I don't usually do this, but so many questions in the comments, so...here were the next ten: 11 Lincoln (Chicago) 12 High (Toronto) 13 Boston Common 14 Washington (Portland) 15 Zilker (Austin) 16 Mont-Royal (Montreal) 17 Lake (Milwaukee) 18 City (New Orleans) 19 Governors Island (NY) 20 Piedmont (Atlanta)
Presidio of San Francisco has EVERYTHING-very wild and rugged Pacific coastline, museums, bucolic meadows, Crissy Field (!), and excellent transit access. It belongs in the top 20.
As a Québécois who has been to Mexico for 1 month, 6 months and then another month and has traveled a good portion of Mexico, I have to say: Mexico is INSANE! So many walkable cities. Also, Bohemia Negra!
As a New Yorker, Central Park deserves all the recognition it gets. It may be a tourist draw, but locals truly love and get so much use out of the park. I’m really thankful I live within walking distance
It's okay, but as someone who spent a good deal of time there over many years before moving to Brooklyn, Prospect Park has all the features Olmsted & Vaux wanted to put into CP, but could not due to lack of space or budget. You can really get lost in the wonder of Prospect Park, and it's much quieter, which makes it relaxing.
As a Chicagoan, I'd probably give the edge to Lincoln Park over Grant Park. There are a lot of areas in Grant Park that feel rather desolate and unused. By contrast, Lincoln Park feels more heavily used and appreciated. It helps that the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Zoo, two of the major draws, both have free admission.
I agree that Lincoln Park is really more of a park, and Grant Park is more of an oversized urban plaza. I like Washington Park as well, though like a lot of stuff on the South Side it's underappreciated. The biggest issue with Lincoln Park is that it's a long walk from the 'L'.
Yeah, I figured there would be a lot of differing opinions on Chicago parks -- which kind of brings home the point of how well-provided the city is when it comes to those amenities.
@@davidburrow5895 Jackson Park, like Washington Park-- could be awesome if it weren't for the adjacent neighborhoods. Jackson has lagoons, the Museum of Science & Industry, a golf course, softball fields, and a canine obstacle course (set up in the tennis courts off Lake Shore Drive) called "Jackson Bark".
As a Philadelphian, for me personally the crown jewel of the Fairmount Park system is Wissahickon Valley Park. Having a picturesque quiet forest river valley with hiking/biking/horse trails only 45 minutes by bike from city hall is just absolutely incredible. Especially since the Schuylkill River trail itself makes 3/4 of that ride almost as pleasant as the destination. At the height of the pandemic being able to hop on my bike and spend a couple hours alone in nature was a massive boon to my mental health.
Wissahickon takes the opposite approach of Central Park. There's minimal human intervention. Few attractions or distractions. It's remarkable to have such a space in a major city. As you say, it was great escape during covid. May it stay forever wild.
This should have 1000+ more likes! Once covid hit, i had to spend the rest of my last semester in college online. Luckily i lived right across the bridge in cherry hill, NJ and went to wissahickon almost every weekend with my family. Sometimes i would drive during the week to run through the trails and just enjoy nature
Fair assessment of our STL Forest Park. The only thing I would add, that maybe off-sets the golf issue, is that our world class Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center, and History Museum in the park are 100% admission free. Yes, there's lots of ways you CAN pay money at them (parking, food, special exhibits), but you don't have to. Along with the largest outdoor theater presenting musical theater that has 1500 seats that are 100% free (literally, you walk in and find a seat, that's it), it's an incredibly accessible park for all.
Mexico City resident here! I can't even begin to count how much time I've spent in Bosque Chapultepec and I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface. I'm glad it made the list--you're right, it truly is world-class.
Love your channel and video subjects! Being a DC resident, I feel like Rock Creek Park is probably the most underrated urban park in the US. Over 3 square miles of forest, fields, hundreds of miles of trails (paved and dirt), recreational fields and tennis courts galore, historical sites, the National Zoo (free to the public!), easily accessible from 2 metro stops and a plethora of bus lines on both sides, and as a bonus connects at its southern end to the National Mall right at the Lincoln Memorial. Can feel like you're miles outside the city getting lost in its trails. Was DC's superstar and savior during the pandemic!
Couldn't agree more! Rock Creek is without a doubt the best park in DC and it literally goes the entire length of the city! It should without be doubt be on this list.
I was expecting Rock Creek to be top three so I was shocked when it was not only not mentioned at all but DC got a dishonorable mention. He’s clearly uninformed on the DC park scene. DC is definitely one of the top park cities in North America... Rock Creek Park, the National Mall, Glover-Archbold Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the National Arboretum, Meridian Hill Park are all fantastic outdoor spaces.
I’m glad you evaluated on urban integration. I have had to explain this concept to so many people since I moved cities. I used to live in a city with extremely well integrated parks and as a result I spent a bunch of time there because my trip to the park could also be my meal or my trip to the grocery store. Plus, this means that lots of people will share my sentiment and there will be more energy and pedestrian activity there.
When people often tell me they couldn’t move to NYC because there’s no nature it’s all concrete it’s often baffling because of not only those two parks, but also all the other tiny ones servicing smaller neighborhoods and the tree lined streets plus being able to get to mountains and hiking and the beaches and shores with a quick train ride. Parks really are vital to a city!! Wish we had park requirements, not parking for buildings Edit: lol for further evidence just look through the comments, thanks for proving my point y’all really making it easy out here
I wish more people knew that JFK airport is directly adjacent to a huge wildlife refuge. Jamaica Bay is stunning, and really makes you forget you're in the middle of the biggest city in the country.
Unfortunately a lot of the tiny ones serving smaller neighborhoods really are just concrete, glorified playgrounds or plazas really, where if there even is any greenery it's all fenced off. I am very thankful for the likes of Prospect Park and Fort Green park, though.
Flushing Meadows park is an embarrassment though. If you want to explore the whole park, you have to cross over THREE massive freeways, one of which has been totally useless for 60 years due to [edit:] I-678 (lol)
I live in San Francisco and like GG Park very much (just visited the arboretum and Japanese gardens yesterday). I'd use it more often if it weren't on the other side of town. The west and north sides of SF have lots of open space--GG Park, the Presidio, Marina Green, Sunset Beach, Lincoln Park, Fort Mason Center, Aquatic Park--but, sadly, the east side of th City is lacking in outdoor amenities, and the new developments there lack sufficient parks. Short-sighted! Thanks for another great video. Your channel is what Utube is supposed to be (although I tried to read "Subdivision" and didn't care for it.). You are a reliable narrator and that is much appreciated.
Go Forest Park, STL! I agree that the golf course should go, but there is still a lot of space and I LOVE that historical museum, art museum, zoo, observatory (and connected science museum) in the park are completely free!!!
As someone who’s lived in both San Diego county and San Francisco, I think Balboa and Golden Gate should be swapped. Balboa has a TON of attractions, but the 5 and 163 freeways cutting it off from downtown (when there used to be large ponds in their place) force it to be something you have to drive to, granted Ik there are neighborhoods within walking distance and idk how those are. In terms of Golden Gate Park it’s MASSIVE and connects to TONS of different incredible neighborhoods within the city AND the beach without any major roads limiting accessibility and you really can get lost in there, I always see something diff. Balboa you end up in the same three key places. Also thanks for the mention of dolo park, it’s a party every weekend lmao
I said the same thing. That freeway at BP deserves some point deductions. And to @City Nerd, as an SF resident, yes I do go to GGP on weekends when I want the feeling of being out of the city sometimes, cultural events for other times. Beach access does give it a bump up too. Though some points off for golf, I admit.
I was fortunate to spend a few months near Balboa Park and walked my dogs there every day. The only disadvantage of living in the surrounding neighbourhoods would seem to be the sound of planes overhead although as a visitor I did appreciate the proximity to the airport. I have fond memories of the smell of the jasmine on the paths to the buildings of different countries that went up for the World’s Fair.
Former Chicago resident here! Thrilled to see it on the list. Happy you mentioned Lincoln Park as I was a bit perplexed that Grant beat it. I guess it hit your criteria better on paper, but as far as the feel that you were going for Lincoln Park I think exemplifies your values far better. Beaches, a FREE zoo, probably more nearby residents and far better tranquility. I always found Grant to be visually stunning, but sliced up by too many roads to be pleasant.
Agreed! Lincoln Park feels like much more of an actual park than Grant Park, which functions like a huge event space. Doesn't take long to get between them with transit so I make use of both. I feel lucky to have access to so much great park space in the city!
Grant Park is all chopped up and while I do like that it's there, it's usually all sealed off for summer events. Millenium Park and Maggie Daley Park are both very nice too. It's too bad Dusable Lake Shore Drive cuts off direct access to the lakefront. Lincoln Park has more amenities and it's easier to meander and in tune with green space. It's also just enough set back from DLSD to let serenity in.
I was born and raised in San Diego and Balboa park is an absolute cultural gem that everyone experiences, especially if you have children. There are tons of attractions nearby and very often people will use it in combination with visiting the attraction such as the zoo or the museums.
I can personally vouch for Forest Park in Saint Louis. There are no less than three museums and the zoo, all for free. That's my go to spot every time I visit Saint Louis.
Yeah Forest Park is great. So much to go and check out there with the zoo and museums. I knew the golf courses would bring it down a peg. That NW sector would be such a nice space if the golf course was removed. It’d get great use to being right next to WashU. Hopefully they do expand the rail because it’s super convenient along that East/West axis. Now if only there was rail access to Tower Grove Park (another good park) and South STL in general that’d be great.
The Montreal parks system is stupidly underrated with Park Lafontaine, Mont-Royal, Jean-Drapeau, Jeanne-mance, Maisonneuve ... the list goes on. Disappointed there wasn't even a mention
Yeah, I coulda mentioned it with Minneapolis-St. Paul and DC, where there wasn't a single park that jumped out, but the system as a whole is very good.
@@CityNerd I set aside my civic rivalry and defended Mont-Royal and did not advance the cause of the Toronto Islands Park for an honourable mention. I prefer the Islands to High Park, which you did mention. But based on the criteria you set out, no matter how nice the Toronto Islands are, I had to acknowledge that one has to line up and take a ferry that costs money to get to the Toronto Islands. The Toronto Islands were rightfully excluded. I have climbed through Mont-Royal from street level and will back any Montrealer who argues for it being a great park. I enjoy your channel very much and appreciate your approach. :)
@@Nunavuter1 Yeah, I'm also a Torontonian and I think Mont-Royal should be somewhere on this list. It's a fantastic park that's walkable from the Metro (if you don't mind a bit of a climb) and has good bus service otherwise, and it really forms the centrepiece of the city. It's a fantastic spot, and I always love heading up there when I'm in town.
This good conversation makes me think of a good side topic. Not top 10 beaches with transit (already nicely done (-:) but @CityNerd best urban river or harbor fronts. For instance, always loved the Lachine Rapids when in Montreal as tourist (Class 5 rapids in a city!) or Baltimore’s inner harbor. Contrasting that to the largely inaccessible Hudson or East Rivers in Manhattan thanks to highways. Need transit, access to water, boating and the river/harbor being an elemental reason why that city exists.
I'm so thankful that Fairmount Park was mentioned on here. The Fairmount park System Is something that Impresses all the time, I just love the fact that all of our parks and forests are connected. The Wissahickon or even Cobbs Creek is an awsome place to hike or immerse yourself in nature and feel like you've been transported to a different world. Again, I'm so glad you mentioned us, I was really expecting our park not to be on the list, especially because like you mentioned, Fairmount park was nowhere to be seen on any urban park top tens or top twenties. Thank you!
Pennypack Park in NE Philly is also an incredible park, with the beautiful Pennypack Creek running through it. And it's connected to the Montgomery County parks that line the creek.
As a former San Diego resident, I do spend quite some time in balboa park. Not like every day, but once every week or so, I’ll go visit. It’s a wonderful park with trails, gardens, and museums, and if you live nearby, it’s absolutely amazing. It is a bit touristy, but I don’t think most locals often visit the zoo or the museums, but rather take walks through the park
its one of the main reasons why I like visiting san diego, good mix of urban areas, park areas, beachs, and good vibes. stinks i cant afford to move there!
There are tons of hiking trails that the tourist never go to. My biggest complaint about the park is that they lets cars cut through the heart of the park. I also with that the Trolley had a stop that was closer; it is a HIKE up the hill from the station.
My backyard nearly backs up to Balboa Park and we go into it all the time and consider it an extension of our garden. We have the pass that allows us to get into almost all museums (including the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Model Train Museum), season tickets at The Old Globe and also the zoo pass where we just go in for a walk amongst the amazing horticulture, water features and canyons. We also go mountain biking through Florida Canyon and swimming or play tennis at the Morley Field area of it. We feel amazingly lucky to have this gem of the City so accessible to us.
Not sure why Grant Park is #2, given that it's mostly a series of public plazas glued together, I think Chapultepec is way better, world-class museums, zoo, historical sites, amazing views, endless tracks, it's really the beating heart of Mexico City
I live in San Diego and almost didn't expect Balboa Park to get on this list because of the 163 and 5 running right through it. Also the amount of parking lots is slightly frustrating, but it still is an amazing place to walk around in even when not visiting the museums. I visit there quite often.
