Columbus Park is, for me, a very pleasant place to relax in the middle of Chinatown. The park is lively and full of locals playing games, chatting, or exercising. I like the authentic atmosphere and the fact that it hardly feels touristy. An ideal spot for a short break and to observe everyday city life from a different perspective. read more

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Great park to come and enjoy fresh air. Lots of people hanging out and having fun. Definitely worth spending couple of minutes to pace yourself and catch a breath! : ) read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

This public park located in the Chinatown part of Manhattan NYC was built in 1897 when photojournalist and social activist Jacob Riis campaigned for the creation of this slum ghetto area into a park. He earned praise for the positive effects on the impoverished children and the neighborhood crime rate. Currently the park serves as a gathering place for the local Chinese community. The neighborhood meets up here to play mahjong, perform traditional Chinese music and practice tai chi. In 2019, a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen was permanently installed and the plaza was renamed for the found of the former Republic of China. The recreation center with public restrooms hosts a variety of events. Picnic tables and planter areas for visitors to enjoy. read more

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This was my to go park ever since I can remember! I used to come here all the time after school with my friends and play in the park. I loved the sprinklers when they sprayed water everywhere. My friends and I would play tag and monkey bars to the point I have blisters on my palms. There are swings too for toddlers. Too bad there aren't swings for adults. That's what I wish they set up in the park. The slides in the park can get a bit dirty with lots of footprints so it makes sliding down a bit difficult and not smooth at all. There's a basket ball court that's always crowded all the time! They are always playing full court games. Also there's a tennis and a soccer court. Bathrooms here are often opened and not closed. Usually public parks closed down their bathrooms and trying to get into is a dream come true. read more

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As we walked towards Chinatown NY, my boyfriend and I immediately recognized Columbus Park as one of the filming locations for one of our favorite shows to watch together, Impractical Jokers. At Columbus Park, you can see the elderly practicing Tai Chi, playing Chinese checkers, socializing, smoking while reading their newspaper, and on special occasions even Chinese musical performance. We came here to eat the lunch we purchased from nearby vendors that don't have seating. Unfortunately the park was extremely crowded and not well maintained. All of the seats with tables were taken. We were able to find a bench on the edge of the park to eat our lunch. The pigeons and little brown birds were vigilantly awaiting for crumbs and they had no sense of stranger danger. Even during early hours the restrooms were closed and we were unable to wash our hands. This little park seems to be an essential part of the local community and it truly deserves some renovations as soon as possible. read more

After an inflation buster meal in the heart of Chinatown, I took a stroll and stumbled upon this grungy park. It was JUMPIN in here. Older Chinese people are playing checkers and card games while ripping heaters, others doing Ti Chi, and I even got a traditional Chinese music performance. I'm confused as to why this is called Columbus Park, as there is a statue of my man Confucious right in the middle. I feel like it should be named after something/someone of Chinese origin. Really makes you wonder... There is also an athletic field, bathrooms (use at your own risk), and basketball courts that are in desperate need of some TLC. This is the type of place that I imagine rats completely takeover at night, but that's a complete guess. I took a quick stroll, people watched for a sec, and got on with my life. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews read more

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A little park just on the south side of Chinatown's Mulberry street near the courthouses, the elderly gather here for tai-chi, music, there's a playground on the south end and some basketball courts for the locals. A place where people grab a seat and eat their cheap box of dumplings from the Fried Dumpling stop on 106 Mosco St. It's said that you can see a lot of rats in the park after dark... haven't been myself, but not surprised given the trash that sometimes piles up in the neighborhood with the grocery, fish, and other stores. But over the course of the day it looks nice and is a breath of green space in the city. read more

Columbus Park - Columbus Park Pavilion - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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Columbus Park is another great place to chill and have some fun. Right new the center of the city near Chinatown. Beautiful places to sit and rest. I played basketball with strangers, and making new friends, that's always fun. We just had a good time. read more

