Battery Park is located at the Southern tip of Manhattan with beautiful views of the Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. If you drive your Manhattan SUV rental or minivan rental to Battery Park, parking is available. This is one of New York's oldest open public spaces, with 23 acres of waterfront land.

In the summer, Battery Park features beautiful promenades and other activities, such as open-air concerts. Also, many other famous New York landmarks are within walking distance. They include the New York Stock Exchange, the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, and the Staten Island Ferry. From Battery Park, you can drive your NYC cheap car rental down for the day and explore this section of New York City.

Discover the freedom: roots of the park

The land where this NYC park now stands is where the Hudson and East Rivers meet. Dutch settlers landed here in 1623 and built a battery of cannons to defend the new city, which they called New Amsterdam. Fortifications were built over the years, until the War of 1812, when Castle Clinton was built. After tensions between Canada and the U.S. calmed down, Castle Clinton was renamed Castle Garden and made into a cultural center. By the mid-1800s, Castle Garden became the first immigrant receiving center before Ellis Island was established. At the end of that century, the Castle was turned into the New York Aquarium. Come experience this part of exciting American history.

Remember the hard times and look forward to prosperity

Battery Park has extensive gardens on the property. The Upper Promenade's gardens are now called the Gardens of Remembrance as a tribute to the survivors of September 11, as well as a place of solace and renewal. There are 109 varieties of hybrid perennials and native plants through all four seasons. You can walk through this NYC park and explore these gardens. Many come here to find peace.

Try not to dig up the past

Come see Battery Park and the history of early New York! On December 8, 2005, workers in the park made an interesting discovery: they found a 200-year-old stone wall where they were beginning to work on a new subway station. "This wall most likely is a portion of the gun batteries that once protected the city in the late 17th and 18th centuries and gave rise to the modern park name," said Robert Tierney, chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Come down to Battery Park for a relaxing day and to experience part of New York's history. Especially in the summer, this NYC park is one experience you will not want to miss! From here you can also drive your Manhattan car rental to some of New York's most famous landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island!