St. Marks Church

Escape the summer heat along this scenic waterfront ribbon on Manhattan's west side, where tree-lined paths, river breezes, and sweeping views of the Hudson create the perfect backdrop for picnics, paddling, or simply watching the sun dip below the New Jersey skyline. Beyond the greenery, you'll find piers for fishing and kayaking, playgrounds for the kids, sports courts, and cultural venues hosting everything from outdoor concerts to art installations. It's your chance to breathe easy without leaving Greenwich Village behind.

An open space with a tradition of nonconformity, the park's fountain area has long been one of the city's popular spots for residents and tourists. Washington Square has been a center of the cultural life in New York since the middle of the 19th century. Artists of the Hudson River School, the country's first prominent school of painters, settled around Washington Square at that time. Samuel Morse and Daniel Huntington were tenants of the old University Building. (New York University once rented out studio space and residential apartments within the "academic" building.) Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Herman Melville and Walt Whitman contributed to the artistic climate, having notable interaction with the cultural and academic life of the university.

Union Square (also known as Union Square Park) is an important and historic intersection in New York City, located where Broadway and the Bowery came together in the early 19th century. Today it is bounded by 14th Street, Union Square East, 17th Street, and Union Square West. It is run and operated jointly by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as well as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.<br> In 1976, the Council on the Environment of New York City established the Greenmarket program, which provided regional small family farmers with opportunities to sell their fruits, vegetables and other farm products at open-air markets in the city. The most famous is the Union Square Greenmarket, held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between 8 AM and 6 PM year round. 250,000 customers a week purchase 1,000 varieties of fruits and vegetables at the market. The variety of produce available is broader by perhaps a factor of ten than what is found in a conventional supermarket.

Paddle out onto the Hudson River for free at this beloved Greenwich Village waterfront hub. The all-volunteer nonprofit offers walk-up kayaking every weekend and holiday (9am–6pm, last boat at 5:30pm), plus Thursday evenings (5–7pm, last boat at 6:30pm). It's an easy, no-experience-necessary way to explore NYC's harbor and connect with the water.