Sara D. Roosevelt Park

Long and narrow, this park punches way above its weight for a stretch of Lower East Side real estate. The basketball courts see serious pickup games most afternoons, and the soccer field actually gets used — not just looked at. Little ones have a sandbox to dig around in while parents claim a bench and decompress, which is the whole point, really. Cleanliness is hit or miss depending on the day, so manage expectations, but the walking path keeps the regulars coming back regardless. It’s the kind of place where the neighborhood actually shows up.