Winter Gardens: Get Out of the Cold at NYC's Indoor Plazas
Submitted by Stephanie Ogozalek on
If you feel like you've already exhausted your favorite NYC museum or indoor play space, why not try a nearby public atrium or winter garden? New York City is full of semi-secret indoor public spaces, as well as not-so-secret gardens perfect for staving off cabin fever during the winter with an antsy child.
Finding an indoor, tropical hideaway in your neighborhood can be a real winter lifesaver. My son was a winter baby, and when he was a newborn, it was freezing everywhere. We found our own indoor oasis just a few blocks from our Midtown apartment, in the lush, green garden that occupies the atrium of the Ford Foundation building. There are several similar winter gardens dotted around the commercial areas of Manhattan thanks to a zoning initiative in which the city granted buildings the rights to additional air space (i.e., taller buildings) in exchange for indoor and outdoor public areas.
Bonus: Most of these public atriums and winter gardens are FREE to wander into, and many offer seating, snacks, Wi-Fi, and public art. Some gardens are so steamy and warm, you'll feel as if you booked a tropical getaway. (This is why we love New York, right?) Here are 15 of our favorite kid-friendly indoor urban oases for NYC families.