Favorite Big Sized City Parks

[Urbanrailfan]

I know many of yall out there happen to have a number of favorite city parks where the size is huge enough to give you an all day retreat from the noise of the city. Many of them have trails, lakes and ponds, zoos, planetariums and anything else that makes each different park unique. Others have rivers and creeks flowing through, as opposed to just simply walking trails lining a river. The main purpose is to bring parkgoers a peace of mind and a chance to clear your head.

My favorite city parks are, in no particular order:

- Central Park - NYC

- Lincoln Park - Chicago

- Griffith Park - Los Angeles

- Golden Gate Park - San Francisco

- Piedmont Park - Atlanta

- Hermann Park - Houston

- Forest Park - St. Louis

- Rock Creek Park - Washington DC

- Balboa Park - San Diego

- Druid Hills park - Baltimore

If any park I couldn't fit in, vote other or post yours among other favorites. NOTE: It is for the biggest sized parks only - no neighborhood parks allowed.

[Allan]

Detroit's Belle Isle park is a nice place to escape the city. It once had a zoo, yacht club, aquarium, etc. Those things are all still there, they just aren't open. The city has a tough time maintaining it all because of its finances. It has improved over the last several years, however. The mayor wants it improved, so hopefully it will again be a nice place to spend a day at.

[wolfdawg54]

I picked Golden Gate Park as my favorite in the US. However, Stanley Park in Vancouver is dynamite! Because I could not choose two, I picked Golden Gate overall because of the views.

[monsoon]

[wolverine]

I really loved Central Park when I was in NYC. There were deep parts where you could go and there would be no people. You couldn't hear traffic or even see the tops of the buildings in certain areas.

But there were also all the attractions and events going on there which made it a really special place.

[monsoon]

[samsonyuen]

High Park in Toronto

[ShowMeKC]

I'd say Swope Park since it's in KC, but it sucks big time... (actually i've never been there and it's on the outskirts of the urban core, i've only been to the zoo which will be crappy till they begin fixing it with the money they were granted)

So even though it's not over 300 acres or whatever, I will say Penn Valley Park in KC. I've been to Central Park and Grant Park... Grant Park is better than Central Park IMO because Central Park is alot more dirty (at least when I went in early summer 2003)

[josita]

Alright -- I have to say that Chicago's new Millennium Park is probably the best urban park in the world. It was just opened in July 04 and pretty new to the cityBut... it is amazing.. Beautiful -- expansive green space -- right next to the beautiful Lake and has some of the best public art I have seen utilized in public space settings.

Our Mayor also is huge on creating public spaces for the community and the citizens of Chicago. Also there is a huge outdoor stage area that mirrors some of the big music fesitval venues -- it is free for the public to come and listen when there are performances, but there is seating available for a fee.

Check it out...

.Chicago Millennium Park

[Urbanrailfan]

Griffith Park has some of the best spectacular view of Los Angles looking south from one of the highest points in the park. On a clear day, without any of that notorious smog, you can see Pacific Ocean from way up here.

[PghUSA]

Pittsburgh's Schenley Park has been named the "best oldtime urban park" by some national sources.

Frick Park and Point State Park--the only urban park to have a river have its headwaters there (Ohio River)--are two other spectacular urban parks.

Mellon Park and Market Square Park are great urban parks as well though smaller in downtown Pittsburgh

[JivecitySTL]

Forest Park in STL is one of the coolest...

It is 500 acres larger than Central Park. Within its borders are:

Saint Louis Art Museum

Saint Louis Zoo

St. Louis Science Center & Planetarium

Missouri History Museum (Jefferson Memorial)

The Muny Opera

The Jewel Box

Forest Park Boathouse & Cafe

Steinberg Skating Rink

3 golf courses

Countless historial markers and vestiges of the 1904 World's Fair, which took place in the park

and much much more.

[Evergrey]

Oglebay Park in Wheeling, WV.

[600travis]

I choose Central Park in NYC. You just need somewhere to escape too in a city like that. Here is one of the main parks in my city of Houston.

Hermann Park

[monsoon]

[600travis]

Nice looking park.  Looks as if they were attempting to emulate the Washington DC Mall in that next to last photo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, it kind of does. Looks like that washington monument

[Ron Newman]

Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket, RI is expansive and gorgeous, an unexpected gem to find in a gritty old mill city. I'm having trouble finding photos of it online; perhaps Cotuit can help?

[Cotuit]

Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket, RI is expansive and gorgeous, an unexpected gem to find in a gritty old mill city.  I'm having trouble finding photos of it online;  perhaps Cotuit can help?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a Pawtucket Photo Thread which has some photos of the area around Slaters Mill. But I don't have any photos of Slater Memorial Park.

The Pawtucket Arts Festival website has some photos of the Daggett Farm area of Slater Memorial Park.

When I have some time I'll see if I can find some more, or head up there and take my own photos.

Roger Williams Park in Providence is also a gem.

[TexasTiny]

Anyone heard of Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, TN?

It's twice as large as New York

[Brickcity]

I love Forest Park here in St. Louis, but I also like Chicago's Grant Park.

[Charles Pearson]

Golden Gate Park is the only one I've been to.

However, I think Bunea Vista Park is very nice, too, with great views of The City, though the very urban park above Haight Street is much smaller than GGP.

[Charles Pearson]

Bunea Vista Park, San Francisco, is quite high.

Type: Municipal Hilltop Park, SNRA Park, 37 acres, elevation 589.'

Entrance Location: Multiple access points along Buena Vista which circles the park to and from Haight St. Main entrance points are from the cornices of Haight & Baker and Haight & Central. Easiest to park at Buena Vista Av & Park Hill.

Facilities: Paved paths. Restroom, phone, and water undetected. Tennis courts, playground and picnic area exist but these features are unexplored.

Fee-Hours: No fee. No curfew noted.

Dogs: GREAT. Top of the hill is now a dog gathering place during the day.

Hilltop parks in San Francisco usually distinguish themselves for their views. Buena Vista distinguishes itself as a park. For its own internal park features it is perhaps the finest hill park in San Francisco, and by a mile this is true - not a meter. It is selected as the second finest park in the city in general for its fine development and beautiful location. This is a park which has somehow arrived at a perfect synthesis between that which is managed and that which is seems natural. The result is a forest of absolutely magnificent huge trees which form an almost indoor expanse of space which is most graceful. From an 'architectural' point of view, the park must take its place with the great doorways of the Palace of Fine Arts, or the gothic interiors of the great cathedrals.

Sidenote: might see homeless people hanging out in the bushes or men cruising men.

[600travis]

Here is a video on Houston's new "Central Park"

[samsonyuen]

GGP is awesome!

[satalac]

i like centennial park and the bicentennial mall in nashville. i know it's kinda biased cause i live there, but i do enjoy them. one really awesome place in nashville is radnor lake. it's in the southwest part of nashville and is beautiful. plenty of wildlife and trails there.