Isn't it about time you got outside?
New York, as you know, is a great big city with lots of sprawling sidewalks and buildings that touch the ceilings of the sky.
But if you're getting tired of your city routine, remember: you're only human. Sometimes, New Yorkers need to chill out and go back to simpler times and landscapes.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of places located within the city limits that simply don't feel like the city.
We told you the first time around, and now we're back with part two, because we know how New Yorkers like to mix things up and find new favorite spots across the city.
So here are 8 more enchantingly beautiful places in NYC that don't feel like you're in the city.
(Be sure to bring a picnic basket, running shoes, a blanket, and your best pals.)
1. Wave Hill (the Bronx)
This 28-acre property in the Riverdale section of the Bronx is so much more than just a row of two historic houses.
Wave Hill is large and lovely, home to public botanical gardens located on Hudson Hill on the New York side of the Palisades.
At Wave Hill you can find gardens that feature various plants, such as aquatic, perennial, wild, and monocot species, paths of native-grown forest, and phenomenal views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades.
It's a great spot for quiet afternoon repose.
2. Inwood Hill Park (Manhattan)
If you want to experience part of New York's natural history before all the lights and glamour of New York City was born, look no further than Inwood Hill Park.
Located in the far reaches of Manhattan on the Hudson side, this gorgeous park will tell you more about the city than you thought you knew.
Inwood Hill Park is lined with wildflowers not typical to the city's other parks, amazing views of the Palisades, and some of the tallest trees you'd be able to find in Manhattan.
The park is also home to Fort Cockhill, a historic fort built by the Continental Army during the American Revolution. How's that for NYC history?
If that isn't cool enough for you, perhaps you'll enjoy exploring the caves and ridges left by glacier movement during prehistoric times. Or, maybe you'll love hiking or biking along the breathtaking Hudson River Trail.
3. Green-Wood Cemetery (Brooklyn)
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This incredible cemetery in Brooklyn is composed of 478 acres of pure magnificent beauty and stories of the cemetery's permanent residents.
You might not think of a cemetery as a place to visit and enjoy the natural surroundings, but that won't be an issue at Green-Wood Cemetery, a place that loves to celebrate its history and play up the beauty of the resting place of its inhabitants.
History buffs, take note: this spring and summer, Green-Wood Cemetery will host a Civil War memory exhibition to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the war.
4. Ravine and Vale of Cashmere, Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Prospect Park's beauty and formidable size could easily rival that of Manhattan's Central Park, but it's not all about the competition. Sites inside Prospect Park that are notably gorgeous are the Ravine and the Vale of Cashmere.
The Ravine in Prospect Park is Brooklyn's only forest, and it's a damn beautiful one at that, with 150 acres of shrubby woodlands and water streaming throughout.
If you're looking for a place to lose yourself for a few hours, this is definitely it.
The Vale of Cashmere is currently awaiting restoration and is often called the abandoned garden of the park, but don't let it go unnoticed. It features a fountain and a pond amongst other thriving natural life.
,5. Clay Pit Pond (Staten Island)
Often the forgotten borough, Staten Island's park preserves, including Clay Pit Pond, are definitely worth a ferry ride out there for a day of escape. (Sorry, SI. No hard feelings?)
The landscapes it features are unique and often things that you would not expect NYC to have within the park preserve's 265 acres of wetlands, ponds, woodlands, streams, and sand-barrens.
It is also home to an extensive variety of wildlife, especially birds whose migratory pattern leads them out to this quiet reserve in Staten Island.
6. Tibetan Museum (Staten Island)
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Another worthy day trip to Staten Island, the Tibetan Museum is composed of Himalayan architecture and Tibetan art and is unlike any other of its kind, or at least in the city.
This hidden gem of a cultural institution is located on a gorgeous property surrounded clusters of green, leafy trees, gardens, and rocks to bring a peaceful, quaint atmosphere to the museum.
If you're really in need of some serious relaxation, the Tibetan Museum offers meditation classes.
Really, what could be better than some much-needed meditation after your daily grind in NYC in a relaxing atmosphere?
7. Alley Pond Park (Queens)
Queens' second largest park is certainly a sight for sore eyes with its acres upon acres of greenness, meadowlands, and marshlands bordering the Little Neck Bay.
A great place for a hike, Alley Pond Park has quiet, unpaved nature trails that are perfect for exploring.
Surrounded by the trees, you'll fall in love with this untouched, quiet spot.
8. Rockaway Beach (Queens)
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Who wouldn't love a summer by the beach? NYC has tons of beaches, like the awesome one down at the Rockaways in Queens, with its grassy dunes, rocks, and shells after surviving Hurricane Sandy.
Rockaway Beach is open year-round with peak beach season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
It has miles of sandy beaches and ocean as well as a boardwalk with food, fun, and good space for a walk. When you're done with all of that, plop down on the beach and let the sounds of the ocean lull you.
Discover 10 Enchantingly Beautiful Places That Don’t Feel Like You’re in NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy: Sallans Corner]