Yosemite and Yellowstone might be the first national parks that pop into your head, but New York State has its own impressive lineup. With over 200 state parks and historic sites, New York City is more than just a concrete jungle—it’s home to some of the country’s most important National Park sites.
- Ellis Island (1 Battery Place, New York, NY) – During its 62-year run, Ellis Island was the main pit stop for over 12 million immigrants making their way to new lives in America.
Ellis Island officially joined the National Park System in 1965, following a Presidential Proclamation, and in 1990 it reopened to the public as America’s leading museum devoted entirely to immigration.
These days, Ellis Island stands as a powerful symbol of the American Dream. As Jesse Brackenbury, president of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, puts it: the Ellis Island Museum tells “a foundational story of who we are as a country because it tells a story of where we came from.” And with a $100 million refurbishment underway, it’s ready to keep that story alive for generations to come.
- Castle Clinton (26 Wall St, Battery Park, NY) – Situated at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton sits right where New York City got its start. Originally built to keep the Brits at bay back in 1812, it was one of many forts guarding New York Harbor during the War of 1812.
Nowadays, Castle Clinton represents not just the Big Apple’s growth, but the growth of the entire nation. Located in Battery Park, today it stands as the departure point for those looking to catch a boat to the Statue of Liberty.
- Stonewall National Monument (38-64 Christopher St, New York, NY) – Stonewall National Monument is a 7.7-acre landmark in the West Village of Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan. The area was the backdrop for the June 1969 Stonewall riots and includes the historic Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and surrounding streets like Christopher Street.
As the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBT rights and history, Stonewall was given its official status by President Barack Obama on June 24, 2016. Today, the monument is celebrated as the birthplace of the modern LGBT rights movement in the United States.
- African Burial GroundA> (290 Broadway, New York, NY) – The African Burial Ground is the oldest and largest excavated burial ground in North America for free and enslaved Africans. The national monument, located at Duane Street in Lower Manhattan’s Civic Center, was unearthed in 1991 following construction for a federal office tower at 290 Broadway.
When conducting preliminary research, archaeologists discovered (30 feet below street level) the intact skeletal remains of around 15,000 free and enslaved Africans who lived in colonial New York.
This discovery reshaped and informed common understanding of the role enslaved Africans played in constructing New York as we know today.
- Governors Island (New York Harbor) – Governors Island has always been a hotspot for action. Sitting right off the tip of Lower Manhattan, the 172-acre island’s military roots go back to 1755, starting as a colonial militia base and then as the headquarters for the U.S. Army and Coast Guard. Governors Island played a major role in both World Wars and stayed active as one of the country’s longest-running military installations until 1996.
But these days, Governors Island is an activity hub for New Yorkers and tourists. Just a quick ferry ride from Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn, it hosts everything from the Jazz Age Lawn Party to the Governors Ball music festival, glamping sites, and New York’s favorite Lavender Field.
- Hamilton Grange National Memorial (414 W 141st St, New York) – Hamilton Grange National Memorial is a historic house museum located in St. Nicholas Park in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.As the restored home of founding father Alexander Hamilton, consider this a must-see if you’re a fan of the “Hamilton” musical. Plus, it’s free to visit, thanks to being operated by the National Park Service, who even moved the 300-ton house to its current location.
- Statue of Liberty National Monument (New York Harbor) – The Statue of Liberty is a neoclassical statue that’s been standing proud on Liberty Island in New York Harbor since 1865.The idea for the statue came from Frenchman Édouard de Laboulaye, who proposed a grand gift from France to America. The nations compromised that France would handle crafting and shipping the statue, while the United States would foot the bill for the pedestal. The statue itself is modeled after a Roman goddess and apparently gets struck by lightning 600 times a year.
The Statue of Liberty attracts approximately 4.44 million visitors every year. Visitors can hop on ferries from either The Battery in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in Jersey City to get to Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
