Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Paley Park is a favorite spot to many in Midtown. It is a thoughtfully designed and well kept pocket park at 3 East 53rd Street that is nestled comfortably between buildings. It is, by anyone's definition, rather tiny, but has nonetheless been called one of the world's best urban parks.

A true oasis, Paley Park is just barely removed from the street, yet it can feel a world away. Street noise is dampened by ivy-covered walls and drowned by gentle rushing of the waterfall fountain. Sunlight is gently dappled by the airy foliage of honey locust trees.

Every piece of the park is intentionally engineered for aesthetic efficiency, from the precise mix of light and sound aloft, right down to the unadorned iron gate and moveable wire chairs and granite tables, which allow for organic occupation of the space by visitors. Opened in 1967, Paley Park was designed by renowned landscape architect Robert Zion, who gleaned inspiration from the alcove gardens of Paris to create a new model of public green space in New York City.

This Midtown landmark makes the perfect spot to enjoy lunch, a coffee, and a good book, or just escape for a moment from the street. When visiting Paley Park, be sure to also stop into the lobby of 530 Madison Avenue, next door. The office building's lobby is an artistic extension to Paley Park, and it features five panels of the historic Berlin Wall.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Modern urban oasis. Fountain. Public picnic tables.

Cons

Very heavily used.

Features

ADA accessible
Picnic tables

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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