Central Park gets all the attention. As well it should – it’s a beautiful island of greenery in the midst of a very busy city. This is where one hides from the towering buildings and packed streets. Central Park is home to the famous zoo, an old fashioned carousel, and there is even a lake. Grab a bite at The Loeb Boathouse restaurant and enjoy the watery view. Or pick up a snack from a hot dog stand and sit by the Bethesda fountain. But this is not the only park that will give you respite from the “concrete jungle”. In fact, there are several parks throughout New York City. One of which came highly recommended by two former New Yorkers.

High Line Park is a 1.5 mile long
elevated open space made from a 1934 historic rail line. This repurposing of the old line brought to life a space that could have been demolished or laid derelict for ages.  It runs from Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street and officially closed in the 1980s. Activists in the neighborhood fought to keep the railway with a vision to create a new public park. Work began to convert the space in 2006 and a portion of the park opened in 2009. The whole park was completed by 2014.

Lush plantings wind around the old freight lines, cafes and art sprinkle the pathways, and even large games sets are positioned for willing visitors. Not to mention, the line offers great views of the city. There is an overlook at 10th Avenue that provides views of the street below, the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty. It’s a behind-the-scenes look as it runs behind buildings where people work and live. Some areas are forested, some sections have open lawn, while others have wild gardens. There are plenty of spots to relax, to sip a glass of wine, and to just people watch. There were tourists like me as well as local joggers and artists. And because we were above the traffic, I didn’t have to worry about busy cars zooming by. A great spot to walk your little ones.

The public park often holds special events during most of year and usually doesn’t close until 10 p.m. There are a handful of elevators that help visitors who cannot traverse the stairs.  It was a delightful afternoon mixing busy city life excitement with the leisure of a quiet neighborhood walk. I recommend you make a detour down to the Meatpacking District so you, too, can enjoy this neat escape. To plan your visit, check out www.thehighline.org. There is a lot more information about this sustainable, re-imagined little piece of history. High Line Park, NYC is a good example of holding on to the past while creating a really cool future.