Image via Complex Original
Lead
Not able to get away from the city for the weekend? Don't fret. Booze and grill in one of these city parks instead. Whether you're in Manhattan, Queens, or Brooklyn, there is a place where you can put your back to signs of urbane civilization and get blinkered while operating fire. Wield flame, cook some meat, and sip something.
These are NYC's 10 Best Parks to Barbecue In.
Morningside
Morningside Park
WHERE:W 110th St. at Morningside Dr., Harlem
HOURS: 7:00 a.m-9:00 p.m.
BBQ AREA: Morningside Ave. & West 121st St.
More than many other city parks, Morningside Park gives the distinct impression that you're outside Manhattan. Staring up at the rocky cliff face that is the park's most distinctive feature, you'll forget about the skyscrapers around you. Throw in a charcoal grill and maybe a brown-bagged beverage and you'll have all the necessary ingredients for an afternoon vacation.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson Park
WHERE:2180 1st Ave., Manhattan
HOURS:Dawn till dusk
BBQ AREA: 1st Ave. between East 111th and 114th Sts.
If you're thinking of using this 4th of July weekend as a staycation, we'd like to direct your attention to Thomas Jefferson Park. Though small, the park is full of potential activities, chief among them, swimming. Pretend you're barbecuing on the beach. If it helps, dangle one foot in the pool while cooking. Actually, that's a terrible idea. Don't do that.
Crotona
Crotona Park
WHERE:1682 Boston Rd., Bronx
HOURS: 6:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.
BBQ AREA: Crotona Park East & Charlotte St. (Indian Lake)
Bronx residents know the Bronx Zoo is a popular place to go watch animals. But we know of somewhere else in the same borough where you can sit pond-side and see ducks, turtles, and fish. Crotona Park is also equipped with a lake where you can canoe, enjoy the playgrounds, and walk/jog/run the paths. If Wimbledon has inspired you to pick up a tennis racquet, they’ve got your inner Maria Sharapova or Rafael Nadal covered. It’s supposed to be hot for the 4th, so the shady grass area will be the spot for eating and staying cool. Since it’s the largest park in the South Bronx, it shouldn’t feel too crowded.
Highland
Highland Park
WHERE:Vermont Pl. and Cypress Ave., Queens
HOURS: 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
BBQ AREA: Upper Highland, Jamaica Ave.
Sitting on the border between Brooklyn and Queens, Highland Park offers great expanses of sunbathing potential. Aside from one line of trees, it's very open; don't look for much shade here. Highland’s plateau offers some of the best views of the city, offering up JFK Airport and Jamaica Bay and the surrounding boroughs. For the sports fanatic, Highland is a recreational utopia with sporting areas for basketball, tennis, baseball, and handball.
Flushing
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
WHERE:11101 Corona Ave., Queens
HOURS: 6:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
BBQ AREA: Jewel Ave. & Van Wyck Expressway
Flushing Meadows isn’t quite the “valley of ashes” Fitzgerald described it as in The Great Gatsby. Now known as the Queens’ version of Central Park, the 1,255-acre terrain offers a quiet and less crowded area for park-goers. If you’re really trying to escape the action of the city, Flushing Meadows offers peaceful serenity. Since loud music and amps are prohibited, this isn’t necessarily the party scene, but there are bikes and boats available to rent if you’re looking for something on the Walden tip.
In addition to the scenery, Flushing Meadows also serves as home to the “Unisphere,” the giant steel globe seen in Men in Black, as well as the Panorama, a 1939 large scale model of the New York metro area.
Prospect Park
Prospect Park
WHERE:95 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn
HOURS: Closed from 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.
BBQ AREA: Both sides of Bandshell; north area of Long Meadow; near Prospect Park South West and 10th Ave.; Vanderbuilt St. & Prospect Park South West; Grecian Shelter area; north of Picnic House; Bay St. near Columbia St.
Thirty years in the making, Prospect Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the two men responsible for Central Park. In terms of old white gentleman designing parks, these dudes are two for two. During the summer months on any given weekend, you'll find scores of people lighting up their grills in Prospect Park. And with good reason. At 585 acres, you can get lost here. Carve out a private spot and make those smoky BBQ dreams come true.
Von King
Herbert Von King Park
WHERE:670 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn
HOURS: 6:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.
BBQ AREA: Four designated areas within the park
Reflecting New York's penchant for change, Herbert Von King Park has been through a number of overhauls. Originally the park came into the lives of Brooklyn residents as Tompkins Park, named after the famous abolitionist and former New York governor. The '70s and '80s saw massive change at the park, including the construction of a rec center, amphitheater, and an indoor dance studio. Oh, and they swapped out Tompkins for Herbert Von King, a champion of social progress in Bed-Stuy. He'd probably appreciate the park's latest addition: Wi-Fi. Now you can check Complex's website for drink recipes while you sit in the park, mixing your beverage. That's progress.
Fort Greene
Fort Greene Park
WHERE:85 S Oxford St., Brooklyn
HOURS: Dawn till dusk
BBQ AREA: Along Myrtle Ave. between N Portland Ave. & St. Edwards St.
Known as a minor hip-hop Mecca, Fort Greene is the illest spot in BK to throw down on some barbecue. As Brooklyn’s first official park, Fort Greene offers 30-plus acres of grassy terrain to claim as your own, and with its thick-trunked tress and shady walkways, there’s no need to worry about too much sun.
The former Revolutionary War site has both tennis and basketball courts on deck if you’re in need of some action or want to get in a quick pick-up game between franks. Chill out and relish a day in the sun with your fellow Brooklynites, but remember to BYOG.
Red Hook
Red Hook Park
WHERE:155 Bay St., Brooklyn
HOURS: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
BBQ AREA: Bay St. near Columbia St.
If you saw the free Talib Kweli concert last week, then you’re no stranger to this place. Red Hook Park in Brooklyn is spacious enough for any outdoor activity that you’re planning to do this weekend. However, if you’re not planning to perspire you can still sit on the bleachers and watch people run around the track, play handball, soccer, baseball, or basketball game from behind the gate, or pig out in the large grassy area. Don’t forget your sunscreen.
Riverbank
Riverbank State Park
WHERE:679 Riverside Dr., Manhattan
HOURS: 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
BBQ AREA: BYOG
We found a place where you can bring all your slimes and mumas over to picnic. Riverbank State Park in Harlem offers an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, outdoor space to throw the frisbee around, a field to play soccer or football, and several tennis, basketball, and handball courts. After a day of activities you can embrace the promenade’s tranquil view of the Hudson River, the Palisades, and the George Washington Bridge. Hey, muma.