THE DESTINATION
New York Botanical Garden for the lilacs and spring flowers
2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx

THE JOURNEY

• By car: 40 minutes from Tribeca by car, with parking on site for $20
• By subway + bus/walk: Take the 4 train to Bedford Park Blvd Station. From the station exit: Take the Bx25 or Bx26 bus east to the garden’s Mosholu entrance OR walk eight blocks down the hill on Bedford Park Blvd (approximately 20 minutes), turn left onto Southern Blvd. and walk one block to Mosholu entrance. More than an hour all in.
• By train: 20 minutes from Grand Central Terminal — take Metro-North Harlem local line to Botanical Garden Station, located directly across the street from the garden’s Mosholu entrance.

THE DETAILS
We went last week to catch the last hours of the orchid show, which I will say was fabulous (add it to your list next year). But we also wanted to do some laps and the lilac garden is UNBELIEVABLE — and I had never seen it. The cherry blossoms are also off the hook, and there is a whole section dedicated to azaleas, which should be in full bloom by now.

We sniff-tested every color lilac. I am sticking with the pink hyacinth lilac for #1.

PIT STOP
We grabbed a salad at the concession (not cheap, but fine), which has very nice outdoor seating as well as a pizza bar. But you could also pack in or walk to Arthur Avenue for any number of spots. My fave sandwich joint there is Joe’s Italian Deli but I always go home with a box of the walnut cookies from Madonia Brothers Bakery.

PRO TIP
Leave time for parking. Maybe it was the rush for the orchid show, but it took us a good 20 extra minutes to pay and park, with most of that time spent idling in a line of cars on Southern Boulevard.

Wear your walking shoes if you want to make tracks. But the tram will also take you to all corners of the park.

BONUS WITH KIDS
Back in the kid-raising days, I would take the kids there about once a month, mostly because they can run everywhere with no cars in sight for 250 acres. But in addition, there’s the Everett Children’s Garden, which is just incredible for its playscapes (boulder garden, hedge maze) and programming.

SECOND BONUS
Wait till May 24 and the garden will have a show celebrating the flowers of Vincent Van Gogh, running through October.