Former resident, with family still there. If you (or a family member) belongs to a craft guild, or a folk dance club, or any of dozens of similar organizations, you would be in the park often. Parts are touristy, other areas are exactly the opposite. There is lots of parking, but it doesn't interfere much with the rest of the park. And I agree 100% with your assessment of the Minneapolis parks. They're good, but just miss being "world class".
@@annablumenfeld2045 I ride my bike to Balboa from Spring Valley, I take the bus-bike lane on El Cajon Blvd. It's not too bad except the lane is full of rim bending pot holes.
The Forest Park in St Louis is my all time favorite place to visit. I could literally spend day there since the Zoo, Art, History, and Science Museums there are free to enter. Plus there’s so much open space and shade from the sun to lay back and relax.
Shoutout to Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ. Meets a lot of the criteria here, including adjacent light rail access. Plus it has the world’s largest cherry blossom collection.
St. Louis has such an excellent urban framework and is therefore an amazing place to live- thank you for looking into it and showing it love. I think the main thing holding people back from moving into the city is the media perception. I have lived in the city without a car and have been perfectly safe and comfortable.
So nice to hear positive things about St. Louis. I grew up there and have many fond memories of going to the zoo, art museum, science center (all free btw), the Muny (outdoor amphitheater that puts on a great series of musicals each summer), etc. When I was older, they got really smart and restored a lot of the original features from the 1904 World’s Fair. They have a lovely boathouse and restaurant on the lake and improved walking trails and bridges. It’s too bad he did not find better photos/video of this beautiful park! I try and visit it every time I’m home…even in December. Though I agree whole-heartedly about the golf-course!
Having lived in NYC for over 40 years, Central Park is a true oasis. There are sections in which you forget you're in the city. The ponds and lakes feature boat rentals. There's a zoo, a carousel, ice skating rink, access to museums, dozens of places to grab a bite to eat, bike paths, horse trails, dozens of playgrounds, and a hundred of little alcoves and hidden treasures that charm and amaze. But the one thing that makes Central Park truly remarkable is the city's commitment to keeping it intact. Here you have over 840 acres situated on the most expensive real estate in the world, in the already tight borough of Manhattan (itself, only 22 square miles in area), and developers don't even try to build on it. It is simply understood that Central Park is NOT for sale.
Thank you SO MUCH for including Forest Park and St. Louis again! You made some astute observations about StL in this video, it was built for almost a million people and has a third of that right now, but that is why it is so underrated and I feel it is only a matter of time until more people start to realize it and it has a huge resurgence. :} Ty again and great video as always!
I'm sure this applies to many other Rust Belt cities as well! Hopefully when more people move into the Lou we can get the young LRT you mentioned (the Loop Trolley) expanded and the golf courses removed from Forest Park lol
I also need to chime in about my hometown park- I attended Soldan HS about a mile north on Union Bl and was made to run around the whole whole park for track practice so many times, I memorized all the trails through it. The golf course is not a blockage. In most cases, you can simply cut through and just watch for people playing. The greens fees are very low and is very much a way for underserved portions of the population to be introduced to the game. Also all of the attractions in the park are FREE thanks to the Museum/Zoo tax levied on both sides of the river. Forest Park is truly a special place for me growing up
as a non golfer who frequented forest park, while i didnt love the golf courses theres so much else to the park and its never too crowded. It's truly huge, and while not ideal theres some space for golf. It is annoying that i cant cut across greens tho
St. Louisan here. I'm glad Forest Park made it on your list despite its two golf courses. I also wish there was less car infrastructure in the park. But other than that I love our park. I think it's one of the things StL can be most proud of. All the museums and the zoo are free (even for non-residents), the Muny is an amazing venue on summer evenings regardless of what show is playing, and the park is big enough and the trails numerous enough that you can definitely get lost.
It's a smaller scale relative to these amazing parks, but Beacon Hill Park in Victoria BC (west of Vancouver) is an amazingly central and large urban park in the heart of the city, especially considering the city only has 400k residents. Next to the provincial museum, the main transit bus terminus, and abutted with a long oceanfront park with a mixed use trail and a dog park. Really lucky to have such a place to visit!
Not only is Washington Park station in Portland the deepest station in the US, it's also the deepest station in the WHOLE Western Hemisphere! And sixth deepest in general! Behind Arsenalna of Kyiv Metro, Hongtudi of Chongqing, Admirateyskaya of St. Petersburg Metro, Park Pobedy of Moscow Metro, and Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon of Israel Railways
I definitely thought Piedmont Park in ATL would have made the list! There are so many pathways, fields, dog parks, some nice walking trails, recreational sports fields, and its attached to one of the best botanical gardens. Plus super accessible to residents in midtown and heavy rail transit lines.
Same. Would have put them in the Top 5 just because how important it is to Atlanta. The Beltline (bike/walk) runs through it. Has about every activity imaginable (no golf!). Is in the heart of the city with tons of public transportation and residential in walking distance. And hosts some of the biggest free events in the country (Jazz Fest!).
This would entail something nice being said about Atlanta. 😅 But for real Piedmont Park is everything an urban park should be imho. Great transit connections with entirely new one on the way, it’s in one of the highest density neighborhoods in the entire southeast with a line of great mix of urban residential buildings for towers to early 20th century apartment blocks to row houses. It’s also one the cultural hubs of the city serving as a showcase of Atlanta’s diverse African-American urban culture and Atlanta LGBTQ+ culture. The only regret I have is moving away from the apartment I had that allowed me to attend every concert at Piedmont Park for free…from my balcony.
Tough list to put together. Love that High Park got mention. Wonder about Mount Royal Park in Montreal. Toronto Islands. Ya. Tough list. Keen to visit Mexico city mostly thanks to you.
St. Louisan here. Was really pleased to see Forest Park make the list and I just wanted to comment on the "lives a lot bigger than its population" remark. I think you're mostly right in that it's partly because StL used to be one of the five biggest cities in the country and was building and developing like it was. But then StL City separated from StL County (ultimately a poor decision imo) which deliberately and permanently restricted the physical size of StL. Despite that, the population of StL continued to grow to over 800,000 and had a pop. density close to modern-day Chicago before finally starting to decline in the post-war decades. So I think for over 70 years the city had to build and develop for a very dense population and I think that's why the city of StL, even today, seems to "live a lot bigger than its population." Because of all that, I also think that StL city has more potential than many other US cities to become very walkable/bikable/transit-oriented.
Just found this channel and as a North Vancouver local I gotta say... Stanley Park deserves to be much higher on the list! It has play fields (tennis, cricket) and some other attractions (aquarium, performance spaces, totem poles, public pool, historic cannon) and has an incredibly diverse user base while still enough acreage that you can truly be alone and get lost if you want to. The lack of easy skytrain access doesn't deter anyone because of 1. good bike infrastructure throughout the city, so it's quite easy to bike there and 2. there are easily a dozen bus lines that can drop you off either within the park or a block away. The integration with the West End neighbourhood is fantastic. Not to mention, where else is there an urban park with multiple ocean beaches, mountain views, multiple lakes, beavers (for real!!) and trees that are hundreds of years old? Before I lived here I didn't realize how truly unique and special Stanley Park is, and I've traveled a lot throughout North America and Western Europe. :)
Yeah, Stanley Park being as low as it is is a major miss as a Vancouverite who now lives in New York and has been to some of the other parks higher up on this list. Just taking a look on Google maps and looking for features and cultural institutions doesn't do the uniqueness of it justice. I've also been to the Georgia Aquarium, which is a theme park masquerading as North America's largest aquarium, but I still prefer the Vancouver Aquarium.
It might have the most beautiful natural setting for a city park (personally, this isn't even debatable), but it's not as connected and useful to the whole city as Central Park. That said, I was surprised it wasn't higher based on the sheer beauty of the place.
Yes, Stanley Park is enjoyed eventually by everyone in the area, from north van to surrey. It’s well integrated into the city and kept mostly natural, it’s a forest in the middle of the city, with the wildlife to go with it. Bigger and more beautiful than Central Park. After you visit a few times, it gives Central Park a run for its money. I’ve been to a few parks on this list and none gave me the awe and enjoyment that Stanley Park did the first time I biked around the seawall, or just drove through it to get to the bridge.
Plaines d'abraham/Plains of Abraham in the heart of Quebec City, right next to the historical part of the city is a good one. Very cultural with a scene being put up every summer, an art museum. Light Rail is coming this decade. There even is a castle, well more of a fortress and a few towers. Forgot to add it is very close to Cartier street to get your lunch or Grande Allée for a restaurant and night life.
Par "scene" tu veux dire "stage" je présume ? :D Mais je suis complètement d'accord avec toi, ça m'a déçu que ni le Mont-Royal, ni les Plaines d'Abraham n'était inclus dans la liste.
As a former New Yorker, I think Fort Tryon/Inwood Hill Parks in Manhattan are underrated (I’m counting them as 1 as they’re rather continuous). Home of the Cloisters, amazing views of the GW Bridge, great architecture, the only natural forest in Manhattan, surprisingly nice hiking trails, riverfront picnic areas, and transit access on the A and 1 lines. These parks get forgotten with Central Park, but I think they hold their own.
Montreal has two parks that'd easily break Top 4 of this list. Quite surprised there wasn't even an honorable mention but Toronto's High Park was... lmao - Parc du Mont-Royal (is surrounded by urban fabric, unique topography makes it visible anywhere in the city) - Parc Jean-Drapeau (is an island next to downtown with a dedicated metro station and many attractions)
Maisonneuve too isn't a bad choice with the Pie-IX and Viau metro station. I forgot about Jean-Drapeau, that's a great option, I just wish the did a better job with that Osheaga venue thing, too much concrete :(
yea i’m really surprised Mont-Royal wasn’t included. the metro system basically encircles it, along with the densest neighbourhoods, and you can get genuinely lost in some parts of it too. plus it’s heavily used in winter for skiing, skating, and sledding. it’s not even a purely tourist spot, everyone i know here goes there often for some activity or another
Agreed, but given Ray's criteria, Parc Mont-Royal is missing some attractions (you can call the Molson Stadium a big plus and the Belvedere, but the chalet at Lac des Castors and the Smith House aren't really big cultural artifacts) and while there's ways to enter via the 80 bus on the Parc side, the 11, and the newer 711 bus that links PMR, the Oratory, and Mont-Royal and Snowdon metros, there's no direct Metro or other connections. (Wouldn't it be cool to have a REM stop?) It can be a very challenging park for people with physical disabilities (lots of hills and stairs, other than the main path, and esp. in winter), so the access issue is there as well. If you consider it all one park, the whole Espaces pour la vie setup would be interesting, IF it were closer to downtown. Maisonneuve Park is a former golf course, so....it feels a bit flat, almost like a liminal space at times vs a more naturally wooded area, and it would need more formal spaces for citizen sports (soccer field, baseball diamond, a pool maybe?) But you have the Botanical Gardens, Insectarium, Planetarium, the Olympic stadium, Biodome, and Saputo stadiums right there.
I'm a big booster of Memphis, TN, and it's Mid-South region. A big omission here is Overton Park in Midtown. Home of Memphis Zoo, Overton Shell, an art museum (recently relocated) and old growth forest and manicured leasure areas. A few miles east is Shelby Farms, which is massive, but granted, significantly more suburban.
My wife & I just purchased an apartment in NYC after 13+ yrs of saving. We love city life and we bought one 5 street blocks from Central Park. When we told our friends about it, it was obvious that there are two types of people. Those who get it and those who just don't. We paid probably 10-20% more than we'd like because we get it. I also use the park as my commute route by bike into midtown & beyond.
I live in Minneapolis (of the Twin Cities.) Theodore Wirth Park is amazing - maybe wouldn’t fit your top ten, but is a huge park where residents can go to mountain bike, hike, cross country ski, play beach volleyball, and swim. Connected to the city by bus stops throughout!
I think we just have to be ok with having a ton of really great parks and not one that satisfies everything on the list. I mean, the fact that you could bike from Battle Creek to Theodore Wirth almost entirely on trails is pretty incredible. You can even choose like 3 different routes depending on how many parks you want to pass through
I think the golf course was a strike against it. But I agree, it’s fantastic and when you add in the fact that it connects to all the city lakes in South Minneapolis and all the way to Hiawatha park via the Minnehaha Creek parkway, it makes for a world-class system. I guess that was sort of his point in our ‘honorable’ mention.
SO glad you mentioned Forest Park in St. Louis. I'm from St. Louis, and lived all over the world and can say that it is one of the best parks I've ever visited. Not only does it contain so many FREE world-class cultural attractions, but it is HUGE and the landscaping is just beautiful. I love how different and equally gorgeous it is during each of the 4 seasons.
Frick and Schenley Parks in Pittsburgh are exceptional and interface with the surrounding urban fabric. Both are also big enough to get really lost in and feel like you're far from city life. Schenley is also adjacent to major universities and museums (Pitt, CMU, Carnegie Art/Natural History Museum, Phipps Conservatory).
Good list, I live in St Louis and LOVE forest park. Never even really noticed the golf course since the park is relatively huge. I would add that the lovely zoo, art museum, history museum, science center are all free admission. Plus, the park features great trails, lovely creeks, a small lake that leads to to the mall with fountains where you can rent a paddle boat or kayak. Oh and it’s close to nice shops and restaurants in central west end. I Love many other parks on this list and want to see the rest. Thanks for the great content.
