is a don’t-miss for travelers to Tokyo. Resources: Japan Guide: Ueno Park Parque Agua Azul: Guadalajara Welcome to 40 acres of recreational, educational and cultural fun! Walk among hundreds of butterflies in the open-air House of the Butterflies, or enjoy the fresh orchids in the greenhouse. The park also has an open-air bird sanctuary, art garden, art gallery, outdoor auditorium, beautiful walkways, and thousands of trees under which to picnic on a sunny day. Resources: Guadalajara Parks Other Great City Parks: |
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