Best Outdoor Study Spots in New York

New York City is an exhilarating place, bursting with eager minds yearning to be sharpened. Its libraries and coffee shops are packed with the practice-hungry who are grinding away at work and studying for tests, but sometimes a refresh is necessary in order to stay productive. Fortunately, the Big Apple is an outdoor oasis, overflowing with beautiful places to stretch out, soak up the sun, and delve into nature before heading back to that paper you’re currently working on – or for that test you’re studying for. If you need a bit of help with writing assignments while enjoying these spots, Academized.com, an online essay writing service, can be a valuable help, providing professional assistance and ensuring you stay on top of your academic game. Here are some of the best outdoor study spots in New York that provide a nice balance between nature and the city while helping students ace their work.

Central Park: The Heart of Manhattan's Green Space

Central Park is the queen of outdoor study spots in New York. Created in 1859, the park covers a huge 843 acres, and there are many places to tuck away with a book and laptop. Around Bethesda Fountain is a cluster of benches and grassy bits that overlook the fountain and the lake. The Great Lawn is good when the sun is out, and you can spread out on a blanket under an open sky.

Greater isolation awaits you in the Ramble, a greener part of the park with curving paths that lead to secluded glades. Sit on a bench here, listen to the birds and rustling leaves, and soak in the trees – they’re your study soundtrack. And there’s the Shakespeare Garden, a little sylvan hideaway with flowers and plants named in (or associated with) the writings of the ‘immortal bard’, as it’s known. Study here and it’s likely to be the most romantic place you’ve ever learned anything. 

Brooklyn Bridge Park: Waterfront Views and Fresh Breezes

 When choosing the best outdoor study spots in New York, it's helpful to check reviews of online essay services to make the most of your study time. Need to hit the books with a view? The Brooklyn Bridge Park is the place to be: with its 85 acres sprawling along the East River, the park offers idyllic views of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge and the skittering water. Take up a bench or a patch of lawn at Pier 1 and lay out your textbooks right there.Bring a sweater; it’s often breezy along the water, and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get some work done, because wireless access is available in many locations. The greenery of the park’s lawns and gardens is ripe for replicating your office on the go.

At the end of Pier 3, head to the Granite Prospect, a series of granite-edged steps inspired by the old Earl of Sandwich docks – a stadium-style seat for you and your textbooks, as boats pass along the river. A little bit city, a little bit nature – this setting is just inspirational enough to boost your study game.

The High Line: An Elevated Study Experience

 If you’re seeking a particularly unusual option in terms of setting, the High Line might be just what you’re looking for. As a park built on a former freight railroad line that extends from the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, it is a particularly distinctive outdoor study environment. You can find seating along the way – from solo chairs to long benches to wooden loungers – in a 1.45-mile course.

 A particularly productive study spot is the 23rd Street Lawn with its open planted area and lofty colonnades. You can even spread out your books on a blanket and appreciate the greenery among the city’s architecture. The more intimate Chelsea Thicket section, with densely planted beds and small, well‑defined seating sections is another ideal study spot. Study sessions are made more productive when you take a break to admire the changing seasonal artwork and plantings.

Washington Square Park: A Academic Atmosphere

 Deep in Greenwich Village and surrounded by the campus of New York University, Washington Square Park is an academic spot with ample seating and spots to study. The fountain in the middle is a hubbub of activity, but you can also find quiet spots around the pool. Get a bench under a tree or sit at one of the chess tables (if they’re not in use by players) to get a study on. 

Located near NYU, the park offers a ready supply of study partners in case your own motivation is lagging, as it is wont to do when you’re staring at a blank page. If you need a break from sitting at a cafe table with them, people-watch or check out the street performers who often congregate in the park. If you sit underneath the majestic Washington Square Arch, your spirits will be elevated by the memory of the many devoted students who have come here before you. You will be reminded of the importance of that thing you are writing, no matter how trivial it may initially seem.

Bryant Park: An Oasis in Midtown

 Bryant Park in the middle of Midtown Manhattan sits as one of the last vestiges of New York where one can read outdoors without going mad. The park’s large green spaces and groves of trees are an oasis of foliage amid skyscrapers. A covered outdoor space called The Reading Room contains lounge chairs, tables, and free Wi-Fi for readers and writers. You can spread out your books and study among other people reading.