I'm surprised that you didn't mention Rock Creek Park when bringing up the National Mall in DC. I understand why it wouldn't meet most of your criteria, but it's truly a gem of the city. You mentioned the feeling of "getting lost," and I think it meets that criteria more than any urban park in the U.S. I think this is largely due to its status as a national park. It's also easily accessible from the Cleveland Park metro stop on the red line.
Yes, called it out, as well. Also, reasonably close to Dupont Circle & Woodley Park Metro Stations, as well. As parks go - literally in the middle of a major city - Rock Creek is amazing.
As a non city person living there for my partner’s schooling, it was what kept me sane. Went every day to walk the dogs for an hour, could really get away from people and feel like I was in nature.
100% right on. And it connects to the national zoo (another beutiful free zoo) pretty seamlessly. Lots of cool spots to take a break and get something to each. Great running or biking spots with Watergate, Kennedy center for the performing arts (architectural gems), the washington & Lincoln memorial greeting you at the end as a "reward" and the potomac river hugging your side.
It really felt like he's never been to DC to not even mention it. It's not just one metro stop, either, but a mile walk or so from many of them. And that's to say nothing of the many other metro accessible parks in the area.
As others have said, Edmonton's River Valley park system is an interesting one, as it's the largest contiguous urban parkland in Canada. It does have golf courses (8 or 9 I think, depending on which ones you count), but three of them are publically-owned and open to anyone, and I think most of them have public paths either past or through them. It's also not super accessible by rail transit - there are multiple LRT stations near, but none exactly on it. Closest are probably Government Centre, Central, Stadium, and University; with the new Valley Line Muttart, Quarters, and Avonmore will join them, with Muttart being the best in that regard. In terms of density... well, it depends. Downtown, Oliver, UofA, Strathcona, and by Commonwealth Stadium are the densest areas by the park. But it's so big that it stretches out into the suburbs and rural parts too. Another thing I like about it is that it doesn't just follow the river; there are also the ravines that break off from it and web their way deeper into the city, and the parks around those are often connected to the main park via paths. For attractions: a nature conservatory, public pools and recreation centres, an equestrian park, picnic grounds, lakes, museums, a historic streetcar and a "ferry" (both tourist-orientated), boating, Fort Edmonton, gardens, zoo, amphitheatre, playgrounds, an art park, beaches (Accidental being the most known), ski clubs, campgrounds, fishing, velodrome, and sports fields.
It's a different category of park, really, barely a park and more of a green space/natural area. Sometimes it's difficult to take advantage of it fully because it is so "wild" in many places, but that also means you can go hiking from your back door. I'd love to see a video on Top 10 Urban Green spaces, along these lines. I've also seen people do 100 km+ bike rides in Edmonton's river valley, the Henday-to-Henday loop is a real challenge!
@@ccccccccitrus Once the pedestrian bridge up in the north end at 167 Ave is done, the possible loop will be extended even more. Not that I can cycle anything like that far...
I lived in San Diego for 16 years and loved going to Balboa park. I think something that needs to be realized is the part of the park you highlighted is really on half of it, with the other half (called Morley Field) being a lot more like a normal park with really nice sport complexes. It's a good balance that makes it a nice park for tourists and residents. For a couple of years in my very early teens (11-14) I lived within walking distance in a neighborhood called South Park which was genuinely amazing. The walkability gave me so much freedom and despite only living there for a couple of years it's the part of my childhood I remember most fondly and have the most memories of relative to the time lived there.
Rock Creek Park in DC is great. While run by the NPS, it has a bunch of attractions such as the zoo, a host of trails and biking paths, and is metro accessible. It’s also huge!
I was flabbergasted by the omission. Not only can you get lost in it, but it's accessible from different Metro stations as it runs up the District of Columbia.
But it's not really metro accessible. It's a long walk from the red line, except for the zoo, and then it has too much traffic going through it, it's almost impossible to get away from the car noise.
I'd put Stanley Park as #1 because I'm such a big fan of the Pacific Northwest scenery. It's definitely #1 for feeling like you're in a national park in the middle of the city.
2 points here about DC… 1. Rock Creek Park is fantastic! 2. The tidal basin + the national mall has trails that take you away from the hustle of the city. The Area around the FDR memorial is serene Great content as usual!
Forest Park in Saint Louis is one of the best urban parks in the United States. This park spans 1326 acres and can be accessed by 3 train stations and by multiple bus lines. The History Museum, the Art Museum, the Zoo, the Science Center Planetarium, and the Muny outdoor theater is located in the park. Forest Park has waterways that allows people to take a pedal boat or canoe on. The Grand Basin in front of the Art Museum is very beautiful. There are baseball fields, tennis courts, golf courses, and soccer fields in the park. The southwest part of the park is feels like a real forest that you can get lost in nature. There are over 6 miles of bike trails. There are also miles of jogging trails as well.
It’s a travesty that bi state isn’t running the forest park explorer right not. It’s to big of a park not to have a dedicated bus to get from one side to the other quickly
As a Philadelphian, I'm thrilled that Fairmount park made the list. I remember going to the huge Kelly Pool decades ago as well as a several concerts as a child (Mann Music center), and Norah Jones concert as an adult, as well as the Please Touch museum as a parent, and countless cookouts in the park. This really only scratches the surface of what is a very multifacted and I feel like underutilized park in Philly.
Totally agree (I also live in Philly). And if one considers Wissahickon Valley part of Fairmount then you're adding 50 miles of wooded trails to the mix. A true treasure!
Parque Fundidora is such a great addition to the city of Monterrey. It's worth a visit for anyone that has never been. They are doing things right in the state of Nuevo Leon, minus the whole water shortage issues. 🤣
As someone who lives two blocks from Golden Gate Park and has the N Judah pass by the front window of my bedroom I was super excited to hear both given a shoutout in this video! You truly don’t exaggerate when you say GG park has everything - boating on lakes, sports fields, botanical gardens, museums, an aquarium, buffalo, beach access, Japanese tea gardens, etc.
I live in LA and I had no idea there was even a golf course in Griffith Park. I guess that just shows you how big it really is. Pre-COVID there was a free shuttle that went between the LA Zoo and Observatory on the weekends. Wish they would bring that back and have more transit (like banning private cars, making it only a bus/delivery lanes up to the observatory).
@@mitchbart4225 Yes! I came down here to comment this. That Dash bus is for whatever reason a really nice bus, it's always extremely clean and pleasant and for a negligible price. When I take people from out of town to the Observatory, the bus feels more like a "ride" than "transit". It's this fun little scenic tour and you get to laugh at all the parked cars you pass on the way up to being dropped off at the foot of the observatory.
I walk to Griffith Park every day. It’s my absolute favorite park I’ve ever lived near. Blows Boston Common (lived in South End for 11 years) out of the water. The Hollywood station isn’t far if you enter at Fern Dell if you don’t mind walking uphill.
Same I don't think I remember ever seeing a golf course at Griffith. I think it might be on the valley side of things? The only con for me is you can't ride your bike on most of those trails & sometimes they close the trails to film even after filming was done.
Wow I am suprised to see no mention of the Presidio of San Francisco. There’s no other park in the world where I’ve felt so removed from the city I was in, but also surrounded by endless attractions and museums. The legion of honor, disney museum, countless SF history museums, the literal Golden Gate Bridge, endless art installations. I would put this at #2 behind central park
You hit the nail on the head about golf courses. As a St. Louisan, Forest Park really is the crown jewel of the city. Having not 1….but 2 different golf courses within the park really is a poor use of space.
Hey! I can see my old apartment in Madrid! Muchas gracias for the shout-out for El Retiro! As an aside, the design of El Retiro really set the tone for development of other parks throughout Madrid and Spain as a whole, i.e., a truly multi-activity space to encourage as many people to enjoy the space as possible.
I'm surprised Montreal doesn't get at least an honorable mention; 3 parks in the city meet those criteria: Mount Royal park, LaFontaine park and Jean-Drapeau park.
The lack of museums hurts Mount Royal Park on this list. I was there on Boxing Day and I really don't think you can find a more idyllic urban winter scene anywhere.
Would love to see a list of your personal picks for urban parks with the most potential: parks that are a bit underwhelming but are in a great location or have good history and just need a little love
I live in STL and Forest Park is definitely awesome. Tower Grove Park is another great urban park in the city, and I’d also give Carondelet Park an honorable mention. No shortage of awesome parks here!
Native San Diegan here -- we do actually spend lots of time in Balboa Park! There are huge portions all along the edges that are just massive grassy areas shaded by giant trees where you can have picnics and barbecues and sunbathe. Plus, the architecture of the Prado (where all the museums are) and the flower gardens are so beautiful, even locals come back regularly to walk around. Add in restaurants, the world's best zoo, theater/cultural events, and annual festivals, and it turns out there are a lot of reasons for locals to be there. I do agree with other commenters though that the lack of transit and oversupply of parking is atrocious. I think we need to tear out the stretch of 163 that cuts through the park and replace it with the lake that was there when the park was built in 1915.
@@thelonelyphish totally! The 94 is a great candidate for a lid and the 163 could be too. Although I think 163 is small enough through Balboa Park that it could really just be removed.
@@trevorhill7468 that section of the 94 between grant hill and golden hill is absolutely deserving of a lid. A new park above the 94 bridging the two neighborhood sounds amazing, especially since the views of downtown are so good there
I studied for a while in Madrid and absolutely love Retiro. It has a great variety of open space and cultural attractions. I lived near the Moncloa metro stop, though, within a five minute walk of the Parque del Oeste, which is also an amazing place. It's a bit less grand but it was also quite large and certainly bucolic. Madrid has some great park action.
Also interesting that both St. Louis and Baltimore are independent cities from St. Louis County and Baltimore County. Otherwise the population, while still lower, would still be higher.
St. Louis has definitely got a highway network fit for a city of 1M but much of the local street network has been carved up, blocked off, or just removed in the time since the city began hollowing out towards the suburbs. Makes navigating via cardinal directions very difficult unless you know the major arterials and their wacky routing
Yes, Baltimore was also one of the five biggest cities for awhile. Had Patterson and Druid Hill on my master list for this video, but they didn't quite make the cut.
@@jspihlman 100%. Plus I think that’s a big reason for them being among the highest rates of crime. White flight took away all of the tax revenue from the middle and upper classes, leaving behind high infrastructure costs with a poor tax base. Hopefully it will work to their benefit in the medium to long term as people move back into cities and want that urban environment. Great bones and potential.
I live in San Diego. I enjoy Balboa Park 90% of the time for its many … MANY attractions. Obviously the Zoo, Air & Space Museum, Natural History, and Museum of Us, but also Ruben H Fleet, international village, and of course the little train model museum. I will admit, I use it mostly for its tourist activities. But there are still many spots of garden and large open patches of grass to enjoy a bbq or picnic! I used to run cross country in the far north-east section of the park called “Morley Field” which borders north park neighborhood, and you’ll see a classic park filled with locals. I think most people resort to Mission Bay for their recreational activities and day-to-day leisure. A large man made bay and lagoon, home to Belmont Park and Sea World, but also vacation island, crown point, de anza, fiesta island, and Bonita bay… where the tourists don’t go as often.
Wow, I was not aware of almost all of the parks listed! The ones in Vancouver and Portland caught me off guard, nevertheless it was surprising to see how sprawling they were. And as a San Diego resident, I couldn't imagine Balboa as a park since I'd always thought of it as almost like the National Mall of San Diego. There are loads of parts packed with vegetation but up until now, I always seem to overlook them for the attractions. This vid gave me a whole other appreciation for my home park!
I expect the cities with the best transit systems also have the best transit for tourists. But just in case that isn't true I'll suggest a video on cities where it is easiest for tourists to navigate. When I go to city I want to be able to get an affordable hotel(so avoid downtown) but be able to travel easily to and from sports arenas, museums, etc each day. Love the videos!
I’m honoured that Toronto’s High Park got an honourable mention! Toronto itself doesn’t have a singular urban park that stands out, but its vast interconnected ravine system with many deep forested valleys and trails, attractions, etc are a true urban gem.
I was surprised High Park didn't make the list considering the criteria. There's two different subway stops and two streetcar routes, wooded areas to "get lost" in, the big pond, a pool, gardens, kid's play areas, etc. Not too touristy, not overly programmed. I wish he said what exactly was that was missing.
@@Nouvellecosse to be frank, High Park just isn’t anything special. I would’ve given an honourable mention to Mont Royal Park in Montreal or Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver before mentioning High Park. It also loses points in terms of centrality.
Did you forget about the Toronto Islands Park? It's very beautiful over there. There are beaches, an amusement park, a farm, food & drink, rental boats, a walker's paradise & a killer view of the city. Access is by the ferries that run every few minutes from the terminal at foot of Bay St. at Queen's Quay.
@@masterseems8005 I love the Toronto Islands but it would really lose points here due to the ferries. Every few minutes sounds disingenuous, unless you’re referring to water taxis too. Regardless, a proper fixed link like a pedestrian bridge or tunnel to the park itself would greatly improve access and probably put it on this list.
