Washington Square Park
Park
Greenwich Village, New York
The people watching at Washington Square Park is a can't miss
"My favorites are the guy on the grand piano and the jazz band."(12 Tips)
"There are also some great street performers that pass through!"(20 Tips)
"also NYU students"(13 Tips)
"Can read, picnic, study, relax, sun bathe or people watch."(72 Tips)
628 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Roger RJune 4, 2016This is one of the coolest places in NYC...I'll take it over Central Park any day! In the summer there's music and art fairs all over the area and kids jumping around in the fountain!
Upvoted 2 weeks ago
Eric TsaiApril 3, 2016Love to people watch here. Always something going on ranging from groups of friends jamming together to artists creating chalk artwork on the ground
Upvoted Feb 28
Untapped CitiesJanuary 11, 2016Though Bowie lived at 285 Lafayette Street, where tributes and memorials have been going up, he had reportedly said that his favorite place in New York City was Washington Square Park. Read more
New York HabitatNovember 28, 2011A beautiful park and a must see for any visitor. It's perfect when you just want to sit on a bench and read a book or do some people watching. On nice days you can find all sorts of live music too.
When the weather is nice, there are few places I'd rather be than enjoying the sunshine at WSP. Grab a book and some boba and enjoy one of NY's best parks.
There is nearby always music being played here, and often multiple bands all around the park. Look out for the piano on weekend and the guy who plays two trumpets at once 🎺!
Jason Baughman-OpricăMay 21, 2018NYC’s oldest known tree, a 310+ year old Elm sits quietly and unmarked in the NW corner of the park. Check it out.
One of the most iconic parks in NYC. Located in historic Greenwich Village, the park was a gathering place for members of the Beat generation. Also folk, and Hippie movements in the 1950s and 1960s
Tim DengAugust 18, 2018Often smells like weed, but the fountain area is nice and cool during the summer.
Upvoted Mar 3- New York HabitatAugust 27, 2012Great park to relax! It has a huge fountain towards the entrance: great for kids to play in or to dip your feet in :-) The arch is also a beautiful sight, resembling the Arc de Triomphe in Paris!
Great for peoplewatching and taking a break from it all. When you are done, find a nice spot to eat in the area and pay with Cover to quickly get to your next destination!
- There are two amazing jazz bands that play regularly on the weekends. Both West of the fountain. Find a seat, enjoy the music and don't forget to tip well.
Thomas KnüwerMay 21, 2016In the summer this is one of those magic places in New York. Bring some time and watch people or listen to outstanding street musicians.
Gorgeous park with plenty of benches to sit down and just relax. There are tables that double as chessboards - diversity at its finest when you see two completely different people battle each other.
Love everything about this place because it's just perfectly New York. Sit around the fountain, people watch some crazies, and enjoy an impromptu show by whatever talented musicians happen to hang by.
Alex HennesseyAugust 23, 2015On the east side, classical music played on a grand piano. On the west side, a jazz quartet. In between, a vibrant public space and beautiful place to pass time
Always an amazing mix of people and entertainment. One of my fav spots to lay in summer.
If you visit on a nice day, bring singles. This park is like a music venue with a dozen different options, from jazz to classical to folk to pop. Tip the musicians!
One of the iconic public spaces in NYC. Washington Square is a well-maintained park full of paved paths, a giant fountain, the gigantic awesome arch, plenty of seating & more. A people watching hub!
Joury IbrahimApril 22, 2018LOVE this place; the artworks, street performers and the view of the area. There is always something going on here. NYU is around the corner so I think that is the secret of the liveliness around
Michelin Travel & LifestyleFebruary 19, 2013Farmland for Dutch colonists, a cemetery by the 1810s, a posh precinct when the arch arrived in 1889, and a counterculture hangout in the ‘60s, it’s now NYU’s hub. - Green Guide Editor- A great place to hang out in the Spring and Fall. You'll see talented street performers and get a chance to sit in the fountain. Plenty of good food options nearby (including Peanut Butter & Co!).
Over 20k people were buried at this location in the early 1800s during the Yellow Fever Epidemic. Some bodies had to be moved when they were digging the foundation for The Washington Arch.
The four corners: northeast families, northwest drugs, soutwest dogs, southeast college kids. And the all come together in a big, never-ending drum circle in the middle.
