Herman Melville’s opening paragraph of Moby Dick contains the sentence: “Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.”
Anyone living in New York, must occasionally feel the need to be rid of feeling “grim about the mouth.” For many years, my personal preference for a refreshing and uplifting escape has always been the soul-satisfying Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Less than a half-hour by subway (on the #2, #3, B or Q trains) from mid-town, the BBG will transport anyone from the grinding intensity of Manhattan to an oasis of tranquility that is unmatched anywhere in the greater New York area.
Unique in its dedication to remaining a garden (not a park-like so many of the other gardens in the city), the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens encompasses more than 50 acres of mature trees, specialty gardens, ambling pathways, and a feeling of calm and beauty.
Founded in 1910, the 52-acres adjacent to the Brooklyn Museum contain more than 10,000 different types of plants. Regardless of the time of year you choose to visit, there is an ever-changing palette of color and design. Crocuses emerge through the snow in February; daffodils cover south-facing hillsides in March; the growing warmth of April gets the magnolias to bloom along with the cherry blossoms in both the Japanese Garden and the Cherry Esplanade; the fragrance of lilacs fills the air in May along with tulips and thousands of blooming azaleas; the roses burst forth in June as do the gigantic rhododendron bushes, and the summer months are filled with world-class annuals in every corner of the garden.
If you prefer listening to this article – click the video below:
The fall foliage rivals anything you will find in the surrounding countryside, and the winter brings its own splendor and stillness with the added pleasure of being able to duck into the warm tropical greenhouses with their spectacular array of exotic plants and flowers. In short, at any time of the year, if you want to immerse yourself in boundless beauty, head to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. An hour there will lower your blood pressure and clear your head. Three hours might change your outlook on life.
How to get there: Take the #2 or #3 to Eastern Parkway – Brooklyn Museum Station; the B or Q trains from mid-town to Prospect Park station; or 3 to Eastern Parkway– Brooklyn Museum station; B or Q to Prospect Park station; S shuttle to Prospect Park station. (The B train does not run on weekends.) (Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, 718.623.7200, bbg.org)
Photo: Jim Sibley, aloucha, Flatbush Gardener
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram