In case you haven’t noticed, we’re now entering prime foliage season. (Just check out our local foliage report!) For your inspiration, here’s a list of some of our favorite natural and leafy oases with in the city—and a few that are quick day trips. Just remember: Kids sometimes balk at the idea of a foliage day, but they do love gathering leaves (and later using them for crafts projects like these) and having fun just frolicking around outside on a beautiful autumn afternoon. Plus, it’s a perfect time to take a fall family photo.
And, in case you missed it, check out our other wonderful fall outdoors roundup of the best local NYC farms for apple-picking, hay rides, petting zoos, and more.
CITY PARKS
Central Park
Central Park is one of our city’s most beloved outdoor destinations, and with its 250 acres of lawns, 26,000 trees, 150 acres of lakes streams and 130 acres of woodlands, the park is particularly breathtaking during the fall. Trees that like the rare American Elm, the Norway Elm, the Shingle Oak and the Sugar Maple will have kids scrambling to collect their leaves. Pack a picnic for Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn, hike through the Ramble, and take a Gondola ride on the lake or a Guided Walking Tour through the park. Events for families take place in Central Park everyday, so visit the park website for a complete listing.
Check out Central Park’s “Pumpkin Fest” on Saturday, October 27 from 11:00-3:30 p.m. Free activities include a haunted house, arts and crafts, and pumpkin patch fun!
New York Botanical Garden
Comprising 250 acres and a whopping 50 gardens, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is a veritable oasis of green for NYC fams. The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden has enormous flowers, challenging mazes, and hands-on activities for kids. What’s more, there is a dedicated Children’s Gardening Program for little green thumbs. Our recommendation for fall foliage? Take a hike on the Mitsubishi Wild Wetland Trail where you’ll observe aquatic plants alongside marsh trees and shrubs–not to mention wildlife like frogs and turtles.
Check out The Haunted Pumpkin Garden now through October 31 where expertly carved sculptures practically come to life. Plus, the Botanical Garden will host A Spooktacular Pumpkin Party and Spooky Nighttime Adventures.
Clove Lakes Park
Check out the three hundred year-old tulip tree at Clove Lakes Park, one of Staten Island’s largest living things. The park is also home to red oaks and silver maples, beautiful gardens and ponds. This 193-acre park has fields and courts for children to play in, a dog run, fitness equipment, hiking trails and several playgrounds.
Greenbelt Park
Equipped with a nature center, hiking trails, educational programs for visiting students, and a classic Victorian carousel, Greenbelt Park is a Staten Island oasis. Majestic Oak, Beech, Maple, Sweet Gum and Tulip trees sport vibrant hues as the temperature drops and the days become shorter, and the park’s vistas are particularly stunning where colors are reflected in any one of the area’s glacier ponds and spring-fed lakes.
Check out Greenbelt Conservancy’s “Pumpkin Festival” at Willowbrook Park on Sunday, October 14. Festivities will be held 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
From its Rose Garden to its Plant Family Collection, Brooklyn Botanic Garden holds countless flora for families to observe and learn. This month, native wildflowers are in bloom and fall weekend discovery workshops will be taking place regularly. Just don’t pick the flowers or climb the trees!
Inwood Hill Park
Located in Upper Manhattan, Inwood Hill Park is a historical site with Native American History that includes on-site “Indian” caves. Its 196.4 acres holds the last natural marsh in Manhattan, as well as a natural forest populated by red oaks and tulip trees. This park has a forest for bird watching, athletic fields, playgrounds, dog runs, a bike trail, and a nature center.
Check out “Haunted House on the Hill” at Inwood Hill Park on Wednesday, October 31. Festivities will be held 12:00-9:00 p.m.
Kissena Park
This Queens park started out as part of a 19th-century horticultural nursery for the New York region. Now it offers golf courses, baseball and soccer fields, a cricket pitch and the only Velodrome, a bike track for racing bicycles, in New York City. Kissena Park is also a great fall foliage destination, as its lush flora includes 100 different types of trees, not limited to Maples, Iranian Parrotia and Cork, Chinese Toon, Asian Katsura, Beeches and the rare Bald Cypress.
Madison Square Park
Madison Square Park is a small but delightful green space and playground in the midst of tall city buildings. Frequent craft projects, outdoor concerts and self-guided educational activities for families take place here. Kids will have a blast at the playground, and the lawn boasts plenty of shady spots for picnics and relaxing. Some of the plants that grace Madison Square Park are September Charm, Honorine Jobert, London Plane Trees, Rose Mallow, and Nikko Blue Hydrangeas.
Check out Madison Square Park’s Annual “Fall Kids Fest” on Saturday, October 13. Activities will include live music, arts and crafts, face painting, pumpkin decorating, and much more! Festivities will be held 11:00-2:00 p.m.
Pelham Bay Park
Three times the size of Central Park, Bronx’s Pelham Bay Park is the city’s largest property stretching over 2,771 acres. Kids can enjoy outdoor activities including walking tours, hiking trails, courts, playgrounds, and 13-miles of saltwater shoreline. For an educational experience, try out the park’s Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum which offers programs for children, garden strolls, and trail hikes.
Prospect Park
Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is a lush natural oasis for families, boasting 585 acres and 150 different types of trees, including the Black Cherry, Norway, Sycamore Maple, Red Oak, and Sweet Gum. Bring along a guide book to trees and plant life, and try to spot some of the park’s rarer tree types, such as the Cutleaf Beech, Single Leaf Ash and Weeping Mulberry. Prospect Park also has tons of programming and events for kids, including horseback riding lessons, bird watching, fishing, a great zoo and walking tours.
Check out Prospect Park’s “Halloween Weekend 2012” starting on October 27. Weekend activities will include games, pony rides, and a haunted carousel. See website for complete weekend schedule and list of activities.
Riverside Park
Tracing four miles along the Hudson River, Riverside Park is a beautiful space filled with elm trees, sylvan lawns, and a skate/bike trail with a water-front view. Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, this park also has sports courts, playgrounds, and open fields for fall soccer.
Van Cortlandt Park
With just over 1,146 acres, Van Cortlandt Park is NYC’s fourth largest park. There is something for everyone here, with fields, horseback riding trails, playgrounds, basketball courts and dog runs. The park is also home to the oldest house in the Bronx, now a museum, and the borough’s largest fresh water lake. Walk through the small forests with in the park to view majestic Oak and Grey Birch trees as their leaves turn crimson and gold.
New York Water Taxi Fall Foliage Cruise
Why not take in the splendor of the changing leaves from the bow of a boat? Cruisers can enjoy hot apple cider and light refreshments while viewing colorful maple, birch, and dogwood trees aboard the Circle Line’s Lower Hudson River Valley tour. Plan soon: This boat sails just three Sunday (October 21, 28, and November 4). Cruises are 5 hours long.
A FEW JUST OUTSIDE OF NYC
Blue Mountain Reservation
This 1,538-acre park in the northwestern Westchester County offers families plenty of trails for hiking, nature study, and mountain biking. Its mixed hardwood forest contains Oak, Hickory, Tulip, Sassafras, Dogwood, Sugar Maple, Birch, and Beech trees, and kids will enjoy the challenge of identifying different species. Older kids and hikers looking for a challenge can take on Blue Mountain and Mt. Spitzenberg, two large peaks inside the park. This park also has boating and fishing opportunities, as well as picnic areas and much more.
Monmouth Battlefield State Park
Located in New Jersey, this 1,818-acre historic park has picnic areas and horseback riding trails, as well as programs ranging from nature and history hikes to birding and lectures. For great foliage, check out their orchards where you can pick your own apples or pumpkins in September and October.
Harriman State Park
In nearby Rockland and Orange counties, Harriman State Park is home to 31 lakes and reservoirs and is known for its beautiful vistas. With 200 miles of hiking and biking trails dotted with local wildlife, Harriman is just an hour outside of the city, but you’re family will feel transported to another world entirely this fall.
Hudson Highlands State Park
About ninety minutes outside of the city, Hudson Highlands State Park is nearly 6,000 acres of green. You won’t be short on space at this natural wonderland, where visitors enjoy hiking, fishing, birding, and more. You can even take a fall foliage kayak tour and enjoy the views from the water with Atlantic Kayak Tours through October.
