The only private park in NYC and you can only get in if you live there and have a key or if you stay at a hotel that allows you access. Fortunately for me we stayed at the Gramercy Park Hotel and we were able to get in when we wanted for the duration of our stay. The grounds are beautifully kept and the flowers were starting to bloom. It's a welcome peace of serenity in a very fast paced city. When you are sitting inside of it the fast paced world around you just melts away and you forget where you are. I can see why people pay the price to live here to have access to it. It feels like a Zen garden in the middle of chaos. I am glad that I was able to visit it and take in all it has to offer and I can see why everyone pays the high price to live on the park and have access to it. read more

Honestly pretty underwhelming for a private park. I was able to get in by doing a guided tour with The Players Club. The statue inside is dedicated by the Players. The park itself is pretty well maintained. You need the highly coveted key to get both in AND out of the park. When I was inside, felt like a zoo animal with everyone outside the park staring in at you. read more

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

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Gramercy Park - "you shall not pass!" Unless you have one of the highly coveted keys... I could care less. Gates remind me of cages. What if you lose the key and someone locks you in??? And all the restrictions - no this, no that - no thanks. There is something very un- New York about a private park in the middle of the city. But that's well known already. The park was even referred to on an episode of Billions called "stop structural schmuckiness" The surrounding area is beautiful though - ornate iron work & gas lights. * And - Gandalf's original quote was "you cannot pass" read more

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

I love taking long walks through the city on Sundays, wandering aimlessly like I'm Ibn Battuta. Not all those who wander are lost hahahaahahaah. I am walking west on E 20th St and see the most well kept, beautiful park I have seen in long time. Especially in NYC. Flowers are BLOOMING a beautiful white-ish pink straight out a Monet painting. Think the Japanese Cherry Blossom that bloom in the spring (yeah I've been to Japan haha *smiley face*). Cobblestone streets line the entry and exits, and it is how I imagine the Medici's private grounds would have been if they were influenced by the Japanese. I took a few laps around the outside of the park, trying to find an entrance but every gate was locked so I was a bit confused. However, I saw people in there so I opened my Yelp app to get some intel. I saw that this was a private park for residents of the surrounding area only. Now I wanted to get in 100x more. I thought about jumping the fence, but that just would have been in bad taste. I began to circle this park like a Hawk circling a small mammal in the desert, waiting for my opportunity to strike. Jk. I think it's important to respect the exclusivity. But as two gentleman were walking out, I took a hard first step in and as I thought it would be funny to see how they reacted. They were a little startled and then laughed in relief when I said I was just messin. I probably shouldn't have done that. Idk, sometimes I just do think for my own entertainment but that may be a selfish endeavor. Sorry fellas. Would love to actually get in here and post up one day!!! read more

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Gramercy Park is just as everyone describes it. It's elitist and private unless you have a key. At one time a restaurant nearby provided entrance to their customers. That's the only time I stood a chance of entering. I've seen it unkept years ago. It has been cleaned up since those days. It's a shame the city can't take responsibility and allow all of the people to utilize the space. I know I posted photos. I'm not sure if they are on Yelp as my previous review is gone. I'll look forward to my next visit to this neighborhood and try to get some better photos. Instead of "through the window photos" they will be "through the fence photos!!" read more

Gramercy Park - Statue of Edwin Booth, erected in 1918. Posted with review 08/25/21 - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

Beautifully manicured and well maintained park which is only accessible to those elites and wealthy folks who live in the area with a special key. You can also gain access if staying at specific hotels in the area. There are only about 400 keys in circulation so it's very exclusive. The landscaping is wonderful. Benches to sit on and relax. Paths to walk on and admire the scenery. Large fanciful birdhouses around the property. It's something out of Victorian London with its black wrought iron gates surrounding it keeping us peasants and riff raff out. I was able to gain entrance once with a former boss of mine who lived in the area. They also open the park for one hour to the public for Christmas Eve caroling. Big whoop. It's a nice park but way too snobby for my taste. I'd rather hang out in Central Park with the real people of the city. read more

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One of my favorite neighborhoods in beautiful nyc. I was in area to visit a friend. We had the private to go in the private park absolutely amazing experience for this New Yorker. read more