Such a great little park right in Chinatown. On any given day you'll find many of the area elders playing Chinese checkers on the tables here. It can get pretty crowded with people watching the intense matches. Plenty of benches to sit at under the shade trees. Musicians and cultural events can be seen and heard here. Basketball court next door. Terrific spot to people watch. There are bathrooms here too. read more

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Columbus Park formerly known as Mulberry Bend Park, Five Points Park and Paradise Park, is a public park in Chinatown. The park was built in 1897. During the 19th century this was the most dangerous ghetto area of immigrant New York. It was portrayed in the book and film Gangs of New York. Back then the park site was part of the Five Points neighborhood, in the area known as Mulberry Bend. It was renamed Columbus Park in 1911 in honor of Christopher Columbus. The park serves as a gathering place for the local Chinese community. The neighborhood residents meet here to play mahjong, perform traditional Chinese music, and practice tai chi in the early mornings. I saw all of this going on during my visit. I didn't stay long as I was on my way to find the Statue of Confucius. Besides, one man started calling me a name I won't mention. I didn't feel welcome. I'm not going to hold that against this beautiful park. read more

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A nice small park in Chinatown. You can easily take a rest here from all the hectic business on the streets. Nice trees here and very clean. read more

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The Columbus Park is located in Chinatown with plenty of trees, benches and open space. However, It was kind of crowded and the maintenance wasn't too good. There was lots of trash and the smell was terrible. We tried to have our take out there since dining in was not allowed during COVID-19, but the environment was too gross to eat. We ended up having our lunch in the car. It would be good to take a short walk but we won't recommend to stay long there. read more

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Super sketchy park in Manhattan Chinatown. Bathrooms that are known for being filthy were closed while I was in in February 2022. Park has a few basketball courts but the pavilion area has your typical vagrants begging for money on the benches and then around the rest of the pavilion were TONS of people gambling with umbrellas up as windbreaks. This isn't a place I'd go out of my way to visit if I was sightseeing. read more

My number 1 spot to just come and do nothing. Or bring my granddaughter to for a little run in the grass scenery fun.. There is no playground of swings. The kids get to use their imagination for fun. But at sunset or sunrise you will get a beautiful photo from it all ways. read more

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Beat part of town I walked through in Brooklyn while making the hike from Brooklyn bridge to the Barclays center. Was very wide open and peaceful. Seemed like some sort of business district. read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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I passed by this park many times in my life but never really realized the necessity of this small piece of open green space for the Chinatown residents. The park is located in the heart of Chinatown. It's a very old park recently renovated a few years back. This was the location depicted in the Gangs of New York movie. The park is multi-sectional consisting a bench area, children playground, basketball court, and open soccer field. The park is not the cleanest but neither is Chinatown. An abundance of elderly do use this park on a daily basis for activities such as playing board games, singing, playing traditional Chinese music, dancing, and exercises. Many people also eat at the park especially during lunch time but trying to avoiding the cigarette smoke can be a problem. Majority Asians love to smoke. Overall there is a sense of beauty and culture in this small park if one takes the time to appreciate it. read more

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How do I count the many times that I have walked passed Columbus Park. The park has totally blossomed and changed throughout the years. Beautiful statues that reminds us of our history and heritage. It is the hub where all the Asian-American and immigrants go to see their friends, chill and catch up. Tell you there are lots of brokered deals and match-making going on in this park. It's the place to be. Not just a place for the elderly. It's a meeting place to connect with others and hear news of the latest and greatest as well about relatives and other villagers from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc... Activities for everyone. Upgraded playground for kids. Fortune tellers facing the front and sides of the park. Get your Qigong exercises, martial arts, basket ball and other sports on here. There are no coincidences in this park. Sooner or later there is someone who knows or heard about your great-grandparents, grand-parents, and family. Classical Chinese Music greets you as you walking into the park. Citi-Bikes now right in front of the park. Who can ask for anything more at Columbus Park. read more

