Brooklyn’s Oasis: A Guide to Prospect Park

Brooklyn’s most popular park is an enchanting green space that’s full of surprises. On this walking tour, I’ll bring to life the story of New York City’s Prospect Park, while you take in the unforgettable architecture, unique history, and idyllic beauty that have made it a top destination. Our tour begins in the heart of Brooklyn at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial. You’ll wind your way along one of the eight roadways that leads to the park’s magnificent entryway, Grand Army Plaza, and its incredible fountains and sculptures. Since the mid-1800s, it’s transported pedestrians from the hustle and bustle of the city into the serene surroundings of Prospect Park. Once in the park, you’ll hear about its founders, architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, as well as those who continue to enjoy it today. As you traverse fields, forests, waterfalls, and the enormous Prospect Park Lake, I’ll share a few stories that only the locals know! Our tour wraps up in the Long Meadow (the longest unbroken meadow in any urban park in the United States) where you’ll find yourself surrounded by serene rolling hills and towering trees, at the foot of the Picnic House in Prospect Park. During the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to: • Visit the impressive Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch, a Roman-style triumphal arch dedicated to Abraham Lincoln and the soldiers of the Union Army • Walk past the outskirts of the Ravine, the only forest in all of Brooklyn, with its 150 acres of trees and animal habitats and find out how its waterfall was part of a restoration that mimicked historical photographs of the area • Take a splash in the Prospect Park Dog Beach • Learn about Prospect Park’s role as a Revolutionary War Battlefield • Behold Fallkill Falls and the Prospect Park Waterfall, two cascading waterways tucked in the heart of a massive metropolis • Teleport into the Nethermead, a tranquil meadow with breathtaking views and see the historic Wellhouse that used to feed all of the park’s waterways • Marvel at the Prospect Park Boathouse, a historic Beaux Arts-style structure on a picturesque lake, the Lullwater • Hear the timeless music of incredible composers like Mozart and Beethoven in the Concert Grove, through your headphones Whether you’re a long-time parkgoer or a first-time visitor, by the end of this 90-minute tour, I’m sure you’ll have had an unforgettable experience learning about this urban gem in the heart of New York City!

Price: £7.99 from VoiceMap