Bowling Green
Bowling Green
4
About
Colonial gentlemen used to "bowl" here, at New York City's oldest park, paying one peppercorn per year for the privilege.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
  • Whitehall St – South Ferry • 2 min walk
  • South Ferry • 3 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles232 reviews
Excellent
45
Very good
120
Average
63
Poor
4
Terrible
0

SalvatoreCandiano
Pozzallo, Italy114 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Family
In New York every corner that always something to see, here we arrived after the Statue of Liberty, a lot of people, could not miss the photo with the bull, of the Italian sculptor, both in front and behind. Children have fun
Written 24 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bwco
New Jersey1,746 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2017 • Couples
We stopped here during a break on a hop on/hop off tour of Manhattan. Its a nice area, but it was way too crowded. Don't even try to get near the bull, the crowds were out of control there.
Written 19 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gboi77
Taipei, Taiwan1,159 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2016
The park is small and unremarkable at first glance and unsuspecting visitors may not be aware of its historic significance until they read about it, particularly its designation as the oldest park in the city and how it became a symbol of US independence from Britain after the existing statue of the British monarch was toppled. Hard to believe, too, that this was once the tip of Manhattan before the area was expanded through landfilling. It is worth a visit if only for these remarkable facts.
Written 15 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ktsnowowl
Hervey Bay, Australia5,266 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Home of the Charging Bull, Bowling Green is a cute little park in the Financial District.

With all the works going on in Battery Park at the moment, Bowling Green provides a nice oasis in this part of town.

It's by no means a huge park but it's a great spot for people watching or enjoying a coffee whilst waiting for a photo with the bull. Be sure to take a moment to enjoy when your in this part of town.
Written 1 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy M
Guildford, UK194 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2013 • Couples
This was surprisingly disappointing. Not for any other reason than the fighting of tourists to get in front of the bull for pictures. Just when you think sensibility has taken over and people are allowing everybody time to do their own pictures - a new herd of tourists get bussed in and pure in front of you - pushing everybody else out of the way.

Has the world forgotten how to take things in turn?
Written 17 October 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sdhomegirl
South Dakota143 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019
I'm guessing the trick to truly enjoying Bowling Green is all in the timing - not at lunch on a Friday, as happened to us. We were still excited to see the Charging Bull and the park in person, but there was no place to sit and enjoy because of the crowds. Just plan your timing better than we did. :)
Written 19 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ta Ta For Now
117 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019 • Couples
We enjoyed visiting this area and learn about it's history. The weather was beautiful when we went in June, the small park looked pretty with it's fountain, manicured gardens and benches a nice place to take a rest. It is the oldest park in NYC and is steeped in history, the iron fence that surrounds it was melted down and used as ammunition further to the declaration of Independence. Then of course there is the Charging Bull which is also in the same area and fun to get a photograph with, although beware you will need to queue.
Written 28 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelNerd
Austin, TX140 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Family
The park is the oldest park in New York. I loved the the beautiful landscaped sitting area with vibrant red tulips and fountain.A peaceful place to rest, take photos and scout your next adventure.... Which would probably be taking a photo around the CHARGING BULL OF WALLSTREET.Good luck with that.. As people dangle from every point of this animals bronzed body my desire faded. This bull cant get any rest.. I found that late at night the crowd will thin enough to get close. Bowly Green has the NYFilm school near, also Street vendors for hot dogs. Large Native American and Central America Museum to the left of the fountain as well and the National archives building is housed inside. Subway acess is right there. While visitng I woke up every morning and walked to the fountain area to sit and enjoy the beautiful weather and architecture on the historic buildings.
Written 11 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LWL3333
Wellington, FL17,961 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Couples
My wife and I walked around this small historic park near the southern tip of Manhattan and combined a visit there with the Native American Museum and the old Customs House. Back in the 1600's when the Dutch owned New York City, and continuing through the British ownership, this park actually was used for lawn bowling.
Written 15 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AGothamist
Irun, Spain8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
Bowling Green seems to be the park behind the Charging Bull. A small spot you won't take care about... And you will miss one of the historic and emblematic spaces in the city!
It was there before the Bull; it was chosen as the beginning of the world's most famous avenue (Broadway).
More than 3 centuries have seen the grass grow while the Big Apple began to become into what we can enjoy nowadays.
And you can be part of it just by sitting on a bench and feeling the special soul of the first park of the city.
Written 27 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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BOWLING GREEN (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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