Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is a 9.75-acre Greenwich Village institution that works just as well for a spontaneous Tuesday afternoon as it does for a weekend family outing. The park features three distinct playground zones: a gated toddler area with baby swings, spring riders, and a bronze cat sculpture; a main east-side playground with climbing structures, slides, sprinklers, and sand; and the standout Play Hills near the southwest corner, where turf-covered mounds meet an impressive spider-web rope climbing structure and 24-rung monkey bars.

Beyond the playgrounds, kids are endlessly entertained by street musicians, chess players, the iconic Washington Arch, and the central fountain — wade-worthy in summer. The Washington Square Park Conservancy runs free drop-in programming during summer including animation workshops and puppet shows, led by Playground Associates Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM–6 PM. Admission is always free and no registration is required.