Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York

Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre park on the Brooklyn waterfront in the vicinity of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. The park is still adding new things and parts of it are currently undergoing construction to bring it visitors more new and exciting things for future visits!

Parts of the park include; a ferry dock, playgrounds and a 'water laboratory' for children. This park offers the quietness you need and the fun activities for every member of the family. There is truly something for anyone and everyone at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. It is also in the heart of Manhattan giving you the feeling of stepping out of the city to experience some breathtaking views of the great city of New York. 


Besides the bike paths and greenery, you can also attend one of the many events that are hosted in this location, during the day, and at night....depending on when you want to spend your time here. The cool thing about this place is that its on the waterfront, so like the Chicago River Walk you can feel the calming noises (or boats?) on the water. This would usually be more of a summer/fall/spring location but who said the park wasnt great for snowball fights? 

This location has it all, and its all right in the City. A true city park, for the fast paced people of NYC!

Chicago River Walk

The Chicago River Walk may not be a secret park or garden, but the environment is very simillar to what youd find elsewhere. The River Walk lines the Chicgao river and can be accessed at many diferent locations such State Street and Dearborn. The location does have plants and grass to sit on in all season but the winter, but it also is next to the river which to some may be very realxing. 

You can watch the boats, grab a bite to eat, or just walk up and down the river to find some peace and quiet. The nice thing about this location is that there are other things to do than just look at the river and count boats. There are a few restaurants, you can hop in one of many water taxis that will take you as far as Navy Pier or Union Station, and you can sit and read a book next to one of many fountains. 

 Although it is toursit friendly, its still a very nice, low key area that showcases the wonderful city of Chicago without leaving it. Some of the best views of the city's soaring buildings can be seen from almost any location on the river walk! Its a must spot to visit whether you want to snap a few photos or just get away for a few. 

High Line Park, New York.

The High Line is a 1.45-mile New York City park built on a section of the former elevated freight railroad spur called the West Side Line, which runs along the lower west side of Manhattan. 


The tracks now are designed in a very green fashion and is in other words an aireal greenway. Since its debut the park has created alot of surrounding development due to it popularity. Who would have thought you could go to a park above the busy streets of New York?


Due to its location the park does have hours, which are 7am-8pm daily. However, the latest you can enter the park is 7:45pm. This park is also open in the winter, but it has seperate hours due to the sun going down early and the dangerous winter conditions that could occur. 


There are many different enterances to this park allowing its visitors to be able to access it from numerous locations within Manhattan. The park prohibits such things as bikes, skateboards, picking flowers, and walking along the tracks of the once there railroads. 


This seems like a really fun summer hang spot, it offers a park in midst of downtown and includes cool scenery and an awesome history of the city. 

Bryant Park-New York City

Just blocks away from the ever populated Times Square, Bryant Park in located in Manhattan and is one of the more popular parks to visit on your lunch break in the city. The park holds many outdoor events including outdoor concerts, festivals, and parts of fashion week. However, dont let that scare you. This location is just the perfect area to catch a quick breath before returning to your cubicle workspace. 


In the winter it holds "the pond" for ice skating, and in the summer is presents free movies on the lawn. It contains endless tables, places to eat and lots of grass,which is hard to find within a city such as New York. Its just feet away from the public library and is an ideal resting area for tourists. 


Not only is this a great park location, but its also a city landmark. While the weather permits the area is filled with plants and flowers giving the park that true garden feel. The park however does have posted hours each day, and has rules and regulations that must be followed. Rules include; no dogs on the lawn, no alcohol, organized ballgames, and loud music...unless you have a permit. 
These regulations are set to provide a more pleasent visit to the people of New York, and those who come to visit. 

Rice Park, St Paul Minnesota

This location is right in the heart of St Paul on 4th street. Surrounding this particular park is the famous St Paul Hotel, The Landmark Center, The Ordway, The St Paul Library, and is just a few short blocks away from the home of the Minnesota Wild, The Xcel Energy Center. 


This is a great location to just take a quick break from walking around, or if youre one of many students, High School, or College this is a great study spot.


The Park holds a beautiful fountain, lights in the trees...year round! And hosts numerous events. This park can be reserved and rented out for 100 dollars an hour, therefore if you want to host a party, wedding, or reception this is agreat location! In the winter this park hosts many St Paul Winter Carnival eventssuch as the ice sculpture contest which brings in hundereds of people each year. 

Due to its downtown location it does get pretty busy, but because it is located in the heart of the wonderful city there is alot to offer.There are reseraunts, scultures, clubs, hotels, and in the winter there is even ice skating! The walking paths are stone brick, and gives you an "older" vibe, a true, geunie location that wont be going anywhere anytime soon!

just a little update!

