With the pandemic, people need to see and experience beauty, nature, and parks more than ever. Learn more about some of America's urban oases.

With COVID-19, most people are probably not traveling much these days. And depending on where you live and how far you can travel without driving too far or getting on a plane, some of us may be deprived of opportunities to see and experience the beauty and nature that can be found in parks.
To help us daydream a bit and look forward to better days when we can travel freely, National Geographic has identified ten of the most beautiful parks in America:
- Belle Isle Park (Detroit, Michigan)
- Falls Park (Greenville, South Carolina)
- Riverfront Park (Spokane, Washington)
- Meridian Park (Washington, D.C.)
- White River State Park (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (Denver, Colorado)
- City Park (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- Pappajohn Sculpture Park (Des Moines, Iowa)
- Barnsdall Art Park (Los Angeles, California)
- Julia Davis Park (Boise, Idaho)
As Kimberly Lovato states in this article, "The pandemic is a problem and natural areas are part of the solution." While we should all stay close to home now, let's hope that we can soon venture out and be overwhelmed and rejuvenated by the beauty of these wonderful parks.
FULL STORY: These are some of America’s most beautiful urban parks

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)