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

Update on maps/google that it is for RESIDENTS ONLY. I'm in sales and walk outside all day in the heat. This was the closest park to sit in and couldn't because once I got there I was told it's only for residents. Update the info online so people know this. read more

A lot of the reviews are complaints of the park being exclusive. If I walked by this park without one of the rare keys, I would be just as infuriated as the next guy. This was my first time in New York/United States in general, and my mom was lucky to have her boss help her get a key. So this will be the perspective of someone that has access to the park. I would say the only public area in Manhattan you could get a sense of being alone is Gramercy Park. Even just outside there's constantly tons of people walking and talking fast. I was amazed with how some people did both at the same time. Visiting New York is surreal, but sometimes overwhelming. This place has been such a privilege to have access to. The park is alright, but the main perk is the exclusivity. Madison square park honestly is pretty similar and I would say better for walking. Gramercy park isn't really much of a park for picnics. It's a park for taking short cuts or sitting down in the middle of New York and enjoying relative peace. read more

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Nestled on an affluent square block, this is a private park that you can view from the outside if you're not a resident. I saw a lot of people walking their dogs, even along the outside. read more

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

You would never expect a private oasis like this in prime NYC. Unfortunately, you need a key to access this park. So if your hotel or apartment borders this park you are in! read more

Gramercy Park - Gramercy Park--Lovely private park - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

Call me romantic but Gramercy Park is very Secret Garden-ish to me. Like most everyone else, I've never actually been inside the Park but I've taken plenty of pictures of it in all its seasons, from Winter Wonderland to Irish greenness to Pumpkin brown Fall. And sure, I've looked and wondered about the people in the park. But the keys to the Park come with hefty fees that most of us could not and would not be willing to pay for. So, if anything, the fact that they don't have the Park walled off and that anyone strolling by can enjoy its beauty is good enough for me. In the mornings, I look forward to seeing the sun peek through the tree tops on my way to work. And early evening strolls around Gramercy Park on a summer night don't get much more romantic. And if ever I get a key, I'll invite all of you, one by one :) read more

Gramercy Park - Gramercy Park in the Spring - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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Gramercy Park is a very pretty park- as are most, if not all, the parks in New York. I do love the bird houses on each side. Sadly aside from needing a key to get in, there's absolutely nothing special about this park. If it seems more "serene" it's because no one else is inside, that's all. It's just as pretty and well kept as all the other parks. This park is just a representation that you have a lot of money; unfortunately so much that you don't know what the hell to do with it. read more

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Love this place! It's super quiet and clean - I would definitely come back here again. I saw some celebrities and loved the scenery! read more

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

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Gosh this place is such a tease. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm relatively new in town and thought wow...what cool park I've found where I can eat my lunch. Why is everyone just leaning outside? Oh you can't get in. You need a key? Well I'm sure if I had access I'd probably rate it much higher, but honestly I'm keeping my eye out for that one day a year it opens to the public that everyone is talking about....or I need to make friends with someone who lives in the surrounding neighborhood. read more

I don't usually review parks and of course ,I can't get into this park because it's private and I don't have a key.But it's such a lovely area .I just like looking at it.By all means walk around here and nearby Irving Place and you are just a few blocks from the invigorated T Roosevelt birthplace.Go to 3rd Ave and you can hit Curry Hill.PS- I take my first statement back- I have reviewed a number of parks.i forgot -age ! read more

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

Have you been? Most likely not. I was lucky to visit one of two private NYC parks during the Christmas Eve caroling. The line to get in wrapped around the block. But once the gates were open we moved quickly. My husband and I managed to snag a bench and intermittently mumbled along to the carols. It was magical to be in a part of the city I truly have not explored yet. Seasoned visitors brought thermoses of hot coffee and cocoa, great idea. read more

