Fact: New Yorkers often need some fresh air and a change of scenery. Also fact: not everyone has time to jaunt off to the Hudson Valley for the day. We get it.
Enter: the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, where you’ll feel a world away perusing this grand museum of plants. A wonderland for everything that grows, the New York Botanical Garden features more than a million plants over 250 acres.
Visitors can take a seasonal walk of the grounds to see what’s in bloom, or head inside to explore the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, home to A World of Plants exhibit. The conservatory showcases the NYBG’s living collections in lush tropical rain forests, cactus-filled deserts, curated displays of palms from around the world, aquatic and carnivorous plants, and more. On-site, there are two restaurants, one of which is takeout friendly for picnics — plus, an amazing gift shop where you can show some #plantlove to the NYBG with a souvenir. Inside or out, there are plenty of spots to hide away from it all.
Seasons of Operation, Hours, and How to Get to the New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10458. From NYC and its boroughs, it’s accessible via B, D, 4, or 2 trains; but even easier is the Metro-North Harlem local line, 20 minutes to Botanical Garden Station from Grand Central.
The New York Botanical Garden is open year-round, Tuesday to Sunday, and select holiday Mondays; hours are typically 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Other Things to Do, Eat, and Drink in the Bronx
Many New Yorkers never make it to the Bronx (except, perhaps, to attend a baseball game at Yankee Stadium). That’s a travesty, because the overlooked borough has serious cultural clout. For one thing, it’s the birthplace of hip-hop culture, and will soon be home to a massive hip-hop museum. It won’t be open until 2023 though, so until then, the Bronx Brewery is a great place to pay homage, whose backyard hosts hip-hop dance parties like The Boogie Down Classic and their Summer Done Right concert series.
The Bronx is also home to City Island, a quaint maritime island full of old Victorian homes, squawking seagulls, salt water filled air, a marina full of colorful boats, and enough seafood restaurants to stuff your face for days. Speaking of food, the Belmont section of the Bronx is what’s fondly referred to by New Yorkers as “the real Little Italy.” Unlike Manhattan’s tourist trap version of Little Italy, the vendors in and around Arthur Avenue are the real deal — it’s home to many authentic Italian restaurants and shops that have been family owned and operated for generations.