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Well frequented neighborhood park with a lot of serious card games in progress. In the middle of Chinatown and it seems to be the local hangout spot for the older crowd. Local Chinese singing accompanied by traditional string instruments and umbrellas put up by the locals makes for a cozy scene. read more

Columbus Park - Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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The earliest years of my life were spent in New York's Manhattan Chinatown which my paternal grandmother and paternal grandfather took me to Columbus Park as an baby to play or achieve peace of mind. Living in Chinatown grants easy access to all the Yum Cha restaurants and empower strong Chinese culture instilled, which is a personal pride to me. Aside from Central Park, Columbus Park has always been a childhood favorite partly embedded for fond memories with my beloved grandparents. Columbus Park has an excellent yet extensive children playground. In addition to children actively playing on the grounds, there are active adult activities and performance events as: Chinese Chess, Chinese Checkers, and the elderly exercise Tai Chi along with Chinese Opera on summer weekends are performed which unifies the New York Chinese community. Unfortunately, opposite this park in plain sight visible are two large funeral service homes which is a bad omen eye sore in Chinese culture. read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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Beautiful place to enjoy art and the breeze of may you almost need to live happily trough the big buildings read more

Columbus Park - Street Art - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

This little park in the heart of Chinatown is a good microcosm of the retired life. On any given day, the park is occupied with clusters of senior citizens around the tables. You might wonder why everyone is huddled around the tables. Turns out they're playing Chinese chess. The game can get intense and crowds can get as big as 30 strong. If you just bought some street food, say from the Chinese Couple Vendor on Canal St, you can take it to this park and watch the interesting people. read more

I find the park vibrant with lots of places to sit and play . It is a local hangout for people of the community; lots of chess and mah jong playing in the front of the park , ladies chatting with their grocery carts . It's clean as NY parks go . It's got BB courts and a field for soccer . I love the area and have come upon this park often . read more

I lived exactly on top of Columbus Park for about 4 months, from late spring to end-of-summer. If it wasn't for the down-side, it would be a really great place to be. As it is, it's alright. The Upside: The park in of itself is amazing: a neat little oasis in the middle of Manhattan, where kids and adults can come and play or just relax on a bench and listen to music or eat ice-cream. A lot of Chinese elders playing Xiangqi (or cards), sometimes well into the night; frequent games of soccer set up by social sports leagues on the main field nearby, and plenty of kids playing hoops or even volleyball. There's also a roofed-area where people can hide out during a storm, or where folks do martial arts classes from time to time. During the summer they sometimes set up Movies Under The Stars, or summer-camps for kids. If you're lucky you can catch a high-school game of basketball (complete with commentary) or see some skateboarders filming some cool tricks here and there (they're always respectful of other people). I genuinely fell head over heels for this park for a while, and I'll continue to go back there for soccer games etc. The Downside: To be totally frank the problem are SOME of the homeless people who set up shop there. It's fairly normal for you to walk by and hear people arguing loudly or exchanging threats, particularly later in the day or at night; a couple times some people have gotten into fistfights (and the local cops mostly focus on staying closer to the Tombs / local booking center) or chased each other down. This is not to mention some of the more disgusting habits of people using the park as a restroom and / or publicly masturbating with kids nearby, at times in broad daylight. Especially at night, I've never felt actually safe in that area. Again, this is not due to ALL homeless people; some guys just want a bench to lie down on or a place to feel safe, themselves. Other people get drunk and ruin it for everyone though, simple as that. Verdict: Definitely give this place a try if you're in the area. Steer clear of it once the sun goes down if you want to be 100% safe though. And again, don't let the nearby cop cars fool you; the police are focusing on bringing in / out people from central booking to other destinations and have never gone into the park itself. read more