Let's be honest, we all expected Central Park to be number one. Though the park is straight up gorgeous and you do feel like you're not in a city at times, it gets points off in my book because I feel bad for the community that they tore down and forced out for the park's construction called Seneca Village. That's why my favorite NYC park is Prospect Park. It's big, it has plenty of subway access, it has a museum, botanic garden, and zoo, it's part of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway and it's of historical significance as a site for the Battle of Long Island during the revolutionary war. Not to mention I attended the 2013 Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play event there and saw a Big Time Rush concert so yeah, it really is a great place to be. But as someone who used to live in Jersey City, Liberty State Park is my personal favorite urban park. It has a science museum with a cool planetarium, a conserved rail terminal, perfect bird-watching place, and you get a great view of the Statue of Liberty. And historically it was the site of one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history in 1916 where the Germans sabotaged supplies being sent to the Allies. This was one of the reasons for the US entering WWI. It also means something for my family because when the park opened on July 4th, 1976, they got the boy and girl scouts of the city to raise 50 US flags. My uncle raised the one in front of the Interpretive Center and the flagpole is still there today! It's incredible how all of that was once industrial land
Please visit ST. Louis sometime and check out the zoo. It frequently rivals San Diego and it's *FREE*. :) We also have old remnants of World Fair architecture that's over 100 years old.
Thanks for all the great videos and content, I absolutely love your channel! Unfortunately you really did miss an obvious one in this video…Mount Royal park in Montreal! Integration with the city on all sides, on a beautiful mountain with scenic views of the city, numerous subway and bus connections on most sides, a mountain top lake with benches for reflections, trails galore, and a French Chalet to top it off. When the leaves change in the fall it looks like a postcard. Montreal is truly a top 10 great North American city with a park to match, I’m honestly surprised it doesn’t make more of your top 10 lists, you should check it out!
@@CityNerd awesome! IMO one of the finest subway systems around. Make sure to check out Old Montreal, botanical gardens, 1976 Olympic center (which is now an insane workout amenity open to the public), Jean-Talon, and the many great neighborhoods near McGill. The train to Quebec City, though slow, is pleasant and QC is a phenomenally unique city and definitely worth a visit, happy travels!
@@CityNerd be sure to check out the new REM light metro system. Prob one of the most underrated rapid transit projects in NA right now and is very close to completion (first segment opening this fall 2022).
I have always lived around Balboa Park since I lived in San Diego. Hillcrest, North Park, and now in Golden Hill. I am only a few blocks away to the south east part, there is trails and small parks around the golf course and other parts. Balboa Park area isn't just Balboa Park, but Morley Field, 28th Street Park, Golden Hill Park, the open space all along 6th Ave in Bankers Hill, it is a space I use, walk through, and yes... enjoy driving through.
I find it kind of amazing how rarely Montreal shows up on any of these lists. Parc Mont-Royal may not be accessible by public transit like these parks, but it has such beautiful city views, water features, the ability to get lost in nature, plus the east entrance "great staircase" pretty much butts right up against downtown and the McGill campus while entering from the north drops you off right in plateau. Did this park cross your radar? Can you comment on where it fell short on your criteria?
The issue with most things in Montréal is that they're almost perfect, but not quite there. The metro should be bigger, the central park (Mt. Royal) feels a little lacklustre, the old city is not as authentic feeling as Quebec City's, our museums don't really have anything worthwhile except for the occasional temporary exhibit, La Ronde could really use a clean-up, . Montréal is a cool city, with much to offer to its residents, & I miss it a lot (lived many years there), but it disappointed me in how everything it did was "almost great." It's a city that I find is unable to properly compete with others of a similar size.
There is a section in Grant Park Chicago in the Millennium section that is quite amazing. It’s a garden celebrating the Midwest prairies. It’s filled with indigenous plants so it attracts a lot of birds. What’s extraordinary is that this very small area is designed to silence the surrounding city so you really get the sensation of being on the prairies. Very well done.
I would love to see a video on the history of urban parks. Who was the first to come up with the idea of a city park? How did that idea permeate other cities elsewhere? What design features were important in early park design? Etc.
I’ve only been a San Diego resident for 6 months, but I’m at Balboa Park almost weekly! I’ll take my dog to one of the two dog parks, go for a walk on the bridle trails or for a run or hike. The museums are free occasionally for locals, and I’m going to my first show at the Old Globe next week. And yes, I did get an annual pass for the zoo!
Great list! Piedmont Park in Atlanta is excellent and fits all of the criteria too. Right in the heart of Midtown, designed by Olmsted, there’s a lake, botanical gardens, walking and biking trails, dog park, playgrounds, sport fields, fountains, and even a brewery. Connected to the Beltline, bus routes, and not far from two subway stops.
Worth a mention is Forest Park in Springfield, MA! It is a 735 acre park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It's very well connected to the city, thas tons of ons of ballfields, gardens, forest areas, a zoo, multiple large water features and no golf course! It is hands down the best urban park in any MSA of less than 1 million.
Of all City Nerd videos, I think this one has the most places I’ve personally been to. Big fan of Balboa, Prospect, Fairmount, and Central Park. My first time in Central Park was less than a year ago, and yeah it did not disappoint
Great list. Loved that you included Mexican cities and didn't do the "North America = US & Canada" thing. A few mentions of my own: 1. Hermann Park, Houston. For all that Houston is a sprawling mess as a city, Hermann Park is a *great* park. Good transit access from the light rail's central Red Line, world-class attractions with the Natural Science Museum and zoo, beautiful gardens, trails, and tons of water access, and well-integrated into the city with no freeways blocking access. Only bummer is that nearly half the park space is wasted on a golf course. 2. City Park, Denver. This one seems to tick a lot of your boxes on paper, with good attractions (Nature & Science Museum, zoo), ball fields, fantastic water access, trails, well-integrated into the city. I'll admit it's a little better on paper than it is in person though, the actual park has too much roadway and too many lawns and not enough natural beauty. Also, again a huge portion of it is wasted on golf. 3. Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ. Kind of an odd one that people don't think of very much when they think of NYC area parks, but it's got some attractions that are tough to beat, between the skyline views of NYC, views of the Statue of Liberty and close ferry access to both it and Ellis Island, a science museum, a rail transit museum (and who on this channel doesn't love that), and miles of trails along the waterside.
I think the golf course is probably what did it in for Hermann, even though it is a public course AND there is a cut-through trail to get your across the golf course if you do not want to go around... it also connects to the Bray's Bayou trail system as well as the Rice University running trail.
San Diego native here! I've commented before about being from California, but don't think I specified that before. Balboa Park is good stuff. It's improving, slowly: car-centric space in it is slowly being replaced with more pedestrian space, but what I think would really improve it is if a lot more of the parking was taken out and replaced with more stuff to do as well as actually good trolley service, plus if the golf course was replaced with something not stupid. But oh man, there's a reason I was expecting to see it on the list, even with all of San Diego's failings as a city. Things I've done at Balboa Park: * Gone to a wedding (and gotten rained on) at the Japanese Friendship Garden * Gone to plays and operas at the Globe * Watched a litter of servals grow up at the zoo cat nursery * Done science at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center * Observed the Earth's rotation on a sand pendulum thingy at the Natural History Museum * Gone to a lot of the other museums, including the Comic-Con Museum, which is actually really cool! * Seen concerts at the organ pavilion * Ran my first 5k starting and finishing outside the Air And Space Museum * Competed in a bunch of high school cross country racing around Morley Field, including one race where I puked afterwards and was subsequently spotted and remembered by a guy I didn't know at the time but would go on to be best friends with in college * Watched part of a track cycling event at the Morley Field Velodrome, back when I had no idea how track cycling worked other than "guy go fast" (oh who am I kidding, I still don't) And I'm not even from San Diego, I'm from El Cajon! That's way far.
I worked on a wedding at the upper part of the Japanese Friendship Garden where there was no rain all day until it suddenly started pouring about five or ten minutes before the end of the reception.
Thank you so much for your perspective and content. As someone that moved from Boston to Minnesota, I really appreciate that Como Park in Saint Paul has a free zoo, conservatory, a lake walk, forested walks, Japanese peace garden, a cafe that also acts as a farmers market, and a free amusement park for children. Given the size of the city, and some bust transit access and great biking access, it punches way above its weight in my opinion.
Bummed to see Hermann Park in Houston didn’t make even the honorable mentions. It has a zoo and many museums, it’s huge and well kept and right on the red line. And not too much golf (one public course). It’s pretty urban and shares a border (along Main Street) with Rice University. It really is a great park.
It also has tons of trails, a lake, a reflection pond, Japanese Gardens, the new(ish) Centennial Gardens, and is connected to all of the bike trails along Braes Bayou. Being sandwiched between Rice U, Medical Center (playground for all children), and the Museum District provides nice backdrops too.
I was thinking the same thing Houston has some truly slept on parks and green spaces Memorial Is amazing to get lost in and Buffalo is pretty awesome too.
Hermann is good (especially the Japanese Gardens) and is close to Rice and the Museums but it really can't compare to Memorial park which is a Houston gem.
Yes! Houston is not known for it's urbanism but some spots are absolute gems and make me feel proud to be a resident. Hermann park feels so safe and friendly, the performances, people playing soccer or frisbee, the occasional vendors, the pedal boats you can rent. The arboretum is great too and truly feels like a forest
I don't usually do this, but so many questions in the comments, so...here were the next ten:
11 Lincoln (Chicago)
12 High (Toronto)
13 Boston Common
14 Washington (Portland)
15 Zilker (Austin)
16 Mont-Royal (Montreal)
17 Lake (Milwaukee)
18 City (New Orleans)
19 Governors Island (NY)
20 Piedmont (Atlanta)
Kind of surprised Rock Creek Park in DC didn't make the cut. Too much golf?
No Hermann?? Por qué?
Was it the golf course? Hah
High park does not deserve to be that high. I love my high park, but as a centerpiece urban park, its a total embarrassment to most major US cities.
Presidio of San Francisco has EVERYTHING-very wild and rugged Pacific coastline, museums, bucolic meadows, Crissy Field (!), and excellent transit access. It belongs in the top 20.
Mexican cities are so underrated by people outside of Mexico! They have so much to offer in terms of amenities and cultural attractions
The museums in Chapultepec alone are incredible, let alone the ones outside the park.
Why is everyone in Mexico trying to run away to America?
As a Québécois who has been to Mexico for 1 month, 6 months and then another month and has traveled a good portion of Mexico, I have to say: Mexico is INSANE! So many walkable cities. Also, Bohemia Negra!
@@agatien
THE SOUTH OF UNITED STATES IS MEXICO
TEXMEX TEXMEX TEXMEX
Mexico City is so underrated
As a New Yorker, Central Park deserves all the recognition it gets. It may be a tourist draw, but locals truly love and get so much use out of the park. I’m really thankful I live within walking distance
And you can just go above 72nd St if the tourists really both you that much 😅
I couldn’t believe how expansive it was the first time I went to visit
It's okay, but as someone who spent a good deal of time there over many years before moving to Brooklyn, Prospect Park has all the features Olmsted & Vaux wanted to put into CP, but could not due to lack of space or budget. You can really get lost in the wonder of Prospect Park, and it's much quieter, which makes it relaxing.
No tourist in Riverside Park.
Van Cortland Park
As a Chicagoan, I'd probably give the edge to Lincoln Park over Grant Park. There are a lot of areas in Grant Park that feel rather desolate and unused. By contrast, Lincoln Park feels more heavily used and appreciated. It helps that the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Zoo, two of the major draws, both have free admission.
I agree that Lincoln Park is really more of a park, and Grant Park is more of an oversized urban plaza. I like Washington Park as well, though like a lot of stuff on the South Side it's underappreciated. The biggest issue with Lincoln Park is that it's a long walk from the 'L'.
Yeah, I figured there would be a lot of differing opinions on Chicago parks -- which kind of brings home the point of how well-provided the city is when it comes to those amenities.
@@davidburrow5895 Jackson Park, like Washington Park-- could be awesome if it weren't for the adjacent neighborhoods. Jackson has lagoons, the Museum of Science & Industry, a golf course, softball fields, and a canine obstacle course (set up in the tennis courts off Lake Shore Drive) called "Jackson Bark".
It's all about Humboldt Park for me. Just something about that park is so pleasant and it's never too crowded.
@@cactusfondler9989 i don't go to Humboldt because of the higher chance of crime than in Lincoln and Grant
As a Philadelphian, for me personally the crown jewel of the Fairmount Park system is Wissahickon Valley Park. Having a picturesque quiet forest river valley with hiking/biking/horse trails only 45 minutes by bike from city hall is just absolutely incredible. Especially since the Schuylkill River trail itself makes 3/4 of that ride almost as pleasant as the destination. At the height of the pandemic being able to hop on my bike and spend a couple hours alone in nature was a massive boon to my mental health.
Recently moved to philly and am excited to explore both of these parks
Wissahickon takes the opposite approach of Central Park. There's minimal human intervention. Few attractions or distractions. It's remarkable to have such a space in a major city. As you say, it was great escape during covid. May it stay forever wild.
This should have 1000+ more likes! Once covid hit, i had to spend the rest of my last semester in college online. Luckily i lived right across the bridge in cherry hill, NJ and went to wissahickon almost every weekend with my family. Sometimes i would drive during the week to run through the trails and just enjoy nature
MEXICO TEXAS FLORIDA ARE NORTH AMERICA
@@Astro2024
CHILE ARGENTINA
THE SCANDINAVIA OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
AURORA AUSTRAL
Fair assessment of our STL Forest Park. The only thing I would add, that maybe off-sets the golf issue, is that our world class Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center, and History Museum in the park are 100% admission free. Yes, there's lots of ways you CAN pay money at them (parking, food, special exhibits), but you don't have to. Along with the largest outdoor theater presenting musical theater that has 1500 seats that are 100% free (literally, you walk in and find a seat, that's it), it's an incredibly accessible park for all.