If you’d rather sit on the lawn, the park offers free blankets for the lawns available to visitors who’d like to make themselves comfortable. Settle in an area close to the fountain for the soothing rush of falling water, or head to one of the park’s quieter corners if you’d prefer to slip away from the hustle and bustle. The best part? The park has events happening year round, so you can take periodic study breaks to join in with yoga classes, learn something new, or partake in outdoor performances and shows.

Comparison of these outdoor study spots:

Riverside Park: A Peaceful Retreat Along the Hudson

Riverside Park runs four long, green miles along the western edge of the island, offering a spacious respite from the intensity of the city. The park’s broad, narrow length leaves many options for outdoor studying – a shaded bench on the waterfront promenade, or a spread-out spot for reading and writing in the long, grassy strips that separate major walkway areas.

There’s a particularly wonderful community garden at the 91st Street Garden, a showplace filled with bright blossoms and quiet corners – an oasis of natural beauty where you can go to read your assigned chapters, and where your fellow students might be absorbing some rays. The park also offers dozens of recreation facilities, including tennis courts, basketball courts, and a well-kept skate park, where you can take breaks from your studies with a bike ride, a basketball game, or skating session.

Socrates Sculpture Park: Art and Nature Combined

For an innovative outdoor classroom, visit Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, a former garbage dump that has been turned into an outdoor museum. The open air park integrates art with nature, and invites anyone eager to learn to spread out on the lawn or at the picnic tables that dot the park, and let the large-scale sculptures fill your mind as you study.

The idyllic park on the East River waterfront boasts sea breezes and spectacular vistas of the Manhattan skyline. Take a study break to peruse one of two constantly rotating installation exhibits or join one of the many free programmes offered there, from wellness sessions to art workshops to film screenings. It’s refreshing to take an academic break in this beautiful setting, which proves all the more stimulating for the parks’ amalgamation of art, nature and learning.

Prospect Park: Brooklyn's Green Oasis

With its generic mall, Welcome Arch and ‘improved’ wilderness, Prospect Park, another 526-acre open space in Brooklyn, is sometimes called Brooklyn’s answer to Central Park. The Long Meadow, in the heart of the park, is a broad expanse of grass, perfect for parking yourself for a day of study. There are plenty of study sights to choose from: find shade on a sunny day under one of the park’s large trees, or catch a little sun on a cool day.

For a quieter study spot, try the Ravine, which is wooded with a meandering path and gurgling brooks. The sound of running water and rustling leaves is a delight for the ears and can be conducive to concentration. Need a refresher? Take a perambulation around the park’s lake, and, if you need a happiness boost, visit the Prospect Park Zoo for a herd of cuteness.

Governors Island: A Study Retreat Just a Ferry Ride Away

For the ultimate outdoor study location, take a ferry to Governors Island this summer. Just a short distance from Manhattan across New York Harbor, the 172-acre island is car-free and offers hundreds of acres of open green spaces, with breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. The island is rarely as crowded as Brooklyn Bridge Park and often educational buildings host silent study sessions.

Hammock Grove is a prime chill-out zone, and a great place to study. There are 50 red hammocks suspended between trees. Bring your books and study in a hammock for an extremely comfortable and novel experience. If you prefer the ground, you can as always sit on the expansive lawns or one of the many picnic tables that are scattered across the island. Once you are rested, rent a bike and explore the island’s paths. Or visit the other art installations and historic buildings.

Making the Most of Your Outdoor Study Sessions

While studying outside can be a nice break from the usual routine, it also presents its own set of challenges. Here are some tips on making the most of your outdoor study time in New York:

• Check the weather forecast, put on sunscreen, a hat, and layers of clothing before you go out.
• Also, bring a charger for your devices as outdoor electrical outlets are harder to come by.
• Consider using noise-canceling headphones if you're easily distracted by ambient sounds.
• Pack snacks and water to keep yourself fueled and hydrated during long study sessions.
• Take care of your things and carry valuables on you, especially in more crowded places.
• Make use of the environment for breaks in work – a walk or moment of mindfulness in nature can be a great palate-cleanser.

Central Park, Socrates Sculpture Park, or any of the other dozens of outdoor spaces found across New York City: there are hundreds of outdoor study spots for students. Have you considered any of these as a first option when it’s time to study? By giving outdoor study a try, you could appreciate one of the most beautiful aspects of learning in New York City: not only do you get to learn, but you get to experience the city’s green spaces in their unique and varied forms. Explore the urban jungle of New York City by taking your studying outside. Your mind and your grades will thank you.