But scattered in between and just beyond the city’s major parks are a number of other “secret gardens” that tend be shorter on people and long on charm and tranquility.

For those moments when you need to rest your feet, take a breath or just want to feel “in the know,” here are six secret gardens of New York.

1. The Garden at St. Luke in the Fields

487 Hudson Street
West Village

It seems a surprise awaits around every corner on the crisscrossing streets of the West Village, and this secret garden is one of the greatest. From the street, St. Luke in the Fields looks like any of the countless religious houses scattered throughout New York City, but behind its brick walls and wrought-iron gates is a sanctuary sure to put you into a meditative state, whatever your religious inclinations. At once meticulously tended and a teensy bit wild, this tiny green spot overflows with magnolias, petunias, daffodils and a whole host of other wonders that are as delightful to speak of as they are to see and smell.

Elevated Acre is a hard-to-find Downtown oasis. Photo: Garrett Ziegler

2. Elevated Acre

55 Water Street
Financial District

Long before there was the High Line, there was Elevated Acre, but the older, lesser-known park is far less likely to become overrun with crowds than the newcomer hotspot-in-the-sky. Originally built in the 1970s, the Financial District public space was remodeled in 2005—into an oasis with a lawn for lounging, wooden boardwalk for strolling and sweeping East River views for the ogling. An LED-lit tower makes it magical in the evenings, and come summer, it is the site of free events like music and movie screenings.

Related: Affordable hotels near Wall Street

3. Greenacre Park

51st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Midtown

Clocking in at just 6,000 square feet, this small-but-mighty “vest pocket park” is essentially the perfect urban space. Manhattan’s skyscrapers tower above a tiered park while a delicate light filters through the greenery and a rushing waterfall muffles the sounds of bustling Midtown. There is also an affordable café on premises, and even heat lamps for enjoying the park in cooler climes.

A waterfall in Midtown? Welcome to Greenacre Park. Photo: Randy Levine

4. Conservatory Garden

Fifth Avenue & E. 105th Street
East Harlem

Situated on the northeast end of Central Park, these six serene acres tend to have a whole different feel than the popular attraction that surrounds them. That is in part due to the fact that they make up the only formal garden in the park, in part due to the location up at 105th street, and in part because runners and cyclists are not allowed here. This combination creates a secluded feel, with shaded benches and hidden nooks perfect for settling in with a book. Be sure to wander through the whole thing to take in the different French, English, and Italian landscapes.

Related: Cheap hotels near Central Park

5. The Greenbelt

Staten Island

About three times the size of Central Park, Staten Island’s sprawling green wonder is two free adventures in one. First, there is the journey you’ll take to reach it. The free Staten Island Ferry offers fabulous views of the Manhattan skyline, plus an up-close-and-personal pass in front of Lady Liberty herself. Once on the island, bus S62 takes you directly to the Greenbelt and all its hiking trails, shaded nooks, and lookout points. Try climbing up Todt Hill, the highest natural point in all five boroughs (and a film location for the 1972 The Godfather).

Teardrop Park in Battery Park City. Photo: Jason Reibold

6. Teardrop Park

Hidden in Battery Park City, away from the busy bike lanes along the Hudson and shrouded by a handful of skyscrapers, resides a tiny stretch of wilderness. At least that’s what it feels like when you finally find Teardrop Park, which sort of has the feel of an unoccupied patch of ancient wild. Here, boulders, canopied trees and shaded paths reign, and even the slides built into rock walls and sprouting water fountains feel like they’ve always just “been there.”

The post New York: 6 under-the-radar (and free) parks to explore appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But beyond the bright lights of Broadway and behind the beautiful buildings lurk some of the city’s greatest treasures, just waiting for someone to stumble upon and enjoy them.

Here are seven hidden NYC spots you can enjoy without spending a cent.

1. Kenkeleba House

214 E 2nd Street
East Village

The unassuming Alphabet City building dates back to 1908 and is unmarked, save for the words “Henington Hall,” etched into the stone facade. Enter the plain doubles doors, and you’ll find a fascinating gallery and beautiful sculpture garden. True to its name, which refers to a West African plant that is said to possess spiritual powers, Kenkeleba features mostly African-American art. The owners, Joe Overstreet and his wife Corinne Jennings, have amassed more than 30,000 works over the years, and their exhibitions often explore the history, as well as emerging artists and experimental works.

2. The Daily News Building

220 E 42nd Street
Midtown East

Even in a city full of stunning architecture, the facade of 220 E 42nd stands out, and it is of no small consequence that its magnificent Art Deco carving has a larger-than-life feel: The title “THE NEWS” emblazoned above the bustling urban scene, refer to newspaper giant the Daily News, formerly headquartered here. But the facade is only the beginning of this building’s glory. Enter through the revolving doors to be amazed but the lobby to beat all lobbies. A massive, glowing globe floats in the center, slowly revolving underneath a gleaming black glass dome, with a compass of inlaid tiles shooting from its base, its bronze lines indicating the distance from New York to various international locations. (Movie fan bonus: In the 1978 Superman this was the headquarters of the Daily Planet).

3. Jefferson Market Library

425 Avenue of the Americas
West Village

From its “island” perch this red-brick, Victorian Gothic structure holds court as a beacon of the West Village, its arches, turrets and elaborate adornments lending a sort of fairy-tale quality to the neighborhood. Just as fantastical is the building’s interior, with its spiral staircase and brick-arched basement on the shelves of which fairy tales themselves now reside. The sun-drenched adult reading room is a pleasant place to pass a peaceful hour (or catch up on email using free Wi-Fi), and one mustn’t miss the idyllic garden.

A former courthouse and women’s prison, both library and garden hold much historical appeal as well: It was here that the murderer of famed architect Stanford White faced trial, as did Mae West when her Broadway play “Sex” was brought up on obscenity charges.

4. The Earth Room

141 Wooster Street
Soho

No matter what you feel about modern art, 280,000 pounds of earth 22 inches thick in a small room is truly a unique sight to behold—especially when that room resides in New York real estate space. Installed by artist Walter De Maria in 1977, this is the only one of the artist’s three Earth Room exhibits still in existence. Curators maintain it by regularly watering and raking the dirt , which results in a peaceful, forest smell (and sometimes the occasional mushroom). A few blocks up, you’ll find another unique De Maria installation: Broken Kilometer, an empty expanse of space marked by five rows of brass rods that play with your sense of perspective. 

5. The Whispering Gallery

Grand Central Terminal
Midtown East

One of the city’s most important landmarks, Grand Central Station houses a number of secrets but one its most fun attractions is hidden in plain sight. After gaping at the stately main terminal, make your way to the lower-level ramp. The archways in front of the Oyster Bar house an acoustic anomaly that allows you to speak into one corner, and a buddy in the corner opposite to hear you loud and clear.

6. The Random House Lobby

1745 Broadway
Midtown West

Yet another office building you aren’t ordinarily likely to enter, the headquarters of publishing giant Random House holds a major treat for book lovers. The ground-floor entryway is lined floor to ceiling with illuminated shelves housing the the publishing house’s acclaimed history—first editions of Random House books from Ulysses on up to Gone Girl.

7. Part of the Berlin Wall

520 Madison Avenue
Midtown East

No, you have not read that wrong. Five sections (roughly 20 feet long) of the Berlin Wall stand in an otherwise ordinary plaza between some Midtown office buildings. The Western side, which faces the plaza, is covered with a vibrant mural painted by German artists Thierry Noir and Kiddy in 1985.

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