Mexico City resident here! I can't even begin to count how much time I've spent in Bosque Chapultepec and I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface. I'm glad it made the list--you're right, it truly is world-class.
I feel like Mount Royal Park in Montreal should have made the list, but I was so impressed you included CDMX and Monterrey. Totally world class parks!
I was going to say Mount Royal and Jeanne mance should def be on this list
Yeah with the pools
@@ninanievez
MONTAÑAS LAGOS FIORDOS NIEVE GLACIARES BOSQUES
CHILE ARGENTINA
LA ESCANDINAVIA DEL HEMISFERIO SUR
AURORA AUSTRAL
Love your channel and video subjects!
Being a DC resident, I feel like Rock Creek Park is probably the most underrated urban park in the US. Over 3 square miles of forest, fields, hundreds of miles of trails (paved and dirt), recreational fields and tennis courts galore, historical sites, the National Zoo (free to the public!), easily accessible from 2 metro stops and a plethora of bus lines on both sides, and as a bonus connects at its southern end to the National Mall right at the Lincoln Memorial. Can feel like you're miles outside the city getting lost in its trails. Was DC's superstar and savior during the pandemic!
This!!!! I was hoping he would mention it, yet it isn't really well known to non-residents anyway so not surprised.
Couldn't agree more! Rock Creek is without a doubt the best park in DC and it literally goes the entire length of the city! It should without be doubt be on this list.
Both Rock Creek Park and the Mall were big omissions. DC parks are really nice...
I was expecting Rock Creek to be top three so I was shocked when it was not only not mentioned at all but DC got a dishonorable mention. He’s clearly uninformed on the DC park scene. DC is definitely one of the top park cities in North America... Rock Creek Park, the National Mall, Glover-Archbold Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the National Arboretum, Meridian Hill Park are all fantastic outdoor spaces.
agreed! The Rock Creek Park erasure really hurt. And the mall is great too
I’m glad you evaluated on urban integration. I have had to explain this concept to so many people since I moved cities. I used to live in a city with extremely well integrated parks and as a result I spent a bunch of time there because my trip to the park could also be my meal or my trip to the grocery store. Plus, this means that lots of people will share my sentiment and there will be more energy and pedestrian activity there.
Exactly -- it's kinda squishy to explain, but so important!
When people often tell me they couldn’t move to NYC because there’s no nature it’s all concrete it’s often baffling because of not only those two parks, but also all the other tiny ones servicing smaller neighborhoods and the tree lined streets plus being able to get to mountains and hiking and the beaches and shores with a quick train ride.
Parks really are vital to a city!! Wish we had park requirements, not parking for buildings
Edit: lol for further evidence just look through the comments, thanks for proving my point y’all really making it easy out here
In NYC you live a life, everywhere else, you just exist.
I wish more people knew that JFK airport is directly adjacent to a huge wildlife refuge. Jamaica Bay is stunning, and really makes you forget you're in the middle of the biggest city in the country.
The suburbs are more concrete lol
Unfortunately a lot of the tiny ones serving smaller neighborhoods really are just concrete, glorified playgrounds or plazas really, where if there even is any greenery it's all fenced off. I am very thankful for the likes of Prospect Park and Fort Green park, though.
Flushing Meadows park is an embarrassment though. If you want to explore the whole park, you have to cross over THREE massive freeways, one of which has been totally useless for 60 years due to [edit:] I-678 (lol)
I live in San Francisco and like GG Park very much (just visited the arboretum and Japanese gardens yesterday). I'd use it more often if it weren't on the other side of town. The west and north sides of SF have lots of open space--GG Park, the Presidio, Marina Green, Sunset Beach, Lincoln Park, Fort Mason Center, Aquatic Park--but, sadly, the east side of th City is lacking in outdoor amenities, and the new developments there lack sufficient parks. Short-sighted!
Thanks for another great video. Your channel is what Utube is supposed to be (although I tried to read "Subdivision" and didn't care for it.). You are a reliable narrator and that is much appreciated.
Go Forest Park, STL! I agree that the golf course should go, but there is still a lot of space and I LOVE that historical museum, art museum, zoo, observatory (and connected science museum) in the park are completely free!!!
As someone who’s lived in both San Diego county and San Francisco, I think Balboa and Golden Gate should be swapped. Balboa has a TON of attractions, but the 5 and 163 freeways cutting it off from downtown (when there used to be large ponds in their place) force it to be something you have to drive to, granted Ik there are neighborhoods within walking distance and idk how those are. In terms of Golden Gate Park it’s MASSIVE and connects to TONS of different incredible neighborhoods within the city AND the beach without any major roads limiting accessibility and you really can get lost in there, I always see something diff. Balboa you end up in the same three key places. Also thanks for the mention of dolo park, it’s a party every weekend lmao
I said the same thing. That freeway at BP deserves some point deductions. And to @City Nerd, as an SF resident, yes I do go to GGP on weekends when I want the feeling of being out of the city sometimes, cultural events for other times. Beach access does give it a bump up too. Though some points off for golf, I admit.
I was fortunate to spend a few months near Balboa Park and walked my dogs there every day. The only disadvantage of living in the surrounding neighbourhoods would seem to be the sound of planes overhead although as a visitor I did appreciate the proximity to the airport.
I have fond memories of the smell of the jasmine on the paths to the buildings of different countries that went up for the World’s Fair.
Former Chicago resident here! Thrilled to see it on the list. Happy you mentioned Lincoln Park as I was a bit perplexed that Grant beat it. I guess it hit your criteria better on paper, but as far as the feel that you were going for Lincoln Park I think exemplifies your values far better. Beaches, a FREE zoo, probably more nearby residents and far better tranquility. I always found Grant to be visually stunning, but sliced up by too many roads to be pleasant.
Agreed! Lincoln Park feels like much more of an actual park than Grant Park, which functions like a huge event space. Doesn't take long to get between them with transit so I make use of both. I feel lucky to have access to so much great park space in the city!
@@isaacburgess1964 Totally! Both are great. Together, I feel like Grant Park is the front yard and Lincoln Park is the back yard, haha.
Grant needs all those streets to just... GO. It ruins the space and safety
Grant Park is all chopped up and while I do like that it's there, it's usually all sealed off for summer events. Millenium Park and Maggie Daley Park are both very nice too. It's too bad Dusable Lake Shore Drive cuts off direct access to the lakefront. Lincoln Park has more amenities and it's easier to meander and in tune with green space. It's also just enough set back from DLSD to let serenity in.
Yeah, I didn't have a good criterion for the sliced-up-ness that did bother me about Grant. Maybe should've done better on that.
I was born and raised in San Diego and Balboa park is an absolute cultural gem that everyone experiences, especially if you have children. There are tons of attractions nearby and very often people will use it in combination with visiting the attraction such as the zoo or the museums.
I can personally vouch for Forest Park in Saint Louis. There are no less than three museums and the zoo, all for free. That's my go to spot every time I visit Saint Louis.
I really enjoy how this guy has an appreciation for St Louis.
Always good to find someone who agrees with me about the golf. I could even compromise and only remove 9 holes.
Tower Grove Park is pretty awesome too.
Yeah Forest Park is great. So much to go and check out there with the zoo and museums. I knew the golf courses would bring it down a peg. That NW sector would be such a nice space if the golf course was removed. It’d get great use to being right next to WashU. Hopefully they do expand the rail because it’s super convenient along that East/West axis. Now if only there was rail access to Tower Grove Park (another good park) and South STL in general that’d be great.
@@ozarkharshnoisescene Yep, love Tower Grove
The Montreal parks system is stupidly underrated with Park Lafontaine, Mont-Royal, Jean-Drapeau, Jeanne-mance, Maisonneuve ... the list goes on. Disappointed there wasn't even a mention
As a Torontonian, I was also disappointed that Mont-Royal in Montreal did not get even an honorable mention. It is just an awesome urban park.
Yeah, I coulda mentioned it with Minneapolis-St. Paul and DC, where there wasn't a single park that jumped out, but the system as a whole is very good.
@@CityNerd I set aside my civic rivalry and defended Mont-Royal and did not advance the cause of the Toronto Islands Park for an honourable mention. I prefer the Islands to High Park, which you did mention. But based on the criteria you set out, no matter how nice the Toronto Islands are, I had to acknowledge that one has to line up and take a ferry that costs money to get to the Toronto Islands. The Toronto Islands were rightfully excluded. I have climbed through Mont-Royal from street level and will back any Montrealer who argues for it being a great park. I enjoy your channel very much and appreciate your approach. :)
@@Nunavuter1 Yeah, I'm also a Torontonian and I think Mont-Royal should be somewhere on this list. It's a fantastic park that's walkable from the Metro (if you don't mind a bit of a climb) and has good bus service otherwise, and it really forms the centrepiece of the city. It's a fantastic spot, and I always love heading up there when I'm in town.
This good conversation makes me think of a good side topic. Not top 10 beaches with transit (already nicely done (-:) but @CityNerd best urban river or harbor fronts.
For instance, always loved the Lachine Rapids when in Montreal as tourist (Class 5 rapids in a city!) or Baltimore’s inner harbor. Contrasting that to the largely inaccessible Hudson or East Rivers in Manhattan thanks to highways.
Need transit, access to water, boating and the river/harbor being an elemental reason why that city exists.
Agreed about golf and agreed about Central Park! EVERY time I go I discover new paths and feel like I'm not in the city
I'm so thankful that Fairmount Park was mentioned on here. The Fairmount park System Is something that Impresses all the time, I just love the fact that all of our parks and forests are connected. The Wissahickon or even Cobbs Creek is an awsome place to hike or immerse yourself in nature and feel like you've been transported to a different world.
Again, I'm so glad you mentioned us, I was really expecting our park not to be on the list, especially because like you mentioned, Fairmount park was nowhere to be seen on any urban park top tens or top twenties. Thank you!
Plus Bonus Points for proper pronunciation of Schuylkill! :-D
Pennypack Park in NE Philly is also an incredible park, with the beautiful Pennypack Creek running through it. And it's connected to the Montgomery County parks that line the creek.
As a former San Diego resident, I do spend quite some time in balboa park. Not like every day, but once every week or so, I’ll go visit. It’s a wonderful park with trails, gardens, and museums, and if you live nearby, it’s absolutely amazing. It is a bit touristy, but I don’t think most locals often visit the zoo or the museums, but rather take walks through the park
its one of the main reasons why I like visiting san diego, good mix of urban areas, park areas, beachs, and good vibes. stinks i cant afford to move there!
Good to hear!
I never walked to Balboa Park from downtown, but passing across the interstate doesn't look very friendly or safe.
There are tons of hiking trails that the tourist never go to.
My biggest complaint about the park is that they lets cars cut through the heart of the park.
I also with that the Trolley had a stop that was closer; it is a HIKE up the hill from the station.
My backyard nearly backs up to Balboa Park and we go into it all the time and consider it an extension of our garden. We have the pass that allows us to get into almost all museums (including the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Model Train Museum), season tickets at The Old Globe and also the zoo pass where we just go in for a walk amongst the amazing horticulture, water features and canyons. We also go mountain biking through Florida Canyon and swimming or play tennis at the Morley Field area of it. We feel amazingly lucky to have this gem of the City so accessible to us.
Not sure why Grant Park is #2, given that it's mostly a series of public plazas glued together, I think Chapultepec is way better, world-class museums, zoo, historical sites, amazing views, endless tracks, it's really the beating heart of Mexico City
I live in San Diego and almost didn't expect Balboa Park to get on this list because of the 163 and 5 running right through it. Also the amount of parking lots is slightly frustrating, but it still is an amazing place to walk around in even when not visiting the museums. I visit there quite often.
The city and SANDAG have big plans for Balboa.
Former resident, with family still there. If you (or a family member) belongs to a craft guild, or a folk dance club, or any of dozens of similar organizations, you would be in the park often. Parts are touristy, other areas are exactly the opposite. There is lots of parking, but it doesn't interfere much with the rest of the park.
And I agree 100% with your assessment of the Minneapolis parks. They're good, but just miss being "world class".
Once he listed transit for judging I immediately ruled out Balboa. I work there and commute by bike. But the future looks promising
I thought Balboa Park is great, but not for this transit-oriented park list lol
@@annablumenfeld2045 I ride my bike to Balboa from Spring Valley, I take the bus-bike lane on El Cajon Blvd.
It's not too bad except the lane is full of rim bending pot holes.
The Forest Park in St Louis is my all time favorite place to visit. I could literally spend day there since the Zoo, Art, History, and Science Museums there are free to enter. Plus there’s so much open space and shade from the sun to lay back and relax.
Shoutout to Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ. Meets a lot of the criteria here, including adjacent light rail access. Plus it has the world’s largest cherry blossom collection.
I honestly could've just done a top 10 of NY metro area parks
St. Louis has such an excellent urban framework and is therefore an amazing place to live- thank you for looking into it and showing it love. I think the main thing holding people back from moving into the city is the media perception. I have lived in the city without a car and have been perfectly safe and comfortable.
