Outside in Upper East Side

The park sits on a deck built over the FDR Drive between 84th and 90th, so the promenade along the top looks straight out at the East River and Hell Gate with the traffic running underneath and out of sight. The walkway is called the John Finley Walk and it continues south to 81st Street. Gracie Mansion is at the north end. There are benches the whole way and the wind off the water is the point.

Daily, 6am to 1am. The playground closes at 9pm from March to October and 6pm in winter

The ornamental pond just inside Central Park at Fifth and 74th, where people sail model boats. Kerbs Boathouse on the east side was built in 1953 and rents the boats to walk-ups, with races on Saturday mornings from about ten. There are benches all the way round and the Alice in Wonderland group is at the north end. The boathouse opens at half past seven and runs to dusk.

Boathouse daily, 7:30am to dusk. The park itself, 6am to 1am

A small park east of York Avenue on 77th, on the block called Cherokee Place, stepping down toward the river, with an outdoor pool and a playground and benches under the trees. It is the closest green space to Bohemian National Hall by a wide margin. There is nothing scenic about the approach and the park itself is a genuine relief from the avenues.

Daily, 6am to 1am. The outdoor pool runs 11am to 7pm in season, closed 3pm to 4pm for cleaning