I happened upon this great little space while venturing off the main drag of Chinatown. The park is split up into multiple sections. One part has tables inlaid with a game board of green and white tiles on top so you can play different games. Each table was surrounded with folks both young and old playing various games and enjoying the company and thrill it brought. A few people had gotten together at two different benches to play music on string instruments. It was fascinating to get to watch and listen to them play. Another section contained a mini soccer field and volleyball court. Another with a jungle gym/play area for the kiddos and lastly one area with bars for exercising. There was a group of about 8-10 people who were working out together when I was there. This cause a little excitement for some and drew a small crowd. They watched the different techniques, moves and form. Overall I think this is a wonderful place to bring the family. There are multiple activities for which you can choose from to spend time with each other and making memories. P.S. dogs are welcomed here. read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

This is the Chinese version of Washington Square Park. It is a nice and safe place to hang out at. Elderly Chinese people like to play cards and board games with their friends. At the front of the park some guys play Chinese music on this instrument (I don't know what it's called). At the back of the park, guys work out and shoot hoops. Whenever the weather is warm, I like to come here and have a snack. And now for the negatives. This park is very, very disgusting. There's trash all over the place. Furthermore, lots of people in the park like to smoke. If someone is a smoker and in their late 70's or 80's then obviously they didn't die of lung cancer. Still, smoking is unhealthy. The worst part about the park is the bathroom. The men's bathroom smells like fermented urine. There's also a giant puddle of piss on the floor. Half the time, there's no soap and the sink never has hot water. If you eschew the bathroom and can tolerate smokers then this is a nice place to visit. read more

it was pretty busy at 6pm on Tuesday afternoon. there were two structures and a swing area for toddlers/babies. There was a ping pong area and a basketball court. Tons of older Chinese men playing chess or something. Ps it's right next to a dentention facility. read more

As I stroll through the park & watch the Old G's Of ChinaTown at there best. You can feel the serenity in the air. From Card playing, Board Games, Gossiping, Live Instrument Playing, Chilling Out *To Everything Else In Between*. This park is the definition of everything still sacred in the Asian Community. Every 1 doing what they do, laughing & truly enjoying each other company, it's a sight that can warm anyone's heart. Majority of patrons in the park is over 50, from the looks of thing. The phrase ...Age Is Just A Number... * Definitely applies to this group of Old G's * read more

Columbus Park - Dr Sun Yat-sen Statue - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

I enjoyed stopping by this park and seeing the locals! You can find lots of Chinese games being played at each of the picnic tables and music in the park played live! We didn't stay long but enjoyed it. read more

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Cute elderly community here! Come here to: 1) watch or participate in their gambling games 2) listen to live music played on unique instruments 3) sit back and relax & enjoy the scenery Surely a cool experience to see how close knit the community is here. Totally a cultural experience. Wish I saw the tai chi action. read more

Columbus Park - Avid gamblers at play - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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This is my fancy dining area when sitting in the Fried Dumpling place on Mosco is either 1) too hot to sit in 2) too crowded to sit in 3) or the dumpling lady has recognized me The Park is really very soothing to sit in during the day time, and at dusk, my guy friend and I chatted on benches in corner while kids were climbing on the monkey bars and the sprinklers were still on. All year around, this park really is me in a nutshell: a stone's throw from dumplings in my favorite spot in the city, borders my local Brooklyn, and is filled with youth, laughter, and simplicity. read more

Oh my God, Please go here if you are a tourist visiting New York. It's a beautiful little respite from the hustle and bustle of NYC. Relaxing. If you are non-Asian (which I am) you will see that you are in a serious minority. If you are under the age of say, 70 (which I also am) you again will feel in the minority. The crowd seemed to be mainly elderly Asian people playing cards and maybe Maj Jong. Also a group of Asian musicians playing some lovely traditional music on instruments I am too ignorant to recognize. This is a taste of "real" which the average Times Square tourist will never bite. Sadly. read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

