Prospect Park

Revolutionary War sites and memorials, an historic 18th century home, hiking trails, a zoo, and plenty of expansive lawns to kick back and relax — all this and more can be found in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Planners broke ground in 1866 for this 585-acre site, which was designed by renowned architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, developers of New York’s other famous urban oasis—Central Park. Prospect Park features the pair’s signature limestone archways, magnificent entrances and bucolic meadows beloved of their Manhattan creation, but without the maddening crowds.

Still, a diverse group of Brooklynites live near the park and take advantage of their borough's green space. It's not uncommon to see Bangladeshi families with women in colorful saris pass Hasidic families in head-to-toe black, or to pass the tantalizing aromas of a Latino group enjoying a BBQ picnic while men from the Caribbean and West Africa play soccer.

The park also offers four nature trails that take hikers along meadows, through Brooklyn’s last forest, up historic hills, through a rugged ravine, across a gorge and past beautiful streams, waterfalls and ponds. The country’s first urban Audubon Center, located on the east side of the park in the Boathouse, leads regular wildlife and birding tours. Prefer to explore on horseback? You can, with a guided ride (starting from $37 for an hour) from nearby Kensington Stables.

From spring through fall, you can’t miss the beat from the Congo Square Drummers Grove, a gathering since 1968 of musicians and dancers from Brazil, the Caribbean, West Africa and elsewhere, jamming each Sunday from 2 p.m. until sunset near the Parkside Avenue/Ocean Avenue entrance.

In summer, the organization Celebrate Brooklyn runs concerts and performance arts events at the Bandshell for the wallet-friendly suggested price of just $3 for most shows, or $20 for special events.

Historic Sites

The Battle of Brooklyn, the first major battle of the Revolutionary War, took place in August 1776 and included an area that is now Prospect Park’s East Drive. Troops under George Washington’s command tried to stop advancing British and Hessian soldiers. They failed, yet Washington’s remaining men escaped, thanks to the sacrifice of a Maryland unit. Today there’s a Maryland Monument at the foot of Lookout Hill and commemorative plaques on the eastern side of the drive to mark significant battle sites.

One of the earliest settlements in Brooklyn, the original Lefferts Homestead was burned days prior to the Battle of Brooklyn, but the family rebuilt by 1783, and the house was moved several blocks to its current location inside Prospect Park’s entrance near Flatbush and Ocean Avenues in 1918. The restored structure and surrounding yard, filled with 18th century antiques and implements, are now a free museum.

On the west side is Litchfield Villa, an Italianate mansion built in 1857 and reluctantly turned over to the Brooklyn Parks Commission when Prospect Park was being designed around it. Today it houses park headquarters and is open to the public weekdays.

Family-Friendly Sites

Across from Lefferts House in what is called Children’s Corner is the beautifully restored 51-seat Carousel, originally carved by Charles Carmel in 1912. Open Thursday through Sunda, the fee is $2 per ride.

Immediately to the north of the Carousel and Lefferts House is the Prospect Park Zoo, with more than 400 animals. Open daily, admission is currently $7 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children ages 3 to 12, although it was recently announced that prices will likely increase to $8 for adults and $5 for children later in 2010.

HelloMetro Tip: The park also has a Wollman Rink for ice skating in winter.

- by Donna M. Airoldi, New York Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Donna M. Airoldi

Donna M. Airoldi is a New York-based freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years experience covering travel, business and lifestyle topics. She's the former Editorial Director for TravelMuse, and has been published in Time Out New York, Travel & Leisure, TravelWorld International, Incentive, Successful Meetings, DNAinfo.com, and numerous other print and online publications.