I just recently learned that Pelham Bay Park is the biggest park in NYC by a significant margin and is 3x bigger than CP

Staten Island I’d imagine

>!it’s the Bronx!!<

Yeah, I clicked on the article afterwards. It makes sense I suppose.

fun fact: bronx parks big

I’m going with the Bronx. The area around Wave Hill will make you think you are in Northern Westchester.

It’s nice! I’ve walked around it a few times. Orchard Beach has a real party vibe in the summers too.

Pretty nice way to spend a day in the Bronx is to go to Pelham Bay Park and walk around then go to Orchard Beach for a swim and then hit up City Island for seafood after.

Ding ding we have a winner

Geography 101.

I would be curious to know, what are the numbers on the currently residing New Yorkers who have visited all five boroughs? And what percent of people have only visited two boroughs or three etc.

I'll never go to Staten Island if I can help it. Lol. I've been to all the others. Queens the least. Manhattan the most.

you gotta go at least once my dude!

Not all of Staten Island is bad (despite popular opinion) even if it’s just to enjoy the view from the ferry on a summer afternoon .

I would say for me most to least visited Manhattan Bk queens Bronx Staten Island .

I found that in my experience most if not all people that I know that live on the island want to meet in Jersey or the city further decreasing my opportunities to go there. Whether that is good or bad is subjective lol

I've lived in 4 of the five boroughs. Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

I've barely been, but I have been into The Bronx but I haven't spent a lot of time there.

Staten Island has some things worth seeing/doing.

There's a big Sri Lankan community with a cluster of great restaurants pretty close to the ferry.

Snug Harbor is a really beautiful botanic garden with fun events.

Staten Island is also full of Italians so there's lots of good pizza. I've heard some of the beaches are nice too but I haven't been.

It’s worth a visit for the Sri Lankan food alone.

The Bronx has Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo, and the Botanical gardens so I would imagine plenty of NYers have it up there at some point

I’m from Staten Island, trust you’d rather go to Rockaway.

The borough of parks, I spent some time exploring them during the covid lockdowns. Some pretty nice trails there.

Do you have opinions on the best pizza in Staten Island? Does it hold its own with the rest of the boroughs?

Per capita undeniably. The good pizza to population ratio here is so good. There’s only one distinguished pizza place that people will leave the island for, but that’s exclusively for Sicilian so it doesn’t even count.

I’m sure someone can point to a luxury pizza place that cost $30+ a pie that has SI beat in Manhattan or something, but that’s cheating. Our ‘average’ pizza is good pizza in other boroughs.

Also, we have a niche we absolutely dominate in: crunchy thin crust pizza. People will drive all the way to CT to get Pepe’s, but we have them beat.

I haven't been to SI but definitely will some day, maybe next summer to catch some baseball. Otherwise IDK how you can live here and not need to go to other boroughs. I spend 90% of my time in Manhattan but I can't imagine only being in Manhattan all the time.

A few notes about the exceptional Queens parks, for those who don't know.

Forest Park (in beautiful Forest Hills) has the most 'feels like a giant forest' vibe of perhaps any city park I have visited. The trails are a delight.

Juniper Valley Park, in Middle Village, is often rated as the #1 cleanest park in all the 5 boroughs. It is immaculate, or as close as you can get to that in NYC.

The Gantry is a State Park in Astoria and it is small but very lovely with awesome views of Manhattan that you just can't get in, well Manhattan, for obvious reasons.

There are many more worthy of discovery, some wild and natural like Baisley Pond, some are actually really nice, uncrowded beaches with huge clean boardwalks to bike on or stroll, like Rockaway, and some are notable for everything you can do there (Flushing Meadows with loads of sights in and around it, including the best kept secret botanical garden, known as the Queens Botanical Garden, which charges a modest admission, but is totally worth a visit, and then there is Cunningham Park with it's acres of ball fields and open space.

please just say central park bro

Forest Park also has that disused train line that they’re thinking of reactivating or turning into another High Line.

You can walk along the old tracks and even find the old station platforms if you go far enough.

Don’t follow sports at this point in my life but as a former Mets fan since early childhood I think I’ve gone to Shea stadium / Citi field at a 5:1 ratio vs Yankee stadium LOL

Edit: good point for sure though.

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Nice yo!! Thank you for organizing all that, hopefully this will encourage others to go to the parks that we do have and just go check out other boroughs and see what’s up!

Make good use of those parks people! And be a good neighbor, clean up after yourself!!

