Discover urban parks: America's hidden gems in cityscapes

Some travelers make a quest of visiting all 63 of America’s national parks, and we love that for them. But the National Park Service does not have a monopoly on green space in the United States. Some of our most epic parks are nestled into the heart of American cities. All of the majesty of nature — without the schlep.

More urban parks have sprouted up as city leaders try to attract new residents and businesses, building on old infrastructure or industrial sites. Catherine Nagel, executive director of City Parks Alliance, points to projects in Miami, Detroit, Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta as part of "this incredible wave of park-making or park restoration" in the past 50 years.

"I think these parks provide ... a way to get to know a city in a very special way and the history and the people who made that city what it is," Nagel said.

New York’s Central Park? Of course, amazing, highly recommend. Here are eight other city parks — old and new — that are worth considering, too.

South Pointe Park, Miami Beach

South Beach is famous for its party scene, but this 19-acre park tucked into the southernmost part of Miami Beach is a haven away from the revelry. Local residents jog, bike and in-line skate along a waterfront promenade with stunning views of downtown Miami, pricey Fisher Island and — at certain times — cruise ships on their way out to sea. The vistas make for glorious sunsets.

Long swaths of palm-tree-dotted grass provide the perfect place for playing tag, while elevated paths and a beach dune restoration area create zones for calm reflection. Kids can cool off in a splash pad or right in the Atlantic Ocean. A 450-foot pier lets you venture out past the shoreline for fishing or staring out to sea.

Don’t miss: Take a short walk to grab an A-plus picnic lunch from the takeout side of local institution Joe’s Stone Crab, featuring the best deal in town: half a fried chicken for $8.95.

Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh

Dix Park is relatively young, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, but a new "adventure playground" in June catapulted it onto the map of must-see destinations in North Carolina. Gipson Play Plaza, with 18.5 acres of towers, slides, swings, waterfalls, sensory mazes and child-size streetscapes, has "exploded the interest level," said Ruffin Hall, president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy.

The 308-acre park adjacent to downtown Raleigh has plenty for all ages: a grove with a skyline view, a walking trail through pine trees and multiple art installations, including towering sunflower power poles and a family of steel deer.

Don’t miss: Find the family of five trolls made of reclaimed wood and other natural materials from Danish artist Thomas Dambo after their October move-in date. You might have company: "The trolls attract people from around the world," Hall said.

Little Island, New York City

You’d be forgiven for rubbing your eyes at first glance of this 2.4-acre park over the Hudson River in Manhattan. Is that a park on stilts? Yes, kind of. Little Island — a $260 million project funded mainly by the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation — was built on 132 "tulip" pots above the old Pier 54 near West 13th Street.

"They look like high-heel shoes," said Ronald Simmons, a licensed tour guide with Tours by Foot who brings visitors to the island. Visitors can catch performances, lounge in a garden and meander around paths to popular overlooks.

Little Island opened to an enthusiastic reception in 2021, but the site has a storied history. Pier 54, the remains on which it is built, is where survivors of the Titanic arrived on the Carpathia in 1912. The doomed Lusitania left from the pier in 1915; during its voyage, German U-boats torpedoed the vessel. "It’s not just a sightseeing oasis," Simmons said.

Don’t miss: Get a cool park twofer by adding a visit to the nearby High Line, an art- and nature-filled trek that stretches over nearly a mile and a half elevated rail tracks on Manhattan’s West Side.

Gathering Place, Tulsa

Another act of largesse is responsible for this Tulsa park on the Arkansas River, which opened in 2018 at just over 66 acres thanks to a $465 million gift from multiple donors led by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. Classes, concerts and festivals are held on a great lawn, and visitors can wander multiple paths and gardens.

There are water play areas and free kayaks and pedal boats when it’s warm, and a lodge with a solarium and two-story fireplace when things get chilly. Kids love the kingdom-themed adventure playground with towers and suspension bridges.

"It’s always a special event for our family whenever we say we’re going to go to Gathering Place," said Jonathan Huskey, senior director of communications for Tulsa Regional Tourism, who said his 6-year-old son is "just off and running" when they visit.

Don’t miss: The "Cabinet of Wonder," an installation by artist Mark Dion, features "unique curations from around Tulsa and around the world" including trophies, ornaments, postcards and photographs.

Forest Park, St. Louis

The 1,300-acre park is home to cultural landmarks including the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Zoo and The Muny, an outdoor theater. The park served as the site of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, with one permanent structure — now the art museum — remaining. The Grand Basin, which served as the centerpiece for the fair, has since been restored.

"It’s a beautiful body of water that sits right at the base of the art museum, which itself is a beautiful building," said John O’Gorman, senior vice president of development and community initiatives at the nonprofit organization Forest Park Forever. "That’s a lovely area to walk around."

The park is also home to preserved forests and restored prairie habitats.

"It’s really neat to be in the city and then to walk through these reestablished Missouri prairies just to listen to the insects as well as watch the birds fly around," he said.

Don’t miss: The Great Forest Park Balloon Race, a weekend event in September, includes an evening activity that allows people to walk among the glowing balloons before they race the next morning.

Lincoln Park, Chicago

At 1,214 acres, this is Chicago’s largest park, with 7.5 miles of lakefront trails, nature and history museums, a conservatory and the Lincoln Park Zoo.

"I used to live nearby, and I would just go jogging through the zoo and watch the seals play while I was on a run," said Jessica Mlinaric, a travel writer and author of two books about Chicago.

The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool reopened recently after renovations and will close for the season Nov. 8; Mlinaric describes it as "a little oasis in the city."

Don’t miss: Check out the Peoples Gas Education Pavilion, a honeycomblike landmark at the Nature Boardwalk, for gorgeously framed views and (probably) local couples taking engagement photos.

Griffith Park, Los Angeles

If Griffith Park looks familiar, you’ve probably seen it in a movie. You’ve probably seen several parts of it in multiple movies, given its location. With more than 4,200 acres, it also covers a lot of ground.

Casey Schreiner, author of Discovering Griffith Park and founder of the Modern Hiker blog, said the park is special because of its unexpected nature: It’s not the beach, or Hollywood Walk of Fame. He used to live near the park and hiked there two or three times a week.

"L.A. does not have a lot of free and open public space for people just to go and be with each other without spending money," he said. "Whatever you want to do, you can pretty much do it in Griffith Park."

That includes visiting the L.A. Zoo, going horseback riding, seeing the Autry Museum of the American West or checking out the railcars at the Travel Town Museum.

Don’t miss: The Griffith Observatory is famous for a reason: It’s a great spot to see the Hollywood sign, an incredible vantage point for sunset and a gorgeous place to stargaze.

Washington Park, Portland

Tree lovers can find something to cheer at most parks. But this 410-acre site two miles from downtown Portland has tons to offer aspiring arborists: the Hoyt Arboretum with 12 miles of hiking trails, a Japanese Garden and the World Forestry Center’s Discovery Museum. Through January, catch the museum’s Sasquatch: Ancestral Guardians exhibit featuring work by Indigenous artists.

The park, first established in 1871, is also home to the Oregon Zoo and a reservoir "that was just renovated and remodeled in a beautiful way," said Schreiner, who now lives in Portland.

Don’t miss: Thousands of roses representing more than 600 varieties bloom at the International Rose Test Garden from late May through October.