"Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here? Built by Hitler’s henchmen and used as a lifeline by some two million people during the Allied Airlift, Tempelhof Airport is now a sweeping urban playground that’s larger than Central Park. On sunny days, thousands of Berliners come to jog down the abandoned runways, bike under the old radar station, and grill next to grounded Cold War-era planes. Any standout features or must-sees? Aside from its fascinating history, sheer size, and uniqueness, one of the things that makes Tempelhofer Feld so special is the many creative, weird, and wonderful way that Berliners use it. Stay long enough and you’ll see beekeepers in the lawn, windsurfers on the runway, cricket players by the tarmac, zipliners in the forest, and much more. In fact, after the last airplane landed here in 2008, the city democratically asked its residents to vote for what they’d like to do with the place. Instead of building pricey condos or paving it all over, Berliners chose to transform it into a green space. Today, Tempelhofer Feld is a perfect example of what makes Berlin so magical: When you give people space and freedom to create things and do what they please, wonderful and whimsical things happen. How do you get around? Measuring nearly 1,000 acres, Tempelhofer Feld is best experienced by jogging or biking. There’s a lot to see: a biergarten; a cycling, skating, and jogging trail; picnic and BBQ areas, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and more. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for? Tempelhofer Feld really isn’t the kind of place you pop by and see in a few minutes, so if you’re short on time, you might want to save this for a return trip. That said, it’s one of the world’s most unique parks and even if you’re in a rush, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a finer sunset spot than from the Oderstrasse entrance." - Eliot Stein