So nice to hear positive things about St. Louis. I grew up there and have many fond memories of going to the zoo, art museum, science center (all free btw), the Muny (outdoor amphitheater that puts on a great series of musicals each summer), etc. When I was older, they got really smart and restored a lot of the original features from the 1904 World’s Fair. They have a lovely boathouse and restaurant on the lake and improved walking trails and bridges. It’s too bad he did not find better photos/video of this beautiful park! I try and visit it every time I’m home…even in December. Though I agree whole-heartedly about the golf-course!
So true!
Having lived in NYC for over 40 years, Central Park is a true oasis. There are sections in which you forget you're in the city. The ponds and lakes feature boat rentals. There's a zoo, a carousel, ice skating rink, access to museums, dozens of places to grab a bite to eat, bike paths, horse trails, dozens of playgrounds, and a hundred of little alcoves and hidden treasures that charm and amaze. But the one thing that makes Central Park truly remarkable is the city's commitment to keeping it intact. Here you have over 840 acres situated on the most expensive real estate in the world, in the already tight borough of Manhattan (itself, only 22 square miles in area), and developers don't even try to build on it. It is simply understood that Central Park is NOT for sale.
Forest Park in St. Louis has THREE different golf courses... and STILL ends up at #7 on your list.
Goes to show how great this city park really is
Forest Park is the reason we bought a house here; and I don't play golf.
Thank you SO MUCH for including Forest Park and St. Louis again! You made some astute observations about StL in this video, it was built for almost a million people and has a third of that right now, but that is why it is so underrated and I feel it is only a matter of time until more people start to realize it and it has a huge resurgence. :} Ty again and great video as always!
I'm sure this applies to many other Rust Belt cities as well! Hopefully when more people move into the Lou we can get the young LRT you mentioned (the Loop Trolley) expanded and the golf courses removed from Forest Park lol
@@StLouis-yu9iz It does apply to other rust belt cities, but really StL more than any other, by a lot IMO
@@CityNerd Much Love! I wholly support your great work, it will help bring about the positive changes needed right now. ❤️
I also need to chime in about my hometown park- I attended Soldan HS about a mile north on Union Bl and was made to run around the whole whole park for track practice so many times, I memorized all the trails through it. The golf course is not a blockage. In most cases, you can simply cut through and just watch for people playing. The greens fees are very low and is very much a way for underserved portions of the population to be introduced to the game.
Also all of the attractions in the park are FREE thanks to the Museum/Zoo tax levied on both sides of the river.
Forest Park is truly a special place for me growing up
as a non golfer who frequented forest park, while i didnt love the golf courses theres so much else to the park and its never
too crowded. It's truly huge, and while not ideal theres some space for golf. It is annoying that i cant cut across greens tho
St. Louisan here. I'm glad Forest Park made it on your list despite its two golf courses. I also wish there was less car infrastructure in the park. But other than that I love our park. I think it's one of the things StL can be most proud of. All the museums and the zoo are free (even for non-residents), the Muny is an amazing venue on summer evenings regardless of what show is playing, and the park is big enough and the trails numerous enough that you can definitely get lost.
It's a smaller scale relative to these amazing parks, but Beacon Hill Park in Victoria BC (west of Vancouver) is an amazingly central and large urban park in the heart of the city, especially considering the city only has 400k residents. Next to the provincial museum, the main transit bus terminus, and abutted with a long oceanfront park with a mixed use trail and a dog park. Really lucky to have such a place to visit!
Not only is Washington Park station in Portland the deepest station in the US, it's also the deepest station in the WHOLE Western Hemisphere! And sixth deepest in general! Behind Arsenalna of Kyiv Metro, Hongtudi of Chongqing, Admirateyskaya of St. Petersburg Metro, Park Pobedy of Moscow Metro, and Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon of Israel Railways
These are the factoids I crave. Thanks, your gloriousness
The escalators at Admiralteyskaya are the longest I've ever seen. Very interesting metro system overall in that city.
Hongyancun on Chongqing Line 9 is 116 m below ground and deeper than Arsenalna's 105.5 m
Haha i just got off at it for the first time today and i was amazed how deep it was, neat to see a comment about it!
I definitely thought Piedmont Park in ATL would have made the list! There are so many pathways, fields, dog parks, some nice walking trails, recreational sports fields, and its attached to one of the best botanical gardens. Plus super accessible to residents in midtown and heavy rail transit lines.
It made the top 20 at least. My wife lived in Atl for a long time and talks about how great it is.
Same. Would have put them in the Top 5 just because how important it is to Atlanta. The Beltline (bike/walk) runs through it. Has about every activity imaginable (no golf!). Is in the heart of the city with tons of public transportation and residential in walking distance. And hosts some of the biggest free events in the country (Jazz Fest!).
This would entail something nice being said about Atlanta. 😅 But for real Piedmont Park is everything an urban park should be imho. Great transit connections with entirely new one on the way, it’s in one of the highest density neighborhoods in the entire southeast with a line of great mix of urban residential buildings for towers to early 20th century apartment blocks to row houses. It’s also one the cultural hubs of the city serving as a showcase of Atlanta’s diverse African-American urban culture and Atlanta LGBTQ+ culture. The only regret I have is moving away from the apartment I had that allowed me to attend every concert at Piedmont Park for free…from my balcony.
Like so much in ATL, it's a disappointment. Nowhere near as interesting as any of the places listed here.
Tough list to put together. Love that High Park got mention. Wonder about Mount Royal Park in Montreal. Toronto Islands. Ya. Tough list. Keen to visit Mexico city mostly thanks to you.
St. Louisan here. Was really pleased to see Forest Park make the list and I just wanted to comment on the "lives a lot bigger than its population" remark. I think you're mostly right in that it's partly because StL used to be one of the five biggest cities in the country and was building and developing like it was. But then StL City separated from StL County (ultimately a poor decision imo) which deliberately and permanently restricted the physical size of StL. Despite that, the population of StL continued to grow to over 800,000 and had a pop. density close to modern-day Chicago before finally starting to decline in the post-war decades. So I think for over 70 years the city had to build and develop for a very dense population and I think that's why the city of StL, even today, seems to "live a lot bigger than its population." Because of all that, I also think that StL city has more potential than many other US cities to become very walkable/bikable/transit-oriented.
Just found this channel and as a North Vancouver local I gotta say... Stanley Park deserves to be much higher on the list! It has play fields (tennis, cricket) and some other attractions (aquarium, performance spaces, totem poles, public pool, historic cannon) and has an incredibly diverse user base while still enough acreage that you can truly be alone and get lost if you want to. The lack of easy skytrain access doesn't deter anyone because of 1. good bike infrastructure throughout the city, so it's quite easy to bike there and 2. there are easily a dozen bus lines that can drop you off either within the park or a block away. The integration with the West End neighbourhood is fantastic. Not to mention, where else is there an urban park with multiple ocean beaches, mountain views, multiple lakes, beavers (for real!!) and trees that are hundreds of years old? Before I lived here I didn't realize how truly unique and special Stanley Park is, and I've traveled a lot throughout North America and Western Europe. :)
Yeah, Stanley Park being as low as it is is a major miss as a Vancouverite who now lives in New York and has been to some of the other parks higher up on this list. Just taking a look on Google maps and looking for features and cultural institutions doesn't do the uniqueness of it justice. I've also been to the Georgia Aquarium, which is a theme park masquerading as North America's largest aquarium, but I still prefer the Vancouver Aquarium.
It might have the most beautiful natural setting for a city park (personally, this isn't even debatable), but it's not as connected and useful to the whole city as Central Park.
That said, I was surprised it wasn't higher based on the sheer beauty of the place.
Yes, Stanley Park is enjoyed eventually by everyone in the area, from north van to surrey. It’s well integrated into the city and kept mostly natural, it’s a forest in the middle of the city, with the wildlife to go with it. Bigger and more beautiful than Central Park. After you visit a few times, it gives Central Park a run for its money. I’ve been to a few parks on this list and none gave me the awe and enjoyment that Stanley Park did the first time I biked around the seawall, or just drove through it to get to the bridge.
You and this channel have quickly become my only must watch channel. Keep up the fascinating content!
Forest Park St Louis is a beautiful urban park. You got this one right!
Plaines d'abraham/Plains of Abraham in the heart of Quebec City, right next to the historical part of the city is a good one. Very cultural with a scene being put up every summer, an art museum. Light Rail is coming this decade. There even is a castle, well more of a fortress and a few towers. Forgot to add it is very close to Cartier street to get your lunch or Grande Allée for a restaurant and night life.
Absolutely!
Par "scene" tu veux dire "stage" je présume ? :D Mais je suis complètement d'accord avec toi, ça m'a déçu que ni le Mont-Royal, ni les Plaines d'Abraham n'était inclus dans la liste.
@@jackfordon7735 une fois que Québec reçoit son tramway on en reparle. Je crois qu'il prenait en compte l'accessibilité par transit.
As a former New Yorker, I think Fort Tryon/Inwood Hill Parks in Manhattan are underrated (I’m counting them as 1 as they’re rather continuous). Home of the Cloisters, amazing views of the GW Bridge, great architecture, the only natural forest in Manhattan, surprisingly nice hiking trails, riverfront picnic areas, and transit access on the A and 1 lines. These parks get forgotten with Central Park, but I think they hold their own.
Just wrote a comment saying the same thing. Tourists don't usually head that far uptown so they get overlooked. Beautiful views of the Palisades too
Montreal has two parks that'd easily break Top 4 of this list. Quite surprised there wasn't even an honorable mention but Toronto's High Park was... lmao
- Parc du Mont-Royal (is surrounded by urban fabric, unique topography makes it visible anywhere in the city)
- Parc Jean-Drapeau (is an island next to downtown with a dedicated metro station and many attractions)
Maisonneuve too isn't a bad choice with the Pie-IX and Viau metro station.
I forgot about Jean-Drapeau, that's a great option, I just wish the did a better job with that Osheaga venue thing, too much concrete :(
yea i’m really surprised Mont-Royal wasn’t included. the metro system basically encircles it, along with the densest neighbourhoods, and you can get genuinely lost in some parts of it too. plus it’s heavily used in winter for skiing, skating, and sledding. it’s not even a purely tourist spot, everyone i know here goes there often for some activity or another
YES
Agreed, but given Ray's criteria, Parc Mont-Royal is missing some attractions (you can call the Molson Stadium a big plus and the Belvedere, but the chalet at Lac des Castors and the Smith House aren't really big cultural artifacts) and while there's ways to enter via the 80 bus on the Parc side, the 11, and the newer 711 bus that links PMR, the Oratory, and Mont-Royal and Snowdon metros, there's no direct Metro or other connections. (Wouldn't it be cool to have a REM stop?) It can be a very challenging park for people with physical disabilities (lots of hills and stairs, other than the main path, and esp. in winter), so the access issue is there as well.
If you consider it all one park, the whole Espaces pour la vie setup would be interesting, IF it were closer to downtown. Maisonneuve Park is a former golf course, so....it feels a bit flat, almost like a liminal space at times vs a more naturally wooded area, and it would need more formal spaces for citizen sports (soccer field, baseball diamond, a pool maybe?) But you have the Botanical Gardens, Insectarium, Planetarium, the Olympic stadium, Biodome, and Saputo stadiums right there.
@@jasonlangford6776 plus Jeanne-Mance is a go to spot for all students (basically extension of mont Royal)
I'm a big booster of Memphis, TN, and it's Mid-South region. A big omission here is Overton Park in Midtown. Home of Memphis Zoo, Overton Shell, an art museum (recently relocated) and old growth forest and manicured leasure areas. A few miles east is Shelby Farms, which is massive, but granted, significantly more suburban.
My wife & I just purchased an apartment in NYC after 13+ yrs of saving. We love city life and we bought one 5 street blocks from Central Park. When we told our friends about it, it was obvious that there are two types of people. Those who get it and those who just don't. We paid probably 10-20% more than we'd like because we get it. I also use the park as my commute route by bike into midtown & beyond.
best channel of its kind. I really loved living by Mount Royal Park in Montreal, I think it deserves a mention
I live in Minneapolis (of the Twin Cities.) Theodore Wirth Park is amazing - maybe wouldn’t fit your top ten, but is a huge park where residents can go to mountain bike, hike, cross country ski, play beach volleyball, and swim. Connected to the city by bus stops throughout!
Unfortunately our transit sucks and that was one of the criteria's for the list. If they kept the trollies around, Como would be on this list.
I think we just have to be ok with having a ton of really great parks and not one that satisfies everything on the list. I mean, the fact that you could bike from Battle Creek to Theodore Wirth almost entirely on trails is pretty incredible. You can even choose like 3 different routes depending on how many parks you want to pass through
I think the golf course was a strike against it. But I agree, it’s fantastic and when you add in the fact that it connects to all the city lakes in South Minneapolis and all the way to Hiawatha park via the Minnehaha Creek parkway, it makes for a world-class system. I guess that was sort of his point in our ‘honorable’ mention.
SO glad you mentioned Forest Park in St. Louis. I'm from St. Louis, and lived all over the world and can say that it is one of the best parks I've ever visited. Not only does it contain so many FREE world-class cultural attractions, but it is HUGE and the landscaping is just beautiful. I love how different and equally gorgeous it is during each of the 4 seasons.
wouldve loved to see mont Royal park in Montreal, but as usual great video!
I agree parc Mont Royal should have at least been an honorable mention.