One of my favorite things to do when I’m bored in NY and don’t want to spend any money is just pick a city park I’ve never visited and go check it out. They’re all pretty unique.

My deep cut pick: Marine Park in Brooklyn.

It’s like a beautiful wetland sanctuary with some nice recreation facilities. I think they redid everything recently too because it used to have a pretty bad reputation for abandoned junk being dumped there.

For those that don’t want to click - it’s the Bronx.

Deninos is great. Starting with the pandemic we would take the kids hiking in the greenbelt (the mount moses hike is great with small kids) and get some deninos pizza after.

If you just want to take the ferry across and grab something, "Maries 2" is great as well.

I hope you arent talking about leaving staten island for L&B

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the zoo is probably the destination that completes the five for many people, and not visiting staten island seems like common sense.

Wave Hill is like a 30-45 minute walk from the westchester border so that makes perfect sense.

I'm a born and raised New Yorker- grew up in the Bronx and visited Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens pretty early on in my life.

It took me 27 years to first step foot on Staten Island.

As a City Islander I recommend going to the Black Whale. Very cozy little place with a nice little garden in the back when the weather is nice and good food. Owners are awesome too.

I have been to the Bronx 3 times. The first 2 were on accident, the 3rd was for a Yankee game. I'm willing to explore but don't really have a reason.

The Bronx has literal woodlands in it I doubt anyone would be too shocked

Come to Van Cortlandt! The NYC Ranger lead hikes through it all the time

Live in the Bronx, spent a lot of time in every borough except States Island, though I’ve been there many times too. I knew this about the Bronx. Most people don’t know how green it is.

CenParPaTo

We legit find turkeys and coyotes up here.

Remember when a deer swam to Manhattan and it was major news?

Born and raised here, been to all five plenty of times each. I’ve been to SI the least, but I still go several times a year. It probably isn’t a place worth going to unless you have a car

Pelham Bay Park has a pretty dope driving range. Nothing like packing up the clubs and driving a group of friends out there to smack golf balls all day

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I've biked to them all but never actually stayed in SI

Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn.

I’m not going to Staten Island

The Bronx is a dump 💯

Yup. They get across from the Henry Hudson Pkwy, most likely. You find all sorts of fritters abs flies up here.

No brainer for Bronx dwellers. I lived/worked there for twenty years and have walked and cycled every inch of that green space. Cheers to the Boogie Down!!

Any other recs for the area?

Artie’s for pasta, Sammy’s for huge portions, Johnnie’s Reef if you just want quick fried sea food. The restaurants in the Harlem Yacht Club and City Island Yacht Club are open to the public too.

Any other activities you recommend? City Island is so far that I’d make a day of it. I think I’d have to walk from the 6.

Yeah this tracks. Pelham Park is huge and there’s wooded areas around it that you’ll feel like you’re not anywhere in the 5 boroughs.

You can go on a fishing charter boat if you’re into that. If you go to the restaurant in the yacht clubs you’ll meet people that have sailboats and they’re always looking for crew members for race nights. I used to crew on sailboats and had one too but I sold the sailboat and got a trawler and I prefer power boating and fishing now. Sailing is awesome though.

Big Green Rectangle

Sounds like a different world than the rest of the city. Wild.

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You can actually catch the Bx29 right around the corner when you walk downstairs from the train.

Best neighborhood in the city.

I would have thought that. It's like 50% parkland.

Damnnnn I don’t even know how to swim.

Sounds dope. Thank you!

Just wear a life jacket and learn how to. It’s not hard, like riding a bike you never forget once you know how to.

No prob. If you are big into walking/hiking then definitely check out Orchard Beach and the trails on Hunter Island (the wooded area behind the parking lot).

So... Exactly the one I thought

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Not City Island, but really close , If you play golf, Pelham Split Rock is a really nice course. There’s the Pell Mansion across the street. City Island Nautical Museum is interesting. There’s also some unique stores on the island

PaBeNoPa (The Park Below North of the Park)

You mean the one with the largest park in the city?

> You can walk along the old tracks and even find the old station platforms if you go far enough.

I have seent the Richmond Hill station platform with mah own two eyes, and it is glorious.

Wild turkeys in the hills too!

Disgusting

Any recs?

https://www.seriouseats.com/where-to-eat-sri-lankan-staten-island-best-restaurants

Last time I went there, some young guy in a NYC Parks uniform popped out and I thought I was busted.

But he was like “Oh you’re good. I’m just walking the tracks too and wore this old uniform in case I got caught.”

