Andrew’s Secret Midtown Garden
If you’re an experienced traveler, you know that the best way to uncover local secrets in new destinations is to solicit advice from the locals. New Yorkers walk, ride and bike their streets every day - which makes them the best source for untapped wonders.
Of course, with a city as beloved and well traveled like New York, secret spots are few and far in between. Still, each year we’re surprised to learn of a new ice cream shop, boutique or park that we’ve yet to have stumbled upon. For a visitor, the discovery is even more exciting because it offers the chance to experience the city like a true local.
Andrew, a WestHouse valet, has a passion for green spaces. When asked about what it’s like to live in a city while loving the outdoors, he admits, “New York is a concrete jungle, of course, but we are extremely lucky to have our fair share of communal parks here too.” He continues, “It’s very important to me to see nature every day. Whether that means walking through the park on my way home or having my lunch break by the river, I make it a priority to take advantage of the greenery the city has to offer.”
When we asked him which park in the city was his favorite, he hesitated to answer:
“Part of me has a hard time answering that question because there are so many parks here in the city that I love. Another part of me struggles to answer because the smaller parks that I love are great because they’re just that: small and rarely frequented by tourists. But the truth is that one of my favorite green spaces in the city is a small space called Greenacre Park.”
Greenacre Park is a privately owned but publicly accessible park just ten blocks from WestHouse on East 51st Street. The site is smartly divided into separate spaces with different features including a 25-foot waterfall, honey locust trees, azaleas and textural variation. Just last year it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sounds like the perfect escape for a city and nature lover.