If the weather holds this weekend, there is a free way to mark the start of autumn: the Urban Park Rangers lead Heather Garden Highlights at Fort Tryon Park on Sunday, September 13, a 90-minute stroll through flowers, park history, and bird activity above the Hudson. It is free, outdoors, and needs no registration — just show up.
- When: Sunday, Sept 13, 1–2:30 p.m.
- Where: meet at Margaret Corbin Circle, Fort Tryon Park (A train to 190th Street)
- Cost: free, no registration or RSVP
- Why it is worth it: the Heather Garden is about 3 acres — the largest public garden with unrestricted access in New York City — planted with more than 500 varieties on a bluff overlooking the river, just below the Cloisters
Ranger walks are a reliably good free New York program, and this one happens to be in one of Manhattan’s most underrated parks. Show up a little early, enjoy the view from the circle, and you can turn it into a full afternoon with the Cloisters or the rest of Fort Tryon.