America's Most Popular City Parks (best, Atlanta, Los Angeles, people)

[RightonWalnut]

1. Central Park- New York City
2. Union Square Park- New York City
3. Bryant Park- New York City
4. High Line Park- New York City
5. Madison Square Park- New York City
6. Washington Square Park- New York City
7. Millennium Park- Chicago
8. Boston Common- Boston
9. Mission Dolores Park- San Francisco
10. Rittenhouse Square- Philadelphia
11. National Mall- Washington D.C.
12. Dupont Circle- Washington D.C.
13. Prospect Park- Brooklyn, New York City
14. Piedmont Park- Atlanta
15. Zilker Park- Austin
16. Battery Park- New York City
17. Green Lake Park- Seattle
18. McCarren Park- Brooklyn, New York City
19. Golden Gate Park- San Francisco
20. Tompkins Square Park- New York City

http://www.travelandleisure.com/arti...r-city-parks/1

[LINative]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

1. Central Park- New York City
2. Union Square Park- New York City
3. Bryant Park- New York City
4. High Line Park- New York City
5. Madison Square Park- New York City
6. Washington Square Park- New York City
7. Millennium Park- Chicago
8. Boston Common- Boston
9. Mission Dolores Park- San Francisco
10. Rittenhouse Square- Philadelphia
11. National Mall- Washington D.C.
12. Dupont Circle- Washington D.C.
13. Prospect Park- Brooklyn, New York City
14. Piedmont Park- Atlanta
15. Zilker Park- Austin
16. Battery Park- New York City
17. Green Lake Park- Seattle
18. McCarren Park- Brooklyn, New York City
19. Golden Gate Park- San Francisco
20. Tompkins Square Park- New York City

http://www.travelandleisure.com/arti...r-city-parks/1

All of these parks are fine (and many are great) but it should be remembered that is only a list is for most popular parks aka most visited, NOT necessarily a list of people's favorite parks. Some of these parks are simply located in crowded areas, note the first 6 are all in Manhattan.

For instance, #18 MCCarren Park in Brooklyn, IMO is nothing really special while #19 Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is one of the best.

[john_starks]

union square park - hell yeah

[2e1m5a]

NYC biased much? Although I believe it does have the most parks of any US city, most of these aren't on a Central Park level, which is amazing IMO. I'd take Van Cortland Park over most of these other NYC parks. Ice skating in Bryant Park is very cool though.

To me it is cool to be able to forget you are in an urban area while in a city park.

While Rittenhouse Square is very nice, I'll take the wilderness and remoteness of The Wissahickon Park in Northwest Philly anyday or the Memorial Hall/Centennial area in Fairmount Park. Rittenhouse Square is a beautiful example of a green square surrounded by urbanity though.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

NYC biased much? Although I believe it does have the most parks of any US city, most of these aren't on a Central Park level, which is amazing IMO. I'd take Van Cortland Park over most of these other NYC parks.

To me it is cool to be able to forget you are in an urban area while in a city park.

While Rittenhouse Square is very nice, I'll take the wilderness and remoteness of The Wissahickon Park in Northwest Philly anyday or the Memorial Hall/Centennial area in Fairmount Park.

But few if any of those parks to my knowledge do that. To me, a manicured city park *always* feels like I'm still in an urban area, doesn't matter if it is Piedmont Park, Central Park or Lincoln Park. I think there are some, possibly out west which are more "wild"

[Bslette]

How is high line park more popular than the national mall??

[2e1m5a]

Originally Posted by grapico

But few if any of those parks to my knowledge do that. To me, a manicured city park *always* feels like I'm still in an urban area, doesn't matter if it is Piedmont Park, Central Park or Lincoln Park. I think there are some, possibly out west which are more "wild"

True, the real remote parks would have no attendance figures. When I go hiking in The Wissahickon Park in Northwest Philly I very rarely see another person. Actually, most of the Fairmount Park system is unmanicured, wild.

But yeah, it seems there would be plenty of those out west too. On this list, Golden Gate Park seems large enough to have that aspect. Van Cortland Park in The Bronx has it to a degree too.

[gichicago]

Interesting list for sure, its based on the number of people that checked into each park using Foursquare, so draw your conclusions accordingly.

[RightonWalnut]

It's "most popular parks" meaning the most people who checked in on foursquare. Meaning the parks that have "the most name recognition" essentially because people want to post online or tell friends that they are at this park. Since there are so many damn people in NYC at any given time, it makes sense that so many NYC parks would be on here.

[iNviNciBL3]

There is a huge one in Los Angeles, can't remember the name but I can't believe it didn't make even the top 20