There are three sides to a story (your side, my side and the truth), two sides to a coin and only one side to the moon... fitting that we mere mortals can only see the dark side? And then there is Gramercy Park. Its four sides can only tempt the common pedestrian; its lush, painstakingly-landscaped insides demand a silent lucidity. Go ahead and stare - most everyone else shares the same vantage point (from the outside wistfully looking in). One of my favorite novels growing up was The Secret Garden. If I ever had a shot at getting close to its mystical soil, this may have been it. Unfortunately, none of the area's residents showed up with the key. A little lore, a lot of history and too much tease. For now and probably forever: I can only walk around you and not with you. I'm thinking a make-out session with a keyholding resident may seal the deal. Please? I want in. Four stars for owning the power of seduction without any intentions of giving it up! And now I know what it feels like for a man. read more

Beautiful and mysterious. Fancy, London-esque, mini park, inaccessible to mostly you and me, without the "secret key". I had pondered illicit entry, but then my friend started talking about the nearby places where people he knows score weed. So my highly caffeinated brain started envisioning English constables chasing us with batons. And then we ran away! read more

Beautiful park! It's accessible only to residents of apartments around the park unfortunately, but you can peer longingly through the gates. From the south main gate, you can look north and get an unparalleled view of the Chrysler building. There are various statues and art installations in the park, quiet benches, and scattered residents with small dogs. Beautiful! If only you could get in... read more

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

Gramercy park is a tragic metaphor for the cruel world we live in. Staring at its picturesque landscaping through a locked gate was a sad reminder of my outsider status; the botanical wonders within are off-limits to anyone not possessing a key. Even the simple joy of feeding squirrels through the cast-iron fence was met with a harsh 'No feeding the wildlife!' The park's beauty is no doubt wasted on people who don't appreciate what they've got. read more

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

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When I first came to the city, I lived in the Parkside Evangeline, a Salvation Army-operated residence for young women (and old spinsters) that was right on Gramercy Park, right next door to the National Arts Club. I only went and sat in the park a couple of times while I lived there, although I'd certainly do it more now if I had the chance; I remember they actually lent out the key at the front desk when I wanted access to the park. Once or twice a year the park is open to the public, courtesy of the National Arts Club, I believe; I notice it's open for an hour on Christmas Eve http://www.dnainfo.com/20101224/murray-hill-gramercy/gramercy-park-open-public-on-christmas-eve-for-one-hour for instance. Now I live on Tompkins Square, a park that was compared to Gramercy when it was closed after the riots in the late 80s. read more

For a peaceful haven in the Middle of NYC look no further than Gramercy Park--that is, if you can find a key to get in! It is such a beautiful and serene park, approximately 2 acres and one of only 2 private parks in NYC. The flowers are in full bloom in the spring and summer and there are always a few people reading and walking around. You almost forget that you're in the middle of Manhattan. Most people never get to enter...but, stay at the Gramercy Park Hotel, and they'll happily walk you over and open the gate. read more

I love it, but I can't get in. A woman with a key got in and started doing yoga. I think she looked at me funny, but I think it could just be me being paranoid about exclusive settings. I mean, even the pigeons got in. read more

Gramercy Park - Looking in through the black gate - Parks Near Me - New York, New York

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The landscapers of this delightful little park should be given awards for their flawless skills. I actually think I saw them doing synchronized leaf blowing one day. It is very private and prides itself on being a snobby, uppity, gentrified, garden that likes keeping out the "riffraff" (which is anyone who doesn't live on the park apparently) but all in all, it's a gorgeous little gem in the city, even if you're just walking around it. Granted, I am biased and am a key holder. But I rarely go in because they don't allow dogs, and it seems cruel to leave my dog at home to go the park without him, and sit - which is pretty much the only thing you are allowed to do there. The rule book is hysterical and about a 1000 pages of telling you what you cannot do in the park, which is mostly enjoying yourself. I think it would have been easier to list what you can do in there, which is sit and talk quietly, while you're sitting. But it does make my day to smell the fresia wafting into my apartment in early summer and see the peonies come up in spring. read more

Private park surrounded by historic homes, including the oldest high rise apartment in NYC. Beautifully landscaped and reminiscent of the squares in London. It's bounded on the north by the Gramercy Park Hotel which has a great lobby bar and was totally renovated ten years ago read more

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What a bunch of Snobs. Let's hide OUR private park behind lock and key so no one else can enjoy it...just us rich people with our poodles and crumpets and huge key-included condos. 3 stars, though, for being beautifully kept (I peeked through the gates) and for having some sort of history- as lame and exclusive as it may be. read more