Frick and Schenley Parks in Pittsburgh are exceptional and interface with the surrounding urban fabric. Both are also big enough to get really lost in and feel like you're far from city life. Schenley is also adjacent to major universities and museums (Pitt, CMU, Carnegie Art/Natural History Museum, Phipps Conservatory).
Good list, I live in St Louis and LOVE forest park. Never even really noticed the golf course since the park is relatively huge. I would add that the lovely zoo, art museum, history museum, science center are all free admission. Plus, the park features great trails, lovely creeks, a small lake that leads to to the mall with fountains where you can rent a paddle boat or kayak. Oh and it’s close to nice shops and restaurants in central west end. I Love many other parks on this list and want to see the rest. Thanks for the great content.
I'm surprised that you didn't mention Rock Creek Park when bringing up the National Mall in DC. I understand why it wouldn't meet most of your criteria, but it's truly a gem of the city. You mentioned the feeling of "getting lost," and I think it meets that criteria more than any urban park in the U.S. I think this is largely due to its status as a national park. It's also easily accessible from the Cleveland Park metro stop on the red line.
Yes, called it out, as well. Also, reasonably close to Dupont Circle & Woodley Park Metro Stations, as well. As parks go - literally in the middle of a major city - Rock Creek is amazing.
As a non city person living there for my partner’s schooling, it was what kept me sane. Went every day to walk the dogs for an hour, could really get away from people and feel like I was in nature.
100% right on. And it connects to the national zoo (another beutiful free zoo) pretty seamlessly. Lots of cool spots to take a break and get something to each. Great running or biking spots with Watergate, Kennedy center for the performing arts (architectural gems), the washington & Lincoln memorial greeting you at the end as a "reward" and the potomac river hugging your side.
Went to school in DC, always liked Rock Creek Park and Dumbarton Oaks. DC is on its way quite pastoral.
It really felt like he's never been to DC to not even mention it. It's not just one metro stop, either, but a mile walk or so from many of them. And that's to say nothing of the many other metro accessible parks in the area.
As others have said, Edmonton's River Valley park system is an interesting one, as it's the largest contiguous urban parkland in Canada. It does have golf courses (8 or 9 I think, depending on which ones you count), but three of them are publically-owned and open to anyone, and I think most of them have public paths either past or through them. It's also not super accessible by rail transit - there are multiple LRT stations near, but none exactly on it. Closest are probably Government Centre, Central, Stadium, and University; with the new Valley Line Muttart, Quarters, and Avonmore will join them, with Muttart being the best in that regard. In terms of density... well, it depends. Downtown, Oliver, UofA, Strathcona, and by Commonwealth Stadium are the densest areas by the park. But it's so big that it stretches out into the suburbs and rural parts too.
Another thing I like about it is that it doesn't just follow the river; there are also the ravines that break off from it and web their way deeper into the city, and the parks around those are often connected to the main park via paths. For attractions: a nature conservatory, public pools and recreation centres, an equestrian park, picnic grounds, lakes, museums, a historic streetcar and a "ferry" (both tourist-orientated), boating, Fort Edmonton, gardens, zoo, amphitheatre, playgrounds, an art park, beaches (Accidental being the most known), ski clubs, campgrounds, fishing, velodrome, and sports fields.
It's a different category of park, really, barely a park and more of a green space/natural area. Sometimes it's difficult to take advantage of it fully because it is so "wild" in many places, but that also means you can go hiking from your back door. I'd love to see a video on Top 10 Urban Green spaces, along these lines. I've also seen people do 100 km+ bike rides in Edmonton's river valley, the Henday-to-Henday loop is a real challenge!
@@ccccccccitrus Once the pedestrian bridge up in the north end at 167 Ave is done, the possible loop will be extended even more.
Not that I can cycle anything like that far...
I lived in San Diego for 16 years and loved going to Balboa park. I think something that needs to be realized is the part of the park you highlighted is really on half of it, with the other half (called Morley Field) being a lot more like a normal park with really nice sport complexes. It's a good balance that makes it a nice park for tourists and residents.
For a couple of years in my very early teens (11-14) I lived within walking distance in a neighborhood called South Park which was genuinely amazing. The walkability gave me so much freedom and despite only living there for a couple of years it's the part of my childhood I remember most fondly and have the most memories of relative to the time lived there.
Rock Creek Park in DC is great. While run by the NPS, it has a bunch of attractions such as the zoo, a host of trails and biking paths, and is metro accessible. It’s also huge!
I was flabbergasted by the omission. Not only can you get lost in it, but it's accessible from different Metro stations as it runs up the District of Columbia.
But it's not really metro accessible. It's a long walk from the red line, except for the zoo, and then it has too much traffic going through it, it's almost impossible to get away from the car noise.
I'd put Stanley Park as #1 because I'm such a big fan of the Pacific Northwest scenery. It's definitely #1 for feeling like you're in a national park in the middle of the city.
Stanley park should be higher on the list for sure.
One of my favorite urban parks is Hunters Point South Park in Queens. It has decent access to the subway, commuter rail, and even the NYC Ferry.
I almost felt like I should give honorables to Queens and The Bronx too since they tend to be underrated boroughs overall (not Staten Island haha)
The whole waterfront in Hunters Point is great, and fully integrated into the city.
As a transplant to St Louis, I concur that Forest Park is a real gem in the city. Well used AND greatly under-acknowledged by the natives.
2 points here about DC…
1. Rock Creek Park is fantastic!
2. The tidal basin + the national mall has trails that take you away from the hustle of the city. The Area around the FDR memorial is serene
Great content as usual!
Forest Park in Saint Louis is one of the best urban parks in the United States. This park spans 1326 acres and can be accessed by 3 train stations and by multiple bus lines. The History Museum, the Art Museum, the Zoo, the Science Center Planetarium, and the Muny outdoor theater is located in the park. Forest Park has waterways that allows people to take a pedal boat or canoe on. The Grand Basin in front of the Art Museum is very beautiful. There are baseball fields, tennis courts, golf courses, and soccer fields in the park. The southwest part of the park is feels like a real forest that you can get lost in nature. There are over 6 miles of bike trails. There are also miles of jogging trails as well.
It’s a travesty that bi state isn’t running the forest park explorer right not. It’s to big of a park not to have a dedicated bus to get from one side to the other quickly
Forest Park in St Louis and Piedmont Park in Atlanta are my two favorite urban parks in the US.
As a Philadelphian, I'm thrilled that Fairmount park made the list. I remember going to the huge Kelly Pool decades ago as well as a several concerts as a child (Mann Music center), and Norah Jones concert as an adult, as well as the Please Touch museum as a parent, and countless cookouts in the park. This really only scratches the surface of what is a very multifacted and I feel like underutilized park in Philly.
Yeah, it's a real asset.
Totally agree (I also live in Philly). And if one considers Wissahickon Valley part of Fairmount then you're adding 50 miles of wooded trails to the mix. A true treasure!
Parque Fundidora is such a great addition to the city of Monterrey. It's worth a visit for anyone that has never been. They are doing things right in the state of Nuevo Leon, minus the whole water shortage issues. 🤣
As someone who lives two blocks from Golden Gate Park and has the N Judah pass by the front window of my bedroom I was super excited to hear both given a shoutout in this video! You truly don’t exaggerate when you say GG park has everything - boating on lakes, sports fields, botanical gardens, museums, an aquarium, buffalo, beach access, Japanese tea gardens, etc.
I live in LA and I had no idea there was even a golf course in Griffith Park. I guess that just shows you how big it really is. Pre-COVID there was a free shuttle that went between the LA Zoo and Observatory on the weekends. Wish they would bring that back and have more transit (like banning private cars, making it only a bus/delivery lanes up to the observatory).
The DASH Shuttle runs from the Metro B Line (Red Line) Station at Sunset/Vermont to the Observatory 35-50 cents.
@@mitchbart4225 Yes! I came down here to comment this. That Dash bus is for whatever reason a really nice bus, it's always extremely clean and pleasant and for a negligible price. When I take people from out of town to the Observatory, the bus feels more like a "ride" than "transit". It's this fun little scenic tour and you get to laugh at all the parked cars you pass on the way up to being dropped off at the foot of the observatory.
I walk to Griffith Park every day. It’s my absolute favorite park I’ve ever lived near. Blows Boston Common (lived in South End for 11 years) out of the water. The Hollywood station isn’t far if you enter at Fern Dell if you don’t mind walking uphill.
Same I don't think I remember ever seeing a golf course at Griffith. I think it might be on the valley side of things? The only con for me is you can't ride your bike on most of those trails & sometimes they close the trails to film even after filming was done.
Wow I am suprised to see no mention of the Presidio of San Francisco. There’s no other park in the world where I’ve felt so removed from the city I was in, but also surrounded by endless attractions and museums. The legion of honor, disney museum, countless SF history museums, the literal Golden Gate Bridge, endless art installations.
I would put this at #2 behind central park
When the CityNerd bell rings I come to watch!!
You hit the nail on the head about golf courses. As a St. Louisan, Forest Park really is the crown jewel of the city. Having not 1….but 2 different golf courses within the park really is a poor use of space.
ROCK CREEK PARK, WASHINGTON DC.
Also, look up the James River Park System in Richmond, VA. Richmond has wonderful green spaces
I have a vague memory of visiting family friends in Richmond as a small child and feeding ducks. Does the James River park system have ducks?
San Diego native here, don`t live here anymore but going there with my family tomorrow, growing up we would visit quite often.
Hey! I can see my old apartment in Madrid! Muchas gracias for the shout-out for El Retiro!
As an aside, the design of El Retiro really set the tone for development of other parks throughout Madrid and Spain as a whole, i.e., a truly multi-activity space to encourage as many people to enjoy the space as possible.
As you can tell, I love El Retiro -- I only wish I'd shot footage while I was there, but who knew I'd have a fun UA-cam channel way back in 2019?
I'm surprised Montreal doesn't get at least an honorable mention; 3 parks in the city meet those criteria: Mount Royal park, LaFontaine park and Jean-Drapeau park.
Plus Mont-Royal was designed by the same person as central park.
The lack of museums hurts Mount Royal Park on this list. I was there on Boxing Day and I really don't think you can find a more idyllic urban winter scene anywhere.
I adore the Battlefield Park in Quebec City which does have a museum.
Would love to see a list of your personal picks for urban parks with the most potential: parks that are a bit underwhelming but are in a great location or have good history and just need a little love
I live in STL and Forest Park is definitely awesome. Tower Grove Park is another great urban park in the city, and I’d also give Carondelet Park an honorable mention. No shortage of awesome parks here!
Oh I haven't been to Carondelet -- will have to check it out. Love Tower Grove and the botanical garden.
I gotta give a shout-out to Mount Royal park in Montreal. Probably only deserves an honourable mention at best but the views are spectacular.
Love seeing positive twist on Milwaukee and the true professionalism expressed in all of your videos!
Native San Diegan here -- we do actually spend lots of time in Balboa Park! There are huge portions all along the edges that are just massive grassy areas shaded by giant trees where you can have picnics and barbecues and sunbathe. Plus, the architecture of the Prado (where all the museums are) and the flower gardens are so beautiful, even locals come back regularly to walk around. Add in restaurants, the world's best zoo, theater/cultural events, and annual festivals, and it turns out there are a lot of reasons for locals to be there.
I do agree with other commenters though that the lack of transit and oversupply of parking is atrocious. I think we need to tear out the stretch of 163 that cuts through the park and replace it with the lake that was there when the park was built in 1915.
I didn't know there was a lake there! Yes to ripping out any and all urban freeways, including this.
I saw another comment or recommend a lid on the 163 and I couldn't agree more, but also the botanical gardens are amazing, I love em
@@thelonelyphish totally! The 94 is a great candidate for a lid and the 163 could be too. Although I think 163 is small enough through Balboa Park that it could really just be removed.
@@trevorhill7468 that section of the 94 between grant hill and golden hill is absolutely deserving of a lid. A new park above the 94 bridging the two neighborhood sounds amazing, especially since the views of downtown are so good there
163 is not needed even as long as SD remains car-centric; plenty of parallel routes exist. 94 and 5 should be lidded.
I studied for a while in Madrid and absolutely love Retiro. It has a great variety of open space and cultural attractions. I lived near the Moncloa metro stop, though, within a five minute walk of the Parque del Oeste, which is also an amazing place. It's a bit less grand but it was also quite large and certainly bucolic. Madrid has some great park action.
I can't wait to go back
Baltimore was also built to be a bigger city. If STL, BAL, and DET all grew back to larger sizes they'd be the best in the country from that planning.
Also interesting that both St. Louis and Baltimore are independent cities from St. Louis County and Baltimore County. Otherwise the population, while still lower, would still be higher.
Let's not forget Buffalo, NY. Well planned city originally designed to be much bigger than its current size.
St. Louis has definitely got a highway network fit for a city of 1M but much of the local street network has been carved up, blocked off, or just removed in the time since the city began hollowing out towards the suburbs. Makes navigating via cardinal directions very difficult unless you know the major arterials and their wacky routing
Yes, Baltimore was also one of the five biggest cities for awhile. Had Patterson and Druid Hill on my master list for this video, but they didn't quite make the cut.
@@jspihlman 100%. Plus I think that’s a big reason for them being among the highest rates of crime. White flight took away all of the tax revenue from the middle and upper classes, leaving behind high infrastructure costs with a poor tax base. Hopefully it will work to their benefit in the medium to long term as people move back into cities and want that urban environment. Great bones and potential.
