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Yes, they are strong words indeed. While you are correct that I have not been every park (why should I have to?) in every city in this country, I think Savannah best exemplifies what the OP was referring to. For the record, I am not basing this subjectively over topics such as "beauty" or "ammenities" (neither of which Savannah's parks lack). Mostly, I don't want to turn this in to a pissing contest.
The Squares and Forsyth Park were not an after thought or conversion/conservation like you see in pretty much every city except Washington DC. Rather, the entire city was designed around them and it is the very fabric of the urban design of Savannah.
You know, I would have to agree with you. Savannah has an historic layout and it's parks and the waterfront is just beautiful. Anyone who hasn't had the chance to explore Savannah should take a trip there at some point.
I personally think it's a tad strange to lable any one city "the best" when the variety of parks are so different from city to city. D.C. has very urban parks that intertwine almost seemlessly with the city. Cleveland literally has a forest surrounding the city. Minneapolis' parks include half a dozen natural lakes and beaches. Golden Gate Park in SF has a vista with the ocean, mountains and the Golden Gate Bridge. They're all so different in the way they are beautiful that it's hard to put my finger on which park or parks system is the best. It's like asking what do you like more: sex or sleep? Gee, I kinda like and need both (especially in sequence)!
I personally think it's a tad strange to lable any one city "the best" when the variety of parks are so different from city to city. D.C. has very urban parks that intertwine almost seemlessly with the city. Cleveland literally has a forest surrounding the city. Minneapolis' parks include half a dozen natural lakes and beaches. Golden Gate Park in SF has a vista with the ocean, mountains and the Golden Gate Bridge. They're all so different in the way they are beautiful that it's hard to put my finger on which park or parks system is the best. It's like asking what do you like more: sex or sleep? Gee, I kinda like and need both (especially in sequence)!
I think you're right, however, best is always subjective so if you can't say what urban parks you like the best, why should you be able to say what food you like the best or what weather you like the best etc. etc. etc.?
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Originally Posted by munchitup
It's pretty tough to beat the lineup that Boston provides - The Common, Public Gardens, Franklin Park, Fens, The Esplanade along the Charles, Arnold Arboretum, etc.
They're all great, but I also think the Rose Kennedy Greenway is quite remarkable as well, it's so nice to be able to see the sky in the thick of downtown Boston and it connects the waterfront well to the city. I'm so glad that hulking old hideous green beast of the Central Artery expressway is gone. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It will be interesting to see what happens to the Seattle Waterfront, when they bury/tunnel their Alaska Way Viauduct freeway. I think they have a fairly similiar park/lid design when that monstrosity comes down.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 10-30-2013 at 03:58 PM..
I think there are an insane amount of truly amazing urban parks, but there are the select famous few that I think will always top the list for being the best urban Parks, since they are surrounded by 100% urbanity on all sides. Of course, they are Central Park, Boston Common/Public Gardens, The National Mall, and Millennium Park. Then, there are the other large parks that are just as or even more amazing as the first ones in the park itself, but aren't surrounded by the insane amount of urbanity as the first ones. Examples being Golden Gate Park, Forest Park, Fairmount Park, The Grand Rounds, and others. After all of those it just gets mushy because there are so many parks of different sizes and styles and surroundings.
Those are just the larger and/or more popular parks, not including all the small "squares" and park throughout the city. Tons of great ones in South Philly.
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