As mentioned in many other reviews, you can only access this park as a resident or if you're staying at the hotel. I stayed at the hotel and got visit on my last day. It is a very simple, quiet park. It has a statue, benches and a basic layout. I guess since this place feels like such a secret, I was expecting to find some exciting surprises inside. So I was a little let down. read more

Love it! Peaceful place to renew my mind at the end of a long day, or an invigorating place to start a new day. Kudo's to the 'Mayor of Gramercy Park' Arlene Harrison, who works so hard to keep this place the great oasis that it is. read more

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Beautiful, English-like square and park, fenced in and open to the public only one day a year. Nabe tenants are given keys. So you'll see only the haut monde and its employees inside the park, but it's still worth perambulating, for a sense of Henry James, Edith Wharton and all the Brits who wrote in their era. Evocative! read more

It looks like I may actually be the first person reviewing this park who has actually been inside. I had friends in town and recommended they stay at the Gramercy Park Hotel so we could go to the park itself - hotel guests are given access. It is very quiet in the park and they do not permit picnics or anything that might be too fun. It is a beautiful relaxing oasis in the middle of the city. Its exclusivity gives it a lot of its mystique and keeps out the bums but also means I don't know when I'll be able to get back in. read more

Can't rate it because I haven't been able to get in. No seriously. It shouldn't be called a park.. because parks are usually public. They should call it "Elitist Gardens" or "We're Rich and You're Not Conservatory" or something like that. Park.. pffffft. read more

I love that this park keeps the proletariat out. Unfortunately, I currently fall into this category. When things change though - and they will - I will peer down my upturned nose at the plebeians outside the gate, and smirk to myself while grasping my highly prized bourgeois key... read more

Gramercy Park should definitely be opened to the public more often. It has a very New England vibe that you don't get a lot of in NYC. This would be an ideal place to relax and do some writing or reading. read more

There's a beautiful history to this park that dates back to the early 1800's. I respect that it has remained private after all these years. This is an amazing neighborhood & certainly one worth strolling through. Call it snobby all you want, this is one oldest historical neighborhoods on the island. "34 Gramercy" is the oldest residential building in Manhattan - yes, older than The Dakota. Here's the brief history: Gramercy Park was originally a swamp. Samuel B. Ruggles bought what was then farmland from James Duane in 1831. Originally, in 1831, he gave 42 lots of property to the first Board of Trustees of the new park. In 1966, the park was designated as a historic district. The area was part of Gramercy Farm until 1831, when its owner, Samuel B. Ruggles, donated the property to the city on condition that no commercial enterprise be permitted on the facing streets or in the park proper. To this day, the park contains no amusements, swing sets, snack shops, or any other intrusions on its rusticity. It is the oldest private park in the United States. read more

Because a friend of mine was staying at the Gramercy Park Hotel, I was allowed entree into the park this morning. I'm a newer NYC resident, so I hadn't heard that the park was private and that one needs a key to enter. Needless to say, we felt uber chic when we brought our coffee's and bagels and dined in the peaceful park while reading the paper. The park is small, incredibly well manicured and just plain nice. It's kinda wild that it's not open to everyday folk, and it makes it a bit pretentious and charmingly mysterious at the same time. I tried to savor my time there as I never know when I will be allowed back in. read more

This is a private park only residents are allowed in and guests of the Gramercy Park Hotel. I was lucky enough to walk through it once when they having a clean up the park event at the Park. The park is very quiet and serene with lots of benches scattered throughout the park. Each bench seemed to have someones name on it I guess they are people that donated money. It seems like the perfect place to sit on a bench and read a book. I doubt they would allow anyone to sit on their perfectly manicured lawns. read more

All I can think of when I think of this park is "ooooooooooh love to love you babeeeeh" by Donna Summer, it's says all you need to know.

Very small park with no real area to run around. It mostly has benches and fenced off green areas and is currently under construction. The park is split into by second Avenue and the dog park will not reopen until 2017 read more

I love this place .. Is a perfect place to drink a mimosa ! Eat a delicious brunch . And enjoy Manhattan .. Decoration , attention and environment can not be more NYC style ! Nice to get back read more