Hester Street
Playground

In New York, there’s no shortage of people who want to talk to you about the hustle. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere! They glorify sleeplessness, encourage hard work at the expense of living a well balanced life, and have a real affinity for “inspirational” quotes. When they’re not working and not sleeping, you might find them at Crossfit.

One reason to spend time at the Hester Street Playground is that it’s not Crossfit and no one is telling you what to do. But, more importantly, one small dose of a well maintained adult-friendly playground is proven to make you less likely to lose your mind and turn into someone who Instagrams about the hustle. Trust us.

The Hester Street Playground is free, since it is in a public park. Its location at the intersection of Chinatown and the Lower East Side means you’ll find all kinds of people here: locals getting their evening stretch on, kids hanging out after school, and teens playing basketball who know more about streetwear than you. Which is all to say, no one here is judging you—they’re doing their own thing. So if the middle school dodgeball draft was a fraught thing for you, you’ll feel comfortable coming here and letting off some steam.

There are tire swings, monkey bars, basketball courts, regular swings, slides, and plenty of open space. Is the Hester Street Playground a workout? Totally depends on your M.O. Is it an Active Space? Definitely. It’s a great place to move a little bit, it’s super accessible, and the stakes are low. Our recommendation? Next time your friend texts you on a Thursday night that they want to go out but don’t know where, get a few pals together, order some super cheap yet incredible (no, seriously, it will impress even your fanciest friend) Chinese food at Spicy Village across the street (BYOB), and then cap off your night with some tire swing action at Hester Street. You won’t regret it.