Low-Key Spots Near Crown Heights For Outdoor Fun On Memorial Day
CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Prepare yourself for a Memorial Day unlike any other, thanks to social distancing measures to slow the new coronavirus' spread.
NYPD officers are poised to crack down on large gatherings, city beaches are closed and mask requirements will ensure bizarre new tan lines.
But many Brooklynites likely will want to spend time outside — and probably most-definitely lots of it — after weeks of being cooped up, coupled with forecasted warm weather and partly cloudy skies for Memorial Day.
Prospect Park has already been mobbed with sun bathers, cyclists and the less-than-socially distant, so finding a more laid-back spot is a must for anyone's coronavirus outdoor holiday wishlist.
So, Patch — with the help of some readers — compiled a list of low-key places in and near Crown Heights where it may (no guarantees) be easier to enjoy the outdoors this Memorial Day without running into large crowds.
Check some of the suggestions out below:
Anywhere In Prospect Park That Isn't The Long Meadow
Yes, we hear you — we just said the park is crowded. But it's also big and a true jewel in Brooklyn.
The Long Meadow lives up to its name with its near 1-mile length. When people complain about crowds at the park, they're likely talking about the groups seen gathering in the meadow.
Walk away from the meadow and you have less-conspicuous hiking trails, miles of them. The 0.5-mile Waterfall Trail has, yes, waterfalls — six of them, in fact. The Midwood Trail cuts through Brooklyn's oldest forest and the trees are spectacular.
All these trails start near the park's Audubon Center.
If you're looking to lounge out on a lawn, check out the park's Nethermead and Peninsula meadows or Nellie's Lawn. They're usually significantly less crowded than the Long Meadow.
But you know what? Just explore. The park is big enough to provide some escape from the crowds in its popular spots.
This suggestion comes courtesy of Patch editor and Ditmas Park resident Kathleen Culliton.
Locals have taken to picnicking and getting some sun on grassy medians in Ditmas Park's wide streets like Albemarle Road. The neighborhood often feels like an escape from the rest of New York City and offers plenty of room to stroll, find a nice grassy spot and plop down for a day.
Lincoln Terrace / Arthur S. Somers Park
This 21-acre park likely is familiar to people living along the Crown Heights and Brownsville border.
Who can argue with its spacious rolling hills, tree-lined paths? Especially when looking for a Memorial Day away from the crowds? Not Patch.
This park along Prospect Place is smaller than Lincoln Terrace Park and less geared toward athletics than nearby St. John's Park.
But don't sleep on it. Brower Park offers shade and nice, tucked away spots just off of its loop.
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This article originally appeared on the Prospect Heights-Crown Heights Patch
