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Eileen Falkenberg-Hull

By Eileen Falkenberg-Hull

Senior Editor, Autos, Travel and Lifestyle

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Parks are places of refuge, exploration and reflection. They can help you escape the daily grind and open you up to learning more. Around the world, parks take various shapes and sizes, with different themes, whether centered on nature, art, discovery, serenity or recreation. From coral reefs in the Adriatic Sea to a sculpture-filled thoroughfare in Colombia, the parks on this list each have something unique about them that makes them especially appealing destinations to add to the usual travel itinerary.

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Bigger Is Better Balboa Park San Diego

This California park is bigger than New York's Central Park and Chicago's Millennium Park combined. It is home to 65 miles of trails, six museums and the San Diego Zoo on 1,200 acres of land. Visitors can climb 125 steps to the top of the California Tower to get a unique view of the city. Tickets are required to visit some attractions.

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Treasure From Tragedy Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park Winnipeg, Manitoba

In 1983, a fire destroyed the abandoned former home of 50 monks from the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. The provincial government stepped in to save what was left, turning the area into a park that now contains the St. Norbert Arts Centre, gardens, a greenhouse and the World Peace Pagoda. Monastery structures are now home to annual Shakespeare in the Ruins performances.

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Urban Oasis The High Line New York City

On the west side of Manhattan is a combination elevated linear park, greenway and trail created from a disused spur of the New York Central Railroad. It runs 1.45 miles from the Hudson Yards development to the city's Meatpacking District, winding by Chelsea Market, over traffic and near historic buildings.

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Exaggerated Dimension Plaza Botero Medellín, Colombia

Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero's work can be seen in all the major cities of the world. The town of his birth pays his work unique tribute with a collection of 23 statues featuring his signature plus-sized proportions across the plaza's 75,347-square-foot area in the city's Old Quarter.

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Asia Meets Argentina Jardin Japones Buenos Aires, Argentina

One of the largest Japanese-style gardens outside of Asia is found tucked into the trendy Palermo neighborhood in Argentina's capital city. The 4.9-acre park was completed in 1967. It is home to the gardens, a restaurant, open-air theater, Japanese Peace Bell, Buddhist temple, cultural center, gift shop and a greenhouse that is renowned for its collection of bonsai trees.

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Historic Beauty Peak District National Park Bakewell, United Kingdom

The first of England's national parks, the Peak District is a massive area marked by Dark Peak on one side and White Peak on the other. Between sits a variety of landscapes from moorland to pasture that can be explored by foot, bike, glider, climbing or horseback. It's also home to Chatsworth House, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, an 81,000-square-foot estate surrounded by gardens that can be visited for a fee.

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Art-Filled Escape Park Güell Barcelona, Spain

This UNESCO World Heritage site was once home to renowned architect Antoni Gaudí and features elements of his own design. The art-filled 17 acres include complex iconography, animal statues and mosaics all in his instantly recognizable style. A panoramic view of the city, including the Sagrada Família basilica, can be seen from the park.

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Treetop Explorer Kakum National Park Abrafo, Ghana

This south-central Ghana park is renowned for its tropical forests. Numerous species call the park home, including buffalo, pangolins, dwarf crocodiles, North African crested porcupines and 266 bird species. Visitors come from all around to walk the park's 1,150-foot canopy walkway (one of three in Africa) that connects seven treetops. Guided tours are available.

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Earth Meets Sea Kornati National Park Adriatic Sea, Croatia

Visiting this park is an exercise in exploring the wild, untouched world. Made up of 89 islands, there's a bevy of secluded beaches to lie on, inlet hideaways to explore and dense forests to see. Below the archipelago's water, coral reefs welcome snorkelers. Some of the islands have settlement remains that go back to the Neolithic Age. A ticket is required.

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Vibrant Hues Jiuzhaigou National Park Sichuan Province, China

This UNESCO World Heritage Site and a World Biosphere Reserve covers 280 miles of terrain from layered waterfalls to snow-capped peaks. Hike miles of trails to see extraordinary sights including Five Flower Lake, which displays blue, green, orange, yellow and red hues. Locals consider the body of water to be sacred.

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New Heights Mount Faber Park Singapore

Situated in a secondary rain forest environment, the park allows you to see Singapore and the southern islands from a new perspective. Enjoy panoramic views from a lookout point on the ridge, take a cable car from Mount Faber to Sentosa Island or dine at either of the two restaurants atop Faber Peak.

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