I live in San Diego. I enjoy Balboa Park 90% of the time for its many … MANY attractions. Obviously the Zoo, Air & Space Museum, Natural History, and Museum of Us, but also Ruben H Fleet, international village, and of course the little train model museum. I will admit, I use it mostly for its tourist activities. But there are still many spots of garden and large open patches of grass to enjoy a bbq or picnic! I used to run cross country in the far north-east section of the park called “Morley Field” which borders north park neighborhood, and you’ll see a classic park filled with locals. I think most people resort to Mission Bay for their recreational activities and day-to-day leisure. A large man made bay and lagoon, home to Belmont Park and Sea World, but also vacation island, crown point, de anza, fiesta island, and Bonita bay… where the tourists don’t go as often.
You could do a top ten list of Frederick law Olmsted parks!
Wow, I was not aware of almost all of the parks listed! The ones in Vancouver and Portland caught me off guard, nevertheless it was surprising to see how sprawling they were.
And as a San Diego resident, I couldn't imagine Balboa as a park since I'd always thought of it as almost like the National Mall of San Diego. There are loads of parts packed with vegetation but up until now, I always seem to overlook them for the attractions. This vid gave me a whole other appreciation for my home park!
I expect the cities with the best transit systems also have the best transit for tourists. But just in case that isn't true I'll suggest a video on cities where it is easiest for tourists to navigate. When I go to city I want to be able to get an affordable hotel(so avoid downtown) but be able to travel easily to and from sports arenas, museums, etc each day. Love the videos!
I’m honoured that Toronto’s High Park got an honourable mention!
Toronto itself doesn’t have a singular urban park that stands out, but its vast interconnected ravine system with many deep forested valleys and trails, attractions, etc are a true urban gem.
I was surprised High Park didn't make the list considering the criteria. There's two different subway stops and two streetcar routes, wooded areas to "get lost" in, the big pond, a pool, gardens, kid's play areas, etc. Not too touristy, not overly programmed. I wish he said what exactly was that was missing.
@@Nouvellecosse to be frank, High Park just isn’t anything special. I would’ve given an honourable mention to Mont Royal Park in Montreal or Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver before mentioning High Park.
It also loses points in terms of centrality.
It’s a hub for terrorist cops. No thanks.
Did you forget about the Toronto Islands Park? It's very beautiful over there. There are beaches, an amusement park, a farm, food & drink, rental boats, a walker's paradise & a killer view of the city. Access is by the ferries that run every few minutes from the terminal at foot of Bay St. at Queen's Quay.
@@masterseems8005 I love the Toronto Islands but it would really lose points here due to the ferries. Every few minutes sounds disingenuous, unless you’re referring to water taxis too.
Regardless, a proper fixed link like a pedestrian bridge or tunnel to the park itself would greatly improve access and probably put it on this list.
Let's be honest, we all expected Central Park to be number one. Though the park is straight up gorgeous and you do feel like you're not in a city at times, it gets points off in my book because I feel bad for the community that they tore down and forced out for the park's construction called Seneca Village. That's why my favorite NYC park is Prospect Park. It's big, it has plenty of subway access, it has a museum, botanic garden, and zoo, it's part of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway and it's of historical significance as a site for the Battle of Long Island during the revolutionary war. Not to mention I attended the 2013 Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play event there and saw a Big Time Rush concert so yeah, it really is a great place to be.
But as someone who used to live in Jersey City, Liberty State Park is my personal favorite urban park. It has a science museum with a cool planetarium, a conserved rail terminal, perfect bird-watching place, and you get a great view of the Statue of Liberty. And historically it was the site of one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history in 1916 where the Germans sabotaged supplies being sent to the Allies. This was one of the reasons for the US entering WWI. It also means something for my family because when the park opened on July 4th, 1976, they got the boy and girl scouts of the city to raise 50 US flags. My uncle raised the one in front of the Interpretive Center and the flagpole is still there today! It's incredible how all of that was once industrial land
Please visit ST. Louis sometime and check out the zoo. It frequently rivals San Diego and it's *FREE*. :) We also have old remnants of World Fair architecture that's over 100 years old.
Thanks for all the great videos and content, I absolutely love your channel!
Unfortunately you really did miss an obvious one in this video…Mount Royal park in Montreal!
Integration with the city on all sides, on a beautiful mountain with scenic views of the city, numerous subway and bus connections on most sides, a mountain top lake with benches for reflections, trails galore, and a French Chalet to top it off. When the leaves change in the fall it looks like a postcard.
Montreal is truly a top 10 great North American city with a park to match, I’m honestly surprised it doesn’t make more of your top 10 lists, you should check it out!
I had Mont-Royal in my next ten! It was tough to displace anything I had on my list. I plan to visit Montreal soon, by the way!
@@CityNerd awesome! IMO one of the finest subway systems around. Make sure to check out Old Montreal, botanical gardens, 1976 Olympic center (which is now an insane workout amenity open to the public), Jean-Talon, and the many great neighborhoods near McGill.
The train to Quebec City, though slow, is pleasant and QC is a phenomenally unique city and definitely worth a visit, happy travels!
@@CityNerd be sure to check out the new REM light metro system. Prob one of the most underrated rapid transit projects in NA right now and is very close to completion (first segment opening this fall 2022).
I have always lived around Balboa Park since I lived in San Diego. Hillcrest, North Park, and now in Golden Hill. I am only a few blocks away to the south east part, there is trails and small parks around the golf course and other parts.
Balboa Park area isn't just Balboa Park, but Morley Field, 28th Street Park, Golden Hill Park, the open space all along 6th Ave in Bankers Hill, it is a space I use, walk through, and yes... enjoy driving through.
I find it kind of amazing how rarely Montreal shows up on any of these lists. Parc Mont-Royal may not be accessible by public transit like these parks, but it has such beautiful city views, water features, the ability to get lost in nature, plus the east entrance "great staircase" pretty much butts right up against downtown and the McGill campus while entering from the north drops you off right in plateau. Did this park cross your radar? Can you comment on where it fell short on your criteria?
I was also thinking about the Parc Jean-Drapeau, very accessible with the metro and has few museums.
I think the 80 Parc. 11 Parc-du-Mont-Royal, and the 165 Côte-des-Neiges buses all go right past it.
Yeah, I looked at it -- the transit access was kinda disqualifying, like it was for Griffith in LA. Doesn't mean it isn't great park, though!
The issue with most things in Montréal is that they're almost perfect, but not quite there. The metro should be bigger, the central park (Mt. Royal) feels a little lacklustre, the old city is not as authentic feeling as Quebec City's, our museums don't really have anything worthwhile except for the occasional temporary exhibit, La Ronde could really use a clean-up, .
Montréal is a cool city, with much to offer to its residents, & I miss it a lot (lived many years there), but it disappointed me in how everything it did was "almost great." It's a city that I find is unable to properly compete with others of a similar size.
After watching many videos, suffice to say that this channel does find Montreal interesting in any way. It's all about NYC or St. Louis. 😋
There is a section in Grant Park Chicago in the Millennium section that is quite amazing. It’s a garden celebrating the Midwest prairies. It’s filled with indigenous plants so it attracts a lot of birds. What’s extraordinary is that this very small area is designed to silence the surrounding city so you really get the sensation of being on the prairies. Very well done.
I would love to see a video on the history of urban parks. Who was the first to come up with the idea of a city park? How did that idea permeate other cities elsewhere? What design features were important in early park design? Etc.
I’ve only been a San Diego resident for 6 months, but I’m at Balboa Park almost weekly! I’ll take my dog to one of the two dog parks, go for a walk on the bridle trails or for a run or hike. The museums are free occasionally for locals, and I’m going to my first show at the Old Globe next week. And yes, I did get an annual pass for the zoo!
Great list! Piedmont Park in Atlanta is excellent and fits all of the criteria too. Right in the heart of Midtown, designed by Olmsted, there’s a lake, botanical gardens, walking and biking trails, dog park, playgrounds, sport fields, fountains, and even a brewery. Connected to the Beltline, bus routes, and not far from two subway stops.
As someone who grew up near Balboa Park in SD, yes I was there a lot as a kid. Great spot to ride bikes through, play ball, or chill.
Worth a mention is Forest Park in Springfield, MA! It is a 735 acre park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It's very well connected to the city, thas tons of ons of ballfields, gardens, forest areas, a zoo, multiple large water features and no golf course! It is hands down the best urban park in any MSA of less than 1 million.
Of all City Nerd videos, I think this one has the most places I’ve personally been to. Big fan of Balboa, Prospect, Fairmount, and Central Park. My first time in Central Park was less than a year ago, and yeah it did not disappoint
Great list. Loved that you included Mexican cities and didn't do the "North America = US & Canada" thing. A few mentions of my own:
1. Hermann Park, Houston. For all that Houston is a sprawling mess as a city, Hermann Park is a *great* park. Good transit access from the light rail's central Red Line, world-class attractions with the Natural Science Museum and zoo, beautiful gardens, trails, and tons of water access, and well-integrated into the city with no freeways blocking access. Only bummer is that nearly half the park space is wasted on a golf course.
2. City Park, Denver. This one seems to tick a lot of your boxes on paper, with good attractions (Nature & Science Museum, zoo), ball fields, fantastic water access, trails, well-integrated into the city. I'll admit it's a little better on paper than it is in person though, the actual park has too much roadway and too many lawns and not enough natural beauty. Also, again a huge portion of it is wasted on golf.
3. Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ. Kind of an odd one that people don't think of very much when they think of NYC area parks, but it's got some attractions that are tough to beat, between the skyline views of NYC, views of the Statue of Liberty and close ferry access to both it and Ellis Island, a science museum, a rail transit museum (and who on this channel doesn't love that), and miles of trails along the waterside.
I think the golf course is probably what did it in for Hermann, even though it is a public course AND there is a cut-through trail to get your across the golf course if you do not want to go around... it also connects to the Bray's Bayou trail system as well as the Rice University running trail.
I guess the question is did he look at the other North American Countries or just do USA Canada Mexico.
Born and raised in San Diego. I was happy to see Balboa Park. I have many good memories there. It’s a fantastic park and many locals regularly visit.
San Diego native here! I've commented before about being from California, but don't think I specified that before. Balboa Park is good stuff. It's improving, slowly: car-centric space in it is slowly being replaced with more pedestrian space, but what I think would really improve it is if a lot more of the parking was taken out and replaced with more stuff to do as well as actually good trolley service, plus if the golf course was replaced with something not stupid.
But oh man, there's a reason I was expecting to see it on the list, even with all of San Diego's failings as a city. Things I've done at Balboa Park:
* Gone to a wedding (and gotten rained on) at the Japanese Friendship Garden
* Gone to plays and operas at the Globe
* Watched a litter of servals grow up at the zoo cat nursery
* Done science at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
* Observed the Earth's rotation on a sand pendulum thingy at the Natural History Museum
* Gone to a lot of the other museums, including the Comic-Con Museum, which is actually really cool!
* Seen concerts at the organ pavilion
* Ran my first 5k starting and finishing outside the Air And Space Museum
* Competed in a bunch of high school cross country racing around Morley Field, including one race where I puked afterwards and was subsequently spotted and remembered by a guy I didn't know at the time but would go on to be best friends with in college
* Watched part of a track cycling event at the Morley Field Velodrome, back when I had no idea how track cycling worked other than "guy go fast" (oh who am I kidding, I still don't)
And I'm not even from San Diego, I'm from El Cajon! That's way far.
I worked on a wedding at the upper part of the Japanese Friendship Garden where there was no rain all day until it suddenly started pouring about five or ten minutes before the end of the reception.
Thank you so much for your perspective and content. As someone that moved from Boston to Minnesota, I really appreciate that Como Park in Saint Paul has a free zoo, conservatory, a lake walk, forested walks, Japanese peace garden, a cafe that also acts as a farmers market, and a free amusement park for children. Given the size of the city, and some bust transit access and great biking access, it punches way above its weight in my opinion.
Totally agree: it’s a great park. Big golf course though, which was a negative for this list.
@@LordKlektar You're absolutely right on that, I definitely would rather have more trails/community space than a golf course for sure
Bummed to see Hermann Park in Houston didn’t make even the honorable mentions. It has a zoo and many museums, it’s huge and well kept and right on the red line. And not too much golf (one public course). It’s pretty urban and shares a border (along Main Street) with Rice University. It really is a great park.
It also has tons of trails, a lake, a reflection pond, Japanese Gardens, the new(ish) Centennial Gardens, and is connected to all of the bike trails along Braes Bayou. Being sandwiched between Rice U, Medical Center (playground for all children), and the Museum District provides nice backdrops too.
I was thinking the same thing Houston has some truly slept on parks and green spaces Memorial Is amazing to get lost in and Buffalo is pretty awesome too.
Hermann is good (especially the Japanese Gardens) and is close to Rice and the Museums but it really can't compare to Memorial park which is a Houston gem.
Yes! Houston is not known for it's urbanism but some spots are absolute gems and make me feel proud to be a resident. Hermann park feels so safe and friendly, the performances, people playing soccer or frisbee, the occasional vendors, the pedal boats you can rent. The arboretum is great too and truly feels like a forest
Nice to see Fairmount Park get some love! It really is a great park that is accessible to nearly everyone.