Fort Greene Park

Both the borough's first park and one of its loveliest, Fort Greene Park occupies a major soft spot in the hearts of history buffs and Brooklynites alike. As a former fort during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, it's been officially a park since 1847, thanks to a redesign by Central Park and Prospect Park architects Omsted and Vaux. Not only was it a favorite of Walt Whitman and William Howard Taft, but the kids of (very family-friendly) Fort Greene love it, too: There's a basketball court, playgrounds, tennis courts and a hill that's perfect for sledding come winter, all under the towering presence of the iconic Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument.