Anna G Says RELAX: 5 Free Relaxation Spots in NYC

It can be really hard to live in New York City, sometimes, guys.  And if you’re anything like me, you have a hard time giving up, making really major risky decisions, and resisting to bite off way more than you can chew.   Because of such pigheadedness, sometimes your body and brain decide, without your consent to “jump ship”, if you will.  And instead of taking a long walk off a short pier, you should instead pay a visit to a local spot,  just to sit for a minute and work it all out, or just get a chance to think about nothing at all for once.

But where can one go?:

1) Grand St & River St. in Williamsburg

If you walk all the way west on Grand Street and you pass Aurora, you’ll find a tiny little park right on the water with a few benches and rocks.  There usually aren’t too many people around, and you even have the option to lay out vs just sit down on a bench, which as we all know, are reserved for homeless people.

2) DUMBO

Whether you go to the park, or pay a visit to Jacques Torres or any of the other little specialty food and furniture shops around here, the decrease in volume, people-wise is sure to make you feel a little more zen.

3) Greenpoint, Brooklyn

If you have a friend here, you should definitely visit them.  Sometimes the streets are so quiet, I could swear I’m in the Midwest.  Also, Franklin Street is truly the least stressful shopping experience you will ever have in your life.

4) Chelsea Piers area & The High Line

OK, so Chelsea Piers and the boardwalk areas can be a little cheesy, but sometimes it’s nice to take a walk on a breezy sunset along the water, and maybe make your way up into the High Line Park, and pretend you live in some sort of Eloi/Morlock alternate universe.

5) Greenwood Cemetery

As perverse as this sounds, it’s actually quite nice to walk around this huge cemetery and see all the old crypts and such.  They even have a pond!  It’s just so quiet around there, I can’t help but feel compelled to relax.