Having said this, there are many other public parks in the United States that are worthy of praise and admiration too. And here they are:
Branch Brook Park, Newark New Jersey
Branch Brook Park is no doubt one of America’s best public parks and also one of the largest urban parks in the country. Branch Brook Park has beautiful grassy fields and lakes, but its main highlight are the thousands of cherry blossom trees (one of the largest collection of cherry blossoms in the United States).
There is no doubt that seeing the blossomed cherry trees is the main reason people visit Branch Brook in the first place. During the spring, the park hosts the annual free cherry blossom festival (April) and free outdoor live concerts during the summer. Another great thing about Branch Brook Park is that it's just a short half-hour drive from New York City.
Lincoln Park, Chicago Illinois
Lincoln Park is definitely, one of the nicest public parks you can visit in the States because of its fantastic location overlooking Lake Michigan. Lincoln Park is an awesome place to go for a fun day out with the family because of the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which are located right inside the park.
The best thing about Lincoln Park though it's the beach (North Avenue Beach), which is one of the nicest beaches on Lake Michigan. During the summer, the beach hosts volleyball competitions as well as the annual Chicago Air & Water Show.
Forest Park, Portland Oregon
Forest Park is located not far from downtown Portland and it’s one of the best public parks in America closest to a national park. Forest Park has all kinds of trails to suit hiking enthusiasts such as the 28-mile long trail called “Wildwood Trail”, which is the longest in the park. Saying this, the park has also easy trails, which are great for walking your dog or taking a short walk.
Forest Park's wildlife is another highlight...the park has many beautiful birds and other cool small mammals such as weasels, jumping mice and flying squirrels, which you can spot along your walks.
Bushnell Park, Hartford Connecticut
What’s not to love about Bushnell Park? This park was the first public park ever conceived in the US, though it's still in great nick! Bushnell Park is as historic as you can get and its old-fashioned 20’s carousel is one of the many pleasant sights in the park.
The great thing about Bushnell Park is that it’s located right in the centre of Hartford so it makes for a welcome retreat from the crowds of the downtown area. You can kick-back on the grass while enjoying a picnic and free music concerts, ride the carousel, walk your dog, or simply take photos of the sights like the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch.
Chastain Park, Atlanta Georgia
Chastain Park is located in North Atlanta and it's a beautiful public park that is certainly worth mentioning on this post. Chastain Park has one of the nicest kids' playgrounds any city’s public park would be proud of.
Chastain Park boasts a real friendly vibe and every Tuesday afternoon the community hosts a mini-picnic event (called Chastain Chill) for families where they play live music. By the way, Chastain Park is also behind the annual 4th of July parade and the arts festival (Nov 3-4), both of which are free to attend.
Discovery Park, Seattle Washington State
Discovery Park is without a doubt, another top contender on this list of America’s best public parks. If you're traveling to the Pacific Northwest region, you'll want to visit Discovery Park.
The park is a haven for seeing wildlife (i.e. seals, bald eagles, etc) and the park has miles upon miles of peaceful trails, which are a real joy to hike. One such trail is the Loop Trail, which takes you to a beautiful bluff (Magnolia Bluff) that offers amazing views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains of western Washington.
Cherokee Park, Louisville Kentucky
The city of Louisville does have its fair share of public parks within the city, though at a national level Cherokee Park is the very best!
Cherokee Park truly fits the title for “best recreational park in US” because of its many features such as the 2 mile-long paved trail for jogging and walking, huge grassy field areas for picnics and playing sports, dog parks, playgrounds for kids, pavilions, baseball field, sport courts, an archery range, a golf course…and the list goes on and on.
See. Beautiful American Lakes
Best Botanical Gardens in US
Places To Go in Michigan in the Summer
Popular National Parks in California
