VDG Fam and Friends NYC Cost-Efficient Activities: Free Prospect Park Adventures

Come jump into the Prospect Park adventure--trust me--it's magical. It's not a pedestrian Mecca--like it's Manhattan sister--it's an experience where if you might find yourself in a silent green opening. Fall is especially gorgeous there. If you cannot get out of the city for your fall foilage fix--this is the place to come--and absorb the rich succulent colors.

There are trees for climbing--with extraordinary knots to examine and discuss why the tree has knots and holes--and what animals are loving the cool innards of the tree.

This is not necessarily budget-friendly, but in case you wanted to know and felt the need--here is the information so you could ride a horse around Prospect Park.

Years ago, I brought a butterfly net for my four year old to attempt to catch cabbage leaf butterflies (or something like that) and one of the horse back riders stopped their horse and shouted at my dear child, "Leave those butterflies alone--they have a life too!" Some New Yorkers are so involved----in other people's lives. When this happens just let it roll off your back--they're just interfering people with an absurd desire to . . . interfere.

Also, my kids found it an extraordinary opportunity to collect amazing leaves, rocks and sticks.

When you get to the Prospect Park Lake, notice everything. Take a moment to breathe in the wet lake smell and then visit with the swans and ducks. Be careful. They think anything you hand them is food. Thankfully, they were not easily fooled by the leaves my kids were attempting to feed them.

Don't forget--geese, swans and ducks--they all bite. The honkers hissed threateningly when my daughter asked to eat some goldfish crackers (which we did not feed the animals).

I know you cannot see their faces too well, but my kids were in heaven! They loved every second by the lake. We were just supposed to walk by, but we stayed there for a half hour.

Here is the adult swan and the "teenager." I am sure the swan went back to his/her swan buddies and said, "Dude--don't go to those kids, all they are giving are leaves. He-llo! If I wanted a salad all I have to do is get out of the lake."

Prospect Park is a fabulous place to sit and read, walk, meditate, think, lawfully pick mushrooms for cooking, bird watching, concert absorbing, play a lot of sports, and just about anything, including driving in certain areas.