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Bryant Park, New York, NY

Photo: Jean-Christophe BENOIST, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicFreeFamily Favorite

Bryant Park

Between 5th and 6th Aves, 40th to 42nd Sts · New York, NY

Why you should go…

Bryant Park is a 9.6-acre green space in Midtown Manhattan, set behind the New York Public Library's main branch between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Entry is free, and so are many of the activities: ping pong, chess, shuffleboard, summer yoga and an outdoor Reading Room. Summer brings free Monday movie nights and picnic performances on the lawn. In the colder months the Winter Village takes over with an ice skating rink, and Le Carrousel offers rides.

  • #city park
  • #midtown manhattan
  • #ice skating
  • #winter village
  • #outdoor movies

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Bryant Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    New York Public Library

    Free

    Walk past the marble lions Patience and Fortitude to see the Rose Main Reading Room and a free exhibition of library treasures.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Date Night

    The Museum of Broadway

    $25–$50

    An interactive Times Square museum tracing Broadway from its beginnings to tonight's marquees, packed with costumes, props, and photo-ready sets.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Theatre & Events
    Family Favorite

    Aladdin (Broadway)

    $50+

    Disney's Broadway musical brings the magic carpet, the Genie, and Agrabah to life on stage.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    The High Line

    Free

    An elevated freight rail line reborn as a garden-lined park floating over Manhattan's West Side, with art and city views.

    1.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Central Park

    Free

    843 acres of lakes, lawns and leafy paths in the heart of Manhattan, rowboats, Bethesda Terrace, the Mall and more.

    2.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    The Battery

    Free

    Walk a 25-acre harborfront park at Manhattan's southern tip, with gardens, memorials and Statue of Liberty ferries.

    3.9 mi awayMore like this