When the mercury rises, we lose our tolerance for traffic, tourists, and crowds in the clubs. Sometimes it’s nice to turn down the volume and take a mental vacation, and no, we’re not talking about rehab. We’ve found some spots where peace and quiet can be found, and you don’t even have to leave the city. Relax, recharge your batteries, and emerge ready to go back to the madness—at our suggested retox spots.
Governors Island
Ferries depart from Battery Maritime Building
(South & Whitehall Sts.)
Financial District
Open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, this 172-acre island is just outside the smog bubble hovering over Manhattan. This summer, the city launched a free bike-share program on Fridays, otherwise bike rentals are $5 for 30 minutes at Bike and Roll, or bring your own wheels to the car-free island. Take in the view of the Statue of Liberty and find a quiet spot to chill with a picnic lunch and that novel you’ve been trying to read all summer. Retox at: Stone Street Tavern
Garden @ The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields
487 Hudson St. (Christopher & Grove Sts.)
West Village 212.924.0562
You don’t need to affiliate with any religious beliefs to worship this enchanted garden. Find plenty of benches among a smattering of lilies, witch hazel, and cornflowers in this public respite, dating back to the Episcopalian church’s founding in 1820. The gates are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Retox at: Employees Only
Greenacre Park
217 E. 51st. St. (2nd & 3rd Aves.)
Midtown
Sure, there are lots of parks to discover in NYC, but this one is so randomly out of the way, chances are you won’t find it full of tourists and screaming children. Come before or after the office set has lunch here and find an ivy-covered sanctuary with a 25-foot waterfall, a stone fountain, shady arbors, and even a snack stand. Something about the cascading water exudes serenity, and you’ll have a hard time believing you’re still in Midtown and not a botanical garden. Also, check out Paley Park on 53rd Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue, which inspired the design of Greenacre Park and also features a waterfall. Retox at: Islero
The Cloisters @ Fort Tryon Park
99 Margaret Corbin Dr. (@ Henry Hudson Pkwy.)
Washington Heights 212.923.3700
Want to channel the tranquility of a monk? Take an express A train and hike uphill to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s homage to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. The castle and gardens overlooking the Hudson River are too far north for most tourists, so there is plenty of outdoor space to sunbathe, do artwork, or work on your Gregorian chants. The suggested donation for entry is $20, but no one will bat an eyelash if you drop four quarters. Retox at: 809 Sangria Bar & Grill
Yelo
315 W. 57th St. (@ 8th Ave.)
Hell’s Kitchen 212.245.8235
Ever get exhausted in the middle of the day? Of course you do, but naptime ended in kindergarten (unless you’re hiding under your desk like George Costanza). Until now—you can thank genius/Time Warner executive Nick Ronco for opening Yelo, a reflexology massage parlor with futuristic napping cabins. Lie back in a zero-gravity chair, and the purified air, aromatherapy, and chill music will have you counting sheep in no time. A 20-minute powernap is $15, a 40-minute nap is $28, or for $65, go for a “20/20”—a 20-minute massage before taking a 20-minute nap (now on sale for $50 through Shecky's Beauty Week!). Retox at: Triumph Room
