Plenty of New Yorkers love camping. We're upright, robust, nature-loving folks. We've got rooftop gardens and enchantingly beautiful getaways that, quite frankly, make us forget we're even in a city.
What else would make us forget we live in New York City?
How about pitching a tent, unrolling a sleeping bag, and crawling inside to sleep amidst fauna and trees instead of sidewalks and honking cabs?
If that sounds like heaven to you, then you just may be in luck. On September 9th, the Parks Department will hold an online lottery for anyone who wants to camp in Prospect Park on September 19th.
According to DNAinfo, the champions of this lottery will be awarded the opportunity to spend the whole night in the park gorging on s'mores they roasted over a campfire, taking hikes in the dark to look for nocturnal creatures, and stargazing.
The outdoor night is led by the Parks Department's Urban Park Rangers, whose specialties are connecting city-dwellers with the natural world. They've been leading campouts throughout the summer at parks in all five boroughs, including upcoming camping dates at Fort Totten and Pelham Bay parks.
The Urban Park Rangers have also lead amazing outdoor activities like hawk watching, canoe trips, and lunar eclipse viewing.
And no, you don't have to camp out alone in Prospect Park.
You can enter the lottery with your friends, as a couple, or with your family. The Parks Department actually encourages each group to have at least two people.
The catch? You knew there'd be one, right?
Only 30 applications will be selected during September 9th's lottery. Last year, 133 families signed up for this fierce, yet random, lottery competition.
If you're chosen, don't freak out if you don't know how to pitch a tent. Rangers provide free tents and help assemble them. You do, however, need to bring your own food, bedding, and non-alcoholic beverages.
The lottery starts at midnight on September 9th and closes at 11:59 p.m. So get on it, will you?
Love the outdoors? Check out 6 Perfect NYC Parks for a Picnic.