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| Central Park Extends from 59th
Street to 110th Street,
and from Fifth Avenue to Central
Park West
Manhattan
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Click for
full size (28 k)
Map (65k)
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Summary: An
843-acre wooded and landscaped oasis in
the middle of the city. Ample room for
in-line skaters, runners, joggers,
bikers, bird watchers, nature lovers and
practitioners of just about every other
activity you can think of. The park
includes lakes, a skating rink, a
miniature golf course, tennis courts,
softball fields, a swimming pool and even
a carousel.
Highlights of the most
famous park designed by Frederick Law
Olmstead and Calvert Vaux include:
- Alice in
Wonderland Sculptures
Near Fifth
Avenue at East 75th Street
Climbable figures of Alice,
the Mad Hatter and other
characters from the Lewis Carroll
tale.
- Belvedere
Castle, the Henry Luce Nature
Observatory
Near 79th
Street in the center of the park
(212)772-0210
Once a weather station, now
an education center with terrific
views.
- Bethesda
Terrace
Near East
73rd Street at the southeast
corner of Rowboat Lake
Famous for the "Angel of
the Waters" fountain.
- Buggy Rides
Horse-drawn
hansom cabs are for hire at the
Plaza entrance on Central Park
South and at Columbus Circle.
- Central Park
Zoo
5th Avenue
at East 64th Street
(212) 861-6030
Officially called the Central
Park Wildlife Center. Displays
wildlife, including polar bears
and monkeys, in naturalistic
settings. Run by the Wildlife
Conservation Society, which also
manages the Bronx Zoo. Open every day
of the year. April through
October: Monday to Friday from 10
am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday
from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.
November through March: 10 am to
4:30 pm daily. Watch the sea
lions chow down at 11:30 am, 2 pm
and 4 pm; see the penguins dine
at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm every
day. Save your ticket for
entrance to the nearby Tisch
Children's Zoo.
- Cleopatra's
Needle
Near East
81st Street (behind the Metropolitan
Museum of Art)
An Egyptian obelisk presented
to the U.S. by the Khedive of
Egypt in 1881.
- Conservatory
Garden
Fifth
Avenue at 105th Street
(212) 360-2766
A wonderfully designed and
meticulously maintained formal
garden. Our favorite spot in
Central Park and the perfect
place to escape to when you need
a break from your usual routine.
- Delacorte
Theater
(212)
539-8655
Home of
free Shakespeare plays each
summer.
- Friedsam
Memorial Carousel
Near 65th
Street in the center of the park
(212) 879-0244
Children love riding this
antique merry-go-round. A good
place for a child's birthday
party, too.
- Harlem
Meer
Between
107th Street and 110th Street off
Fifth Avenue
Harlem Meer is a beautifully
landscaped pond. Follow the path
around the meer for a wonderful
walk on a sunny day. You can
actually catch fish here
(although you are encouraged to
toss them back); call
212-860-1370 for details. The Charles
A. Dana Discovery Center,
which runs programs for kids, is
located on the north side.
- Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis Reservoir
Main
entrance to the jogging track is
at East 90th Street
This 1.58 mile track is
almost always busy with joggers.
The heavy use and diligent police
patrols make this a popular place
to run, even in the evening.
- Lasker Rink
(212) 534-7639
The less crowded and less
expensive alternative to Wollman
Rink for winter skating.
- Loeb
Boathouse
Near 74th
Street, on the east side of
Rowboat Lake
(212) 517-3697
Open for lunch and dinner all
summer, beginning in May. A nice
place to have a drink and enjoy
the sunshine.
- Sailboat
Lake
Near Fifth
Avenue at 74th Street
(212) 673-1102
Relax and watch the
mini-regattas of
remote-controlled yachts in the
lake. Better yet, rent a boat at
the Kerbs Model Boathouse and
join the races!
- Strawberry
Fields
Near
Central Park West at 72nd Street
2 1/2 acres planted with 125,000
strawberry plants in honor of
John Lennon.
- Swedish
Cottage Marionette Theater
(212) 988-9093
Offers shows for children.
- Tennis
Courts
(212) 280-0205
- Tisch
Children's Zoo
5th Avenue
at East 65th Street
(212) 439-6500
Just north of the larger Central
Park Wildlife Center, the recently
redesigned Children's Zoo is a
special place where very young
visitors can experience a world
of animals designed especially
for them. Best for toddlers and
pre-schoolers.
- Victorian
Gardens Amusement Park
(212)
982-2229
One-of-a-kind, hand-crafted
rides, games, face painting,
storytelling, clowns and
entertainment. A gentle way to
introduce your young children to
an amusement park. Seasonal only.
Located by Wollman Rink.
- Wollman Rink
6th Avenue
at 59th Street
(212) 439-6900
Ice skating in the winter;
in-line skating at other times.
Any discussion of Central
Park would not be complete without
mentioning all the great events that
occur regularly there. Learn more about
the Harlem Meer Performance
Festival at (212) 860-1370; find
out when the Metropolitan Opera
will be holding its summer performances
on the Great Lawn at (212) 363-6000; call
about New York Philharmonic
concerts at (212) 875-5709; check out Shakespeare
in the Park at (212) 539-8655;
get details about the SummerStage
Music Festival at (212)
360-2777.
But of course there is even
more! For an essay about the simple
pleasures that Central Park offers, see
our related article.
For an official view of things, see the
NYC Department of Parks & Recreation web
site. And for
information about the group that has been
central to the resurgence of the Park,
call the Central Park Conservancy at
(212) 360-3444.
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