Teardrop Park

One of those hidden gems of NYC. I went here based on a list of quiet places one can find in the city. It did not disappoint.
The greenery was lush, and I was not expecting the large jutting rock formation with a tunnel at its center. Even more unexpected was the metal slide behind it! I unabashedly stepped in line with the parents and their kids because why not?
You have to walk a couple blocks from the nearest train stop to get to it, but one would expect some kind of journey to find any escape from the bustle of Manhattan.

In my opinion, this is easily the best park in New York City. It’s secluded, spacious, and hidden from the tourists somehow. At first glance, you might consider the space unimpressive, but that’s great, because it keeps people from coming here. When all you need is some well-​kept grass to sit on while reading a book or getting some sun, Teardrop Park is the way to go. I don’t usually find myself in the Battery Park area other than for work, but whenever I’m in the area, I always make sure to give this place a visit.
There’s plenty of places for kids to play, including the super long slide. In general, the park’s clientele does trend towards families and large groups of children. That being said, it’s never been über-​crowded, so anyone who’s looking for just a peaceful, secluded trip to the park can easily do that. I’ve spent many days here just hanging out with friends and only a few couples and families here and there walked by.
The only thing that sucks is that you can’t really bring your dog here to run around, so make sure you take that into account. Also, it can be confusing to get to, given its vicinity to a number of high-​rises, and you might think that it’s a private park, but it’s not at all.
I realize the irony of writing this review while also wanting to keep this park more or less a hidden gem, but after my recent visits, I just felt I had to share.

My little brother loved this place !!!
The long slide is AMAZINGGGG !!!

Amazing little park. An absolute must if you have kids 5+. There is a huge metal slide and a small water area. Just be prepared for the kids to get messy. The slide dumps them into a large sand area.
There is a restroom if you walk towards the water (river, not the play area). This park is not dog friendly!

Best playground ever when the water is turned on. Keeps my 7 year old entertained for 5+ hours. Bring water guns and a bucket.
Water is generally on Memorial day through end of September.

A dream
My only wish is that all these parks that cost so much money were placed in neighborhoods not so well to do. There is a park in Chinatown that is like walking into China that is always filled with children’s voices. The water part of the park does not even work. Chinatown has one of the most dense people per room of any part of the city. Oh well just «A dream»

A little wonderland in the urban haven known as Battery Park.

It is like small Action Park for kids tucked discretely between high rises. Yes your children will get scraped climbing the hundreds of huge stones or careening off the giant slide but it is well worth it. Bring a swimsuit to play in the natural looking sprinkler area (there are huge rubber buttons on the stones to turn on the water). If you are pushing a stroller you may have to double back. But the park is worth the trip. (We took the ferry from NJ and would do it again)

Pure serenity

When you wanna step off the streets and into nature but don’t wanna make the commitment of going along the Hudson, this is an awesome spot (and even when your train of thought isn’t quite that nuanced and you just wanna kick back). I’ve been past a few times before and somehow never thought to duck in, but it’s certainly a nice little refuge from the faux bustle down here.

I found this perfect park when I was studying at the BPC Public Library. While I took a break to re-​energize, I walked outside and seek fresh air, devoid of surrounding chaotic noise. Let’s agree, without a car or NJ transit ticket, fresh, peaceful air sounds impossible to find on a hot, summer day in Manhattan. Filled with wishful thinking, I walked towards the Hudson to find a tree and bench, and I hoped for the best. If by «best», that means «the best», then I found it. Who knew?
As I walked through the initial row of trees, I may have just as well walked through the wardrobe doors, because I entered Narnia.
I didn’t find a tree, I found vast greenery filled with trees, plants, and shrubs, intermittently adorned with bright flowers. I didn’t find a bench, I found enough benches to comprise stadium seating.
I found a small playground with a huge slide.
I found huge stone structures… wait, I thought I was in Narnia. Was this Stonehenge? My original wish for air and peace was simple but so desperate. Was this park just a mirage to answer my desparity? I decided that the vision of a glorious, peaceful park was too serene to exist, without my knowledge, after residing in Manhattan for 9 years. A Teardrop fell to my cheek and I returned to the library.
Update: I returned the following day. My Narnia was real. Another Teardrop.

This park is right across from Battery Park City. It is quite small and has a loooong slide. Of course, it is filled with children all over. A lot of the kids play with mud so the slide has mud all over it. None the less, it is a cute little park and it’s fun to watch the kids run around.

I came across Teardrop Park a couple weeks ago while chasing a photograph. I looked around, no one seemed to be telling me «you can’t go in there» so I kept on walking and discovered the most darling hill with rock formations.
The park is hidden by some trees, surrounded by residential buildings and located away from the water which means there are far less people taking up grassy space. It’s a nice, slight, change of pace from it’s neighboring Rockefeller Park.
Would I spend another lunch hour or afternoon lounging in the sunshine at Teardrop Park. Absolutely.

This hidden parks is great find, off of Murray Street and across the way from Rockefeller Park. Not from the neighborhood? That’s ok — There are at least three parking lots within the same block as the entrance to Teardrop. Shake Shack across the street so you can feed your tikes and grab yourself shake (you know you deserve it). TP is famous for its ginormously long slide. But don’t be scared, even with water being dropped onto the slide, i have yet to see anyone get hurt. Water play area on higher grounds (behind the top of slide) accessible by ramp (if you have a stroller) or by stairs. Although the water area is a bit tiny for my taste and without shade but still beautiful and well designed.

Teardrop Park is party of Battery Park City’s parks. A local jewel!
It contains the most shrubberies, trees of a hidden oasis with a man made wall as a partition of the two paths. It is not a well known park, but provides temporary relief from the purgatory blazing heat and sun for shade during my brief visit. A natural setting of an outdoor garden of Teardrop Park and a ravine without running water. Seating areas are ample. This park is very quiet since it is hidden or at least not widely known even by native New Yorkers. The wall granite structure appears very natural to have inhabit many years of existence. The rock formation is simple and clean design. Surely no Frederick Law Olmsted landscape design, but close in the ravine setting.
Yes, there are yuppie high-​rise apartment complexes that surrounds Teardrop Park for it main inhabitants, but is open to be enjoyed by all.

Teardrop Park is part of Battery Park City so it really shouldn’t have a separate listing but since it does I’ll write about it (and mention it in my Battery Park City review). This park occupies a space between Warren Street and Murray Street and is surrounded by buildings. It’s broken up into 2 areas. The north area is dominated by a field and a path with benches around it. The south half is the really interesting half with densely vegetated walkways, shaded semi-​private sitting areas, and a large metal slide/​play area (I’m determined to find a time when there aren’t kids or witnesses there so I can try it out). The park in general has a really sculptural design element to it and is definitely worth going out of your way to check out despite it’s relatively small size.

Teardrop Park is probably one of the lesser known parks in a complex surrounded by tall residential buildings, let alone in Battery Park City. With its artistic style and aesthetically pleasing to the mind and eye, you can spend a whole day here without even realizing your in New York City. All the features are integrated into the park, making it feel very natural yet imaginative, such as the children’s slide carved and installed in a piece of rock. There are also a couple sand pits as well as a mini-​tiered theater which I’m guessing little shows can be performed here for the kids. While the children play mostly in the south, in the north, just through a short tunnel through the rocks, is a large open grassy field with several benches surrounding it. A perfectly serene ambiance with lots of sun shining in makes this a great place to have a picnic. Throughout the park, you will also find short dirt paths, which irks you with curiosity. Although it will generally just lead you to the other side of a paved path, I find it very adventurous and imaginative.
One of my favorite things about this park is that the majority of people tend to go to the larger neighboring park, Nelson A. Rockefeller, which makes Teardrop Park a perfect place for some peace and relaxation. This park definitely deserves more credit than it has received and I hope you check out this park if you’re in the area.

This place did NOT used to look like this. But as much as I want to rail against the ridiculous yuppie high-​rises that sprang up all around in the last few years, they do a pretty good job of acting as huge, comfy mountains cradling this pristine little valley of grass and rock. Urban landscape indeed! Strangely, it reminds me of my days of building fortresses from sheets and chairs…
Also I found my first geocache here!
So here’s another addition to my [short] list of outdoor places in this city where one can feel nicely insulated.
Also: many points for proximity to the nicest public bathroom in the city, in the Solaire (one of said yuppie high-​rises).

One gorgeous, Sunday afternoon the boo and I decided to take an adventure to Teardrop Park, which a friend had reported as being «very cool». The recommendation was coming from an urban forester, so we took it seriously. After getting a little lost, we finally found our way… and man. It was nothing like what I expected.
Teardrop Park is filled with shady walkways that feature tree top arch ways, gorgeous stone, and plenty of places for your children to get injured. It’s so utterly tranquil… I had no idea there were any little parks like this in New York City. I was shocked by the wonderful usage of space.
It seems like they haven’t completed work on the park, but despite that there are still plenty of places to plant your bum and enjoy a little oasis in the city. The foliage is lush and green, with the exception of several berry covered bushes, which apparently boast gorgeous white flowers in the spring.
For the kids, the park does promise more than injuries. There is a gigantic metal slide that really forced me to resist pushing kids out of the way to get my joy ride. There are several sand pits, and since we are in seemingly sterile TriBeCa, I don’t think that stepping on a used syringe is something you have to worry about. I can’t say enough good about this place, and it’s early in the morning. Just go. You won’t be disappointed.

Teardrop is one of NYC’s hidden treasures — it’s not easy to find, but it’s worth looking for. It has a terrific, long slide and an area for water play that looks like natural geysers.