Take a virtual trip to the world's most beautiful parks

Hard at work in the office and craving some outside time? Now you don't even have to leave your desk to take a virtual visit to some of the world's most spectacular parks.

Hard at work in the office and craving some outside time? Now you don't even have to leave your desk to take a virtual visit to some of the world's most spectacular parks.

Google's Street View crew have been "hard at work" photographing scenic parks, delicate flower beds and romantic picnic spots. The images from these expeditions have been added to Street View within Google Maps and Google Earth.

"Over the past year, the Street View team, equipped with the Street View trike, traveled to 22 different countries to photograph some of the world's most beautiful and unique parks. Starting today, you can explore the couple hundred new special collections we've added by visiting

HT Image

our gallery

," said Ryan Falor, Product Manager for Street View at Google.

The Parks of the World gallery in Google Maps includes highlights such as High Line Park in New York City, Kensington Gardens in London, Knuthenborg Safari Park in Denmark and Koganei Park in Tokyo.

If that's not enough greenness for one day, you can extend your virtual visit by heading to

VirtualParks.org

which features panoramas of "incredible wilderness locals" in the US or EarthCam which features live webcam feeds from locations around the globe.