I have so many good pics of the RBB infrastructure with new growth twisting it apart. There's also that awesome graffiti on the Richmond Hill platform you can only see from the air.

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Thanks. It sounds more like a warm weather trip.

Man I love the Bronx

Yeah, but that 30-45 minutes brings you to Yonkers - which isn’t exactly what people are thinking of.

People born and raised here are likely to have visited all 5 at some point. I imagine it’s going to be a lot less likely if you’re a transplant.

Even Staten Island has things to see. As a kid in Brooklyn (and I’m dating myself) the YMCA summer day camp used to take kids to a public pool walking distance from the Staten Island ferry. Not all the public pools in Brooklyn had been re-opened back then. My elementary school took us to Staten Island Zoo a couple of times as well as “Historic Richmond Town.”

In my albeit limited experience I’ve had some good ass Italian pastries and cookies from some bakeries on the island. Pizza is def better on average than the other boroughs, though that could be subjective lol.

I think most people who live on Staten Island for the most like to go to Jersey or the rest of the city for their own pleasure.

Knew it!

Good. Thank you.

And the NY Botanical Garden? Shocking.

Yeah, the context is so difficult to figure out, I thought he meant cheese pizza!

Lol, this is what I was going to say. Crossing the border into Yonkers is nothing like Croton Falls or North Salem, which is more what I was thinking.

Because it's the Times, were we supposed to go in with the assumption that it was obviously Manhattan and then get our minds blown that Outer Boroughs exist?

dey got plants yo

Yeah exactly

It’s the one I thought.

Just take a stroll down fordham, BX zoo, Mosholu parkway to botanical gardens to van cortland. All very beautiful. Not to mention city island pelham bay. I love the bronx.

I don't think anyone would guess Manhattan.

Pelham Bay Park. It's the largest public park in New York City.

Yeah, I was just adding on more greenery. :) Sad that the ny times has to resort to clickbaity titles like this, but I can see why.

I love Orchard Beach

Despite all the greenery, the Bronx seems to have the worst air quality and pollution from what I’ve read. Bit strange.

That's in large part due to the Cross Bronx Expressway where a large number of Diesel trucks spend hours idling while stuck in traffic.

Makes sense. Pretty ironic.

I know the article says the Bronx, but it's just not true. SI is greener, when defined according to NDVI. That's a less sexy article for the Times, tho.

I'm a PhD student and part of my research involves assessing the health effects of neighborhood green spaces in NYC. I've collected and analyzed these data myself.

I've actually walked from Pelham Bay to City Island before (it's a bit of a walk, many people bike as well) and it's a nice walk. I've also walked up toward Pelham/Pelham Manor (also a bike trail.)

And actual topography?

You ever seen wave hill? Sometimes in spring, I swear that view there blows anything NYBG has away.

If I can't get there by rail I'm not ever going to Staten Island.

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Already knew it was the Bronx before I even clicked

So is that measuring people’s yards though? I think the article is talking about public green space.

No, but it has been on my list of places to visit for a while since the covid restrictions let up. Thanks for reminding me.

We biked when we were young. It was the thing to do.

Seton Falls Park.

It looks like Cape Cod when you’re there. It is weird and cool.

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r/savedyouaclick

Goodfellas on Hylan Blvd is absolutely amazing.

Fair point! NDVI includes yards.

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I think they think we think it would be Queens. Though it could have been Staten Island. Definitely not Brooklyn or Manhattan, but obviously it was the Bronx since most people think South Bronx when they think Bronx and not how upstatey it can kinda get.

I went hiking by Orchard Beach and my friend and I both found ticks on ourselves (goes to show you should ALWAYS check for ticks after a hike!)

I'm still not convinced we hiked an actual trail, but they were definitely woods!

Even though the article claims the Bronx, I would think the greenery in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve alone would have the Bronx beat by a wide margin.

A few summers ago my family and I did the NYC Parks overnight camping experience at Pelham Bay Park. They took us on a hike at twilight and when we approached a clearing there were probably 25 deer hanging out. It was one of those magical experiences where you feel like you’re miles away from NYC but somehow could only happen in NYC.

JBWR is huge and beautiful, but it’s also mostly water. There are some big patches of salt marsh, but even they are dwarfed by the two biggest parks in the Bronx.

I see your point.

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I always wanted to go. Just needed some local advice.

Literally came here to same the same thing. Like, has no one in nyc looked at a map...?

And deer. There's tons of deer in Pelham Bay Park.