Low-Key Spots To Spend Time Outside On The UES This Memorial Day

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — This Memorial Day in New York City will look a lot different from years past due to social distancing measures in place to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. City beaches are closed, NYPD officers are being deployed to crack down on large gatherings and everyone outside should be wearing a mask.

With warm weather and partly cloudy skies in the forecast for Memorial Day, many New Yorkers will likely want to spend the holiday outside. Spending time outdoors is a good way to ward off cabin fever, but going outside can also be stressful with the looming threat of the coronavirus.

Hotspots such as Central Park and the Brooklyn Promenade are mobbed with New Yorkers trying to escape the confines of their apartments, making it difficult to maintain a safe social distance. Patch compiled a list of low-key places on the Upper East Side where it may be easier to enjoy the outdoors this Memorial Day without running into large crowds.

Check some of Patch's suggestions out below:

Carl Schurz Park Open Street

New York City is working to pedestrianize 100 miles of city streets across the five boroughs to help residents spend time outside while safely social distancing. A stretch of East End Avenue bordering Carl Schurz Park was one of the first streets to open this month.

The open street spans the avenue from East 83rd to East 89th Street, which is a little less than one-third of a mile. It's not the longest distance, but walking up and down the open street may be more comforting that the crowded East River Esplanade.

Park Avenue

Activity on Park Avenue has slowed to a standstill since New York implemented its stay-at-home order in March. The Upper East Side's widest avenue is largely empty of car traffic these days, making it a great place to walk, run or ride a bicycle.

Walking down the middle of Park Avenue provides great views of the street's luxurious apartment buildings, Midtown skyscrapers and the avenue's well-kept dividers. The street isn't completely closed off to cars, so make sure to be aware of your surroundings.

Andrew Haswell Green Park

If you're wary of crowds, you should probably stay off the East River Esplanade. The one exception may be Andrew Haswell Green Park, which can be easily accessed from the street at East 60th Street and York Avenue.

The park's lawn isn't huge, but it features plenty of seating options and it just opened in 2017, which means many New Yorkers may not know about the space. An added bonus: Andrew Haswell Green Park provides some of the best views of the Queensboro Bridge.

Ruppert Park

This shady enclave takes up about half a city block between Second and Third avenues with entrances on East 90th and 91st streets. Located about halfway between the bustling East River Esplanade and Central Park, this park likely provides a much more low-key vibe.

East 91st Street between Second and Third Avenue is always closed off to cars due to its incorporation into the grounds of the nearby Ruppert Yorkvile Towers Condominium, giving visitors more space to spread out.

Sutton Place

This quaint neighborhood located directly south of East 60th Street on the shores of the East River is pretty sleepy compared to most of Manhattan, making it a good place for a stroll. The neighborhood features a number of cul-de-sac side streets that lead to some sort of pocket park or green space by the river.

The miniature green spaces at Sutton Place Park and Clara Coffey Park are narrow, so they may not provide the most space to spread out, but they are little-known areas that may not attract many people.

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