Vesuvio Playground, Recreational playground in SoHo, Manhattan, US.
Vesuvio Playground is a public recreation area at the corner of Thompson Street and Prince Street in SoHo, Manhattan. It has basketball and handball courts, bocce courts, play structures, sandboxes, spray showers, and a small outdoor pool used during warmer months.
The city acquired the land in stages between 1929 and 1957, as the Department of Parks bought up several separate parcels in the area. Before that, the site held warehouses and commercial buildings typical of the neighborhood at the time.
The name comes from the Vesuvio Bakery, a former Italian bakery that once stood nearby and gave the block its character. Walking through the surrounding streets, you can still notice traces of that heritage in the architecture and local shops.
The playground is easy to reach from the surrounding sidewalks and has several entry points. Weekdays tend to be less busy, which makes it a good time to use the courts or the play areas without too much wait.
The outdoor pool here was among the first in New York to set fixed daily operating hours specifically for summer use. That early approach turned it into a regular meeting spot for people living nearby during the hottest weeks of the year.
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