The Quietest Spots in America’s Loudest City

The only thing crazier than a city that never sleeps is a sleepless city that gets a curfew. Like many of the world’s citizens, Americans were startled this past week when the first effects of the novel coronavirus took hold on civic life. For New Yorkers, that meant that their accustomed perpetual motion—on the sidewalks aboveground and the subways below—was put on hold.

But everyone needs a breath of fresh air sometimes, and more than six feet of space. In a concrete jungle, especially, green space can be a saving grace, offering an oasis amid the honking, hollering, and general clamor of the most populous city in the United States.

Central Park’s Sheep Meadow and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park may be a bit cramped, but fear not: Atlas Obscura has got you covered. Here are 10 patches of peacefulness to head to when you need to escape from your home, and from others, on your next walk.