A much-needed public green space in the Flatiron District (since nearby Gramercy Park is fenced in), this 6.2 acre park is the go-to spot for local businesspeople and travelers who indulge in its recently introduced free wireless internet, abundant benches, green lawns, experimental sculpture, and outrageously popular snack stand from restaurateur Danny Meyer, the Shake Shack; but be aware that the lines for this haute food kiosk get incredibly long, so if you’re hungry line up early or bring a bag lunch). The site of the first baseball club, formed by Alexander Cartwright in 1845, as well as the location of P.T. Barnum’s original circus performances, the Park has a long, varied history: two former Madison Square Gardens lined it; the arm and torch of the Statue of Liberty were displayed here as funds were raised to complete the structure; America’s first community Christmas tree was illuminated here in 1912, and so on. The Madison Square Park Conservancy renovated the park in the 1990s, when it was badly in need of some TLC, and continues to raise funds for its maintenance.