Prospect Park

Prospect Park boasts 585 beautifully landscaped acres including a number of water features

In the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, Prospect Park is a unique urban oasis featuring 585 landscaped acres designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, the architectural design team responsible for Manhattan's Central Park. Olmstead and Vaux accentuated the unique beauty of Prospect Park's natural and geological characteristics with a man-made Watercourse featuring an intricate system of pools, streams, waterfalls and islands culminating in a 60 acre lake. Inspired by the pristine streams of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, the Watercourse winds through deep gorges and 146 acres of forest known as the Ravine District. To preserve the landscape design, the Prospect Park Alliance launched a $43 million dollar restoration project to preserve the Watercourse and the Ravine over the next 25 years.

With over eight million visitors annually, there is something for all members of the family. Popular activities in Prospect Park include bird watching, biking, hiking, pedal-boating and fishing. In the winter months, the rolling hillsides are perfect for sledding. Many sports and fitness facilities are available, including two major league size baseball fields and an indoor/outdoor tennis centre. The Prospect Park Children's Corner is a unique destination for fun, exploration, and education with several playground facilities and a landmark Carousel. The Long Meadow Dog Beach will be a favourite with your favourite pooch and the Park has specified off-leash hours for lots of fun with Fido.

Prospect Park is home to many cultural attractions, including The Prospect Park Zoo, Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House. The Prospect Park Bandshell is the main venue for Celebrate Brooklyn Performing Arts Festival offering live outdoor entertainment performances and concerts every summer. On Saturdays, Prospect Park hosts the one of the largest organic famer's greenmarkets in New York City.

Cost: Free entry; some activities have fees associated. Please see website for details.

Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk

Website: Prospect Park

Address: 450 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn

Nearby attractions: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn Bridge

Getting There on Transit
Subway Train / Bus	Subway Station	Walking Time
F or G	7th Avenue Station	5 minutes
Q, S, or B	Prospect Park station	0 minutes
Take the F or G train to the 7th Avenue Station, head southeast on 9th Street, turn left on Prospect Park West (5 minutes) or 2 or 3 train to Grand Army Plaza, head south on Grand Army Plaza, turn left onto Flatbush Ave (6 minutes) or the Q, S, or B train to Prospect Park station, cross Ocean Avenue to enter park (0 minutes)