Due to the poor poor weather conditions and my lack of thought going into this project, the next few posts will focus on places that I have yet to visit, but would like to someday...maybe when there isnt ice and snow covering the entire area! These posts will include areas not just in Chicago but in other parts of the country as well. 

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

This past week I ventured up to my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota to spend time with the family for Thanksgiving. While there I decided to go to one of my favorite places, The Sculpture Garden. This location brings in all forms of art and community, all within the heart of my favorite city, Minneapolis.


What you'll see there:
This particular location can be found right across the street from the Walker Arts Center, or you can just look for the popular cherry sculpture....trust me you cant miss it! The park itself includes many peices of art from numerous artists hailing from not only the artsy city of Minneapolis, but also from around the country. Alongside beautiful art, there is also a conservatory located in the park, which includes a gigantic glass fish sculpture, lush plants and flowers and great photo opportunities for the many weddings that take place in this famous Minneapolis location. 

The Garden is open daily, 6am-midnight. However the conservatory is only open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, and is sometimes booked out for events.



Why you should visit:
If youre ever near this wonderful city, it is definetly worthwhile to check out. The garden is made up of 11 acres and showcases beautiful artwork. There is a ton of grass, places for seating, picnics, summer activities such as frisbee, tanning, kite flying...etc. It is also just a short walk across the popular bridge over interstate 94 to Loring Park and the Basillica of St. Mary. Not only is it a tourist hot spot, but a location full of Minnesota pride. Located in a walking distance from downtown, you can expierence the incredible city, and still find some quiet and beauty in the Sculpture Garden. 


Location:

The garden is located at 725 Vineland Place Minneapolis, MN 55403. Next to the Walker Arts Center. and like stated above, its a short walk from the downtown area. 


check out the short video for a few more pictures

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Stepping outside of the loop this week I ventured over to Lincoln Park to see what they had to offer. Similar to the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier, I found myself at this beautiful conservatory with an exotic environment. 


Why you should visit...

Its winter time, its cold, and the last place you want to go and get some quiet is the lake front, but Lincoln Park has a beautiful location where you can learn about different plant species, take a tour of the garden, or just sit and relax for a little bit before or after you hit up the near by zoo. 

This particular conservatory offers beautiful tropical plants and ferns...and it is all right in the heart of Lincoln Park. It is truly like walking into a different world once you pass through the doors of the all glass building. . No matter what time of the year, this space is always full of bright plants and lush life. 


This location is free to the public daily, and open from 9am-5pm. The Conservatory offers many different things such as tours of the location, events, and weddings. A very fascinating location for all ages. 


Location:

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is located at 2391 North Stockton Drive in Chicago. There are many ways to get there, but i found that the Fullerton Bus was the best option, it dropped me off in close walking distance to the park. 

Museum Campus, Chicago.

Everyone who lives in Chicago should be at least a little bit familiar with Grant Park, so this week I decided to take a walk down to the southeast corner of this very location and step into one of the more educational locations. The Museum Campus.

Why You Should Visit...
The Museum Campus is the perfect outdoor getaway for anybody who loves the lake, walking/running/biking paths, lots of grass, wonderful views of the Chicago skyline, and of course...museums.

This particular location is made up of 57-acre park that holds three of the most notable museums in the downtown area. The Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and The Field Museum of Natural History. It also is just a short walk away from Soldier Field...so for all you football fans who like to tailgate, you have a beautiful view!

The park also includes some of the best walking paths by the lake front, but be careful not to get too close...we dont need anyone going overboard! It provides perfect locations for artists, and photographers who have a love for the city life. The folks who want to get some fishing in. Or even for that romantic couple who wants to just sit and have a bottle of wine (just dont get caught!) while being able to look at the city and watch the fireworks at Navy Pier (weather permitting).

The cool thing about this location is that its enjoyable in both daytime and nighttime. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and expecting it to be full of lots of people it was surprisingly quiet and pretty dull. It was fun to watch the tourists take pictures in front of the skyline while the students were studying on the lake front benches.

The Museum Campus truly brings together different aspects for everyone who lives, or is visiting this part of the city, making it a very enjoyable location for all!

Location:

The Museum Campus is located at the southeast end of grant park there is no actual address to this location because of the massive size of it.

check out the video below for some more pictures!

The Crystal Gardens

It's getting to be that time of the year again, where all the leaves have fallen off every viewable tree, the wind gusts are strong...and oh yeah, the snow is on its way! That being said I chose to step indoors for this weeks location giving you a spot where you can visit in the winter time. 


The Crystal Gardens, located inside Navy Pier, yes...one of the most famous tourist locations in the windy city. But hear me out, I promise that it is just as relaxing as other locations...there just might be a few extra people walking around. 


Why you should visit: The Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier have a lot to offer to the many visitors that walk through everyday. This garden features over 80 palm trees (yes, palm trees in Chicago), lush plants, and flowers. Jumping fountains, and twinkle lights that hang overhead. This one acre location also has beautiful views of the city, as well as the lake, and the famous ferris wheel! The garden is conveniently located in an area where there is access to both indoor and outdoor parts of the Pier, and is a great spot to just sit and chill after all the shopping and site-seeing you may have just completed. 


This particular ballroom is a popular hosting location for events of all types including; wedding ceremonies, receptions, banquets, fashion shows, and private parties. There is no rental fee, just a cut of the food and beverage costs which is stated in the contract. The room can hold anywhere from 100 to 2,000 of your closest guests and includes everything you need to host that perfect event!


Bad news... due to the location and the fact that you can host events, the garden is sometimes closed to the public.


Good news... a lot of the events that do take place are open to the public, allowing you to not only experience something new, but be surrounded by this beautiful location...and there wont be any snow on the ground...and who doesn't like sitting in paradise in the middle of winter? 


Location: This breathtaking botanical garden is located at Navy Pier, 700 East Grand Ave. Chicago IL. Its a quick escalator ride up to the second floor and through the double doors. 


Overall I really enjoyed my time spent here, it was a totally different environment from the past locations, and definitely was worthwhile. Even though there was an event taking place it was still very peaceful and relaxing.
Check out the video below for more pictures! 

Bicentennial Plaza

Location:
The Bicentennial Plaza is located just east of Millennium Park. The easiest way to visit the luxurious area is to take the BP Bridge which connects Millennium Park to The Bicentennial Plaza. The address is 337 E Randolph Dr Chicago, IL 60601


Whats There?
Well...theres a lot to see actually, this park takes up quite a bit of land providing wonderful views of the city skyline, the lake, and Millennium Park. Once you walk through the park you will find lots of seating, a skate rink/skateboarding areas, good quiet environments, and tennis courts. Throughout the year the park is used for programs including; yoga, fitness, aerobics, and preschool classes. In the winter there is a great ice rink which is sometimes better than the packed Millennium Park one. 


Why You Should Visit...
While I was out and about discovering new parks and getaways I found this place tucked away. I had walked across the BP Bridge because I thought it looked really cool...not knowing what was on the other side. Once i go to the park itself the first thing I noticed was all the grass! It had way more than any other place I had visited thus far and was a nice change from the pavement and rocks. Like the other two it was very quiet and peaceful, but what I really liked was the view of Lake Michigan. Granted the park does sit right next to a very busy interstate, it is still pretty quiet. There are also walking paths that take you as far as navy pier and the shedd. Its a nice lake front area to go relax in! 

check out the video below for more pictures. :) 

The Lurie Garden.

Location 

The Lurie Garden is located in Millennium Park on the southeastern end. Millennium Park is located at 55 North Michigan Ave, in Chicago.

Whats There? 

This Garden is truly an urban oasis. Its open to the public throughout all four seasons, which means yes, you can still visit if its snowing! The garden stretches for about 5 acres and includes marshland like grounds with walking paths. There is also a foot bridge, where visitors can sit by the water, have lunch, wish on a lucky penny, or just to catch a breath! The Garden also offers numerous programs throughout all seasons for tourists and students. 

Why You Should Visit...

The Lurie Garden has been awarded with several titles, and high honors, and its a very relaxing place to visit. Even if you just walk through and take a quick glance, its totally worth it. You would think being so close to Michigan ave it would be loud, but the only thing you can hear while you walk through is the water, the birds, and the water flowing. Its a wonderful location to get away from the crazy tourists at the bean!

Check out the video for more pictures!

The Art Institute of Chicago: Gardens.

Walking down Michigan Ave, in one of the more popular areas of the loop you would never think that there would be peacefulness, but leave it up to the Art Institute to bring you that!

The Art Institute is located on South Michigan Ave in between Jackson and Adams. The Institute has two gardens, one on the south side of the building, and one on the north. Unfortunately when I visited only the south side was open due to maintenance on the other side. The Garden opens at 7:30am everyday and closes around dusk, giving visitors or residents available time to get away and relax a little bit!

My first thought when I entered was that it reminded me of a Zen garden. Rather than walking on paths, or grass, you're actually walking through a ground covered in small pebbles. There are also fountains to add to the scenery, which definitely help with relaxation! There is a lot of shade, and lots of seating options so its the great place to take a break while walking down the mile, read a book or just think.

This is one of my favorite places to visit, I never want to leave once I walk through those gates. Enjoy it while the weather is still decent though, because once the snow falls, it's not going to be as spacious! :)