I love this park. It is my go to place when I'm at Chinatown over the weekend. Especially after a nice brunch/lunch. There are so many trees, so a lot of shade. You get serenaded to in Chinese Opera and erhu. There are people practicing Tai Chi, playing cards, playing Chinese Chess. It's a taste of the East (genuinely). I love it. It really reminds me of my grandparent's place in China, no joke. So there's this rock. It's huge and flat and under a tree. There are no flies. It's my favorite rock. Also, they have public bathrooms, labeled as "comfort rooms." Debatable, but seemingly on par with Starbucks bathrooms. read more

The park has nice touches that remind you that you are in Chinatown. There are large rocks used to border the pathways and the light lamps have little dragon heads decorating them. This is besides the Amateur Chinese Opera singers and the Chinese Chess and Tai Chi/Chi Gong. The bathroom is reasonable. For such a high volume bathroom, it remains fairly clean and that is quite commendable. read more

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It's a park. A little crowded in some areas. Not very clean. Lots of historical tours going on. It's not a good place if you're looking for privacy. You will most likely end up sitting next to someone. Serves its purpose tho. There's a playground and a large court area to play. Ice cream, food and shops closes by. read more

This is a great park and green space in the middle of downtown (an area that needs more green spaces). There are a variety of areas for different sports set-up and available to the public as well as shaded seating areas for enjoying a nice day. The only thing that would make it better would be if it was more real grass as less astroturf, but i guess that would make it very hard to maintain. read more

Columbus Park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

Nice park. 1) Came here and played Mahjong with these old Chinese dudes. Enjoyed it. 2) The statue of Sun Yat-sen is pretty cool to sit and take a pic of. 3) Enjoyable spot around Chinatown. read more

Columbus Park - Sun Yat-sen - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

The first time I noticed the park there were a bunch of people upstairs in an open air building doing katas. I thought that was pretty cool so after dinner I went over to have a look. The area around the building almost looked like a temple, which was also cool, but the guys upstairs already stopped doing forms. That wasn't a problem because I just wanted to relax anyway before leaving the area. There are plenty of benches covered by the shade of trees, and there are some mid sized fields where a bunch of people were playing soccer preparing for their run at the World Cup. Everyone was real friendly too and didn't mind if you wanted to play a bit being the goalie or taking a few shots. You may not want to sit too close to the goal though since mistakes can happen. read more

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You know when you watch a movie and they have a shot of a park with old chinese people playing cards, kids running around, people doing some ancient artform of something... this is where it's at! I loved the pictures I got from my time in Columbus Park. Walking pass there was a band playing music and singing, the flowers were in bloom and it was the prefect temperature for a sit in the park. All the elements came into place! And I really loved watching the old Asian ladies playing cards. I felt centered and relaxed in the heart of Chinatown! read more

Columbus Park - Outside looking in. - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

They have standard NYC playground swings & slides. It is a big park in Chinatown and there are soccer fields, basketball courts, public bathrooms and plenty of benches. On one end of the park you can see people practicing tai chi or swordplay. There are always a lot of people in the park. My kid loves playing here. read more

After weekend dim sum, there's nothing I enjoy more than a stroll down Bayard over to Columbus Park, which was built adjacent to the storied Five Points. According to the New York City Dept of Parks and Recreation, photographer Jacob Riis "remarked of the park that it is 'little less than a revolution' to see the slum housing go down, while 'in its place come trees and grass and flowers; for its dark hovels light and sunshine and air.'" Lining the park fence, you'll see cobblers and watch repairers, as mesmerizing as a trip back in time to watch skilled artisans on a medieval street. Inside the park, you'll find a few senior orchestras practicing under parasols, grinding and whining away on zithers and other stringed instruments, usually to the accompaniment of erratic percussion and lilting singing. Unfortunately I can't understand a word. The occasional karaoke-style concerts up in the pavilion are not to be missed either--some of the singers are very good. Others are very bad. Finally, it's fun to observe the tables of Chinese women and men playing tile games, gambling and smoking. They're completely self-absorbed, and completely segregated. Just like Sicily, but it's China, in New York City. read more