Given how vast the city of New York is, it can be difficult to decide where to go, and what to see during a brief visit. Many people, including Tunde Folawiyo, are aware that there are plenty of amazing sites to view while visiting. However, if you appreciate beautiful scenery, and are short on time, we recommend taking trips to Central Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens – two of the most spectacular areas in the entire city.
Central Park is one of New York’s best known landmarks; situated on Manhattan’s upper West Side, it has been open for over 146 years, and stretches out across 840 acres. It current design was created by two men named Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, who were tasked with improving the original park. This area is beautiful at any time of the year, but many say that it is at its most stunning during the autumn, when the leaves of the trees are beginning to change colour.
Highlights of the park include the Alice in Wonderland Statue, which can be found just a few metres away from the Conservatory Water. This magnificent sculpture was created by Jose de Creeft in 1959; a philanthropist named George Delacorte commissioned the piece, in the hopes that future generations could learn about, and experience the magic of this classic story by Lewis Carroll.
Close to the park’s entrance by 5th Avenue, you’ll find the Conservatory Garden, which spans over six acres. Brimming over with beautiful plants and flowers, this is a paradise for anyone with an interest in botany. Inside you’ll find a number of separate gardens, each with its own unique collection of flowers. There are three in total, including the English, Italian and French Gardens. As you make your way along the pathways here, you’ll see Korean holly, English yew, as well as an abundance of stunning heirloom roses.
Although considerably smaller than Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens are just as impressive. These can be found close to the Crown Heights neighbourhood, and stretch across 52 acres of land. Within this area, you’ll find an aquatic plant garden, multiple plant pavilions with varying climates, a Bonsai museum, and a large art gallery, as well as hundreds of cherry trees, which are a particularly lovely sight during the spring, when they come into bloom. Many people, including Tunde Folawiyo, understand that if you are not a seasoned visitor, you may also be interested in visiting the Native Flora Garden here, which houses plants endemic to the New York area; you’ll probably come across a number of plants which you have never seen before.