Come here to experience the best people watching - piano man, sand drawing man, dancing crews, jazz people, guy who collects stories, awkward NYU kiddies, wizards, tv shows in the making. Dogs.
One of the liveliest spots in the city independent of the weather! You will witness anything from street performance to full scale events such as pillow fights! It always has something unique to offer
DMJanuary 23, 2015If you looking for a perfect place for outdoor lunch it's the place you need. Always clean, but a be ready to meet a lot of students and same people as you who want to have lunch under the trees.
Ashlyn WilliamsMay 31, 2015It was just amazing to sit and watch people go by. Then again there was also lovely music played on the outdoor piano that also set a relaxing mood.
Love this park, perfect for a sunny day in the West Village. Always something interesting and unexpected, from street performers to festivals. Cool off in the fountain too
A place to relax with the sounds of jazz, drums, people talking, water splashing... Or to get engaged admiring the sunset or the view of the Empire State Building under the Washington Arch
Look Up and Look Around. Walk Slowly. Breathe. Go Too Fast, And You'll Miss The Small and Important Things. Go Too Slow, And You'll Never Leave. Come and Organize. For All and For One.
CompassJuly 23, 2013Defined by its giant white arch, the park is best known for its chess games, gorgeous fountain, and live musicians. It acts as a meeting ground for NYU students, artists, and neighborhood regulars.
Bum Bum JonesJuly 24, 2013Best place to people watch in the city. Enjoy a variety of entertainers performing within the park while surrounded by two of my fav neighborhoods in all of NYC!
Ignacio SbSeptember 30, 2018I love this square. It’s a nice spot for sitting and reading surrounded my green and a true Manhattan feeling, even though it should be cleaned and maintained better.
Come get a park serenade. If you see a slender guy with an NBC name tag (me) then flag me down to choose from over 75 songs to hear Live and in-person! Free. But tips are welcome!- The only park in the City that I've seen people bring out their mini radio player and dance like it's the 60's. Cheaper than going to the clerb, I guess. No cover charge and cleaner bathrooms.
Oh, WaSquaPa! From sunset yoga to dog-spotting, the park is often abustle with vibrancy. Bring a book, or simply sit and watch—the humans of New York do not disappoint!
NYU but "in and of the city," of course. The place to be in the summer when some of the city's most interesting characters flock here and there's good music from all directions
Hannah ParvazSeptember 17, 2017Lots of squirrels and obscure people. A great spot to sit and have a sandwich and watch the world go by.
Edward USeptember 30, 2012Good WiFi. Can get crowded in the summer. Now in the Fall you can start to see the leaves change slightly, A relaxing place to bring your laptop and write if you want or hang out with a friend.
Great park, many musicians play throughout the summer, very relaxing with a cool fountain & the Arc
- One of my favourite places in the city. In the summer come hangout and watch how the city lives.
Percy Vasquez LizaAugust 12, 2014I got here this morning and I just loved it. I just wanna stay and lay on the grass. The thing that surprised me the most was the free and fast wi-fi.
John AMay 25, 2015Terrific park.. Live music, artists, literary enthusiasts, chess players... A great mix of New York City.
Christina LouiseSeptember 15, 2020Really nice place to sit and chill out, although there’s lots of people asking for money, so maybe put your headphones in!
- This is my favorite spot in the city. Come on a weekend and check out some of the great live music. My favorites are the guy on the grand piano and the jazz band.
The New YorkerAugust 25, 2010Home to a free summer music festival since 1953, where music “usually heard in the sanctity (some might say imprisonment) of small concert halls” mixes with the elements, as described in 1987. Read more
Harumi UDecember 13, 2014From time to time there is a man playing piano at this park! Possibly the most beautiful and chill park. Some of you probably recognize the iconic arch from some movies
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Washington Square Park
W 4th St (btwn MacDougal St & University Pl)
New York, NY 10012
United States
New York, NY 10012
United States
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is the steward of 5,000 of New York City’s parks and park properties—that’s 14 percent of the city! You can follow NYC Parks for expert tips in every corner of the city. Be sure to check in at New York City’s parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, monuments, food carts, and facilities to become a true New York explorer! Please read the City of New York's Social Media Customer Use Policy at nyc.gov/socialmediapolicy for information on communicating with Parks through social media. All service requests should be submitted through nyc.gov/311.
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