Things to see and do in Central Park
Visiting New York without visiting Central Park? Unthinkable. I mean you only need to look at a map of Manhattan or check the subway map and there it is: A big green blob slap bang in the middle.
So next time you visit New York, make sure you set aside enough time to explore Central Park properly. Because there are loads of things to do, despite the obvious ‘Going for a walk’.
Central Park might be the biggest green in Manhattan, but with its 843 acres / 3.41 km2 it is actually only number 5 in New York (if you consider all boroughs). The biggest one would be Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, with 2.765 acres / 11.19km2 a good three times the size of Central Park.
Central Park spans 50 streets top to bottom (from 59th Street in the south to 110th street in the north) and 4 avenues left across (from 5th Avenue to 8th Avenue).
Things to see and do in Central: Go for a walk
OK, this would probably be the obvious choice when you consider what to do in Central Park.
Central Park offers an array of walking tracks, different sceneries from bedrock to lakes and meadows and beautiful views of the city.
Things to see and do in Central Park: Visit the Zoo
Yes there is a whole zoo within Central Park. You might have seen it in some films (I mean who didn’t fall in love with the penguins in ‘Madagascar’), so why not go and visit them for real (not sure they do quite as many tricks though).
Things to see and do in Central Park: See the Alice in Wonderland sculpture
Located near East 74th Street you can find the magnificent Alice in Wonderland statue. Alice sitting on a giant mushroom surrounded by all the lovable characters, the Cheshire cat, Mad Hatter, the mice.
Things to see and do in Central Park: Take a ride on the Carousel
Located on the south part of the park, near East 65th Street you will find a vintage carousel, installed in 1952 (this is the fourth carousel at this site, the first one was actually installed in the 1870s).
Weather permitted it is open 7 days a week and a ride will cost you $3.25 (cash only).
Things to see and do in Central Park: Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Located at the edge of Central Park on Fifth Avenue (between 80th and 84th Street) the Met is the largest art museum in the US with more than 2 million exhibits. So you might want to set aside a bit of time to explore it.
Tickets are $25 / adults, $12 for students, but the tickets are valid for 3 consecutive days and for all three Met locations (so not ‘just’ this one, but also ‘The Cloisters’ in Upper Manhattan and the ‘Met Breuer’ on Madison Avenue).
And if the art collection isn’t enough to lure you in, don’t forget to also admire the architecture itself. The Great Hall is simply stunning and from the roof garden you get great views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.
Things to see and do in Central Park: Go for a run around the reservoir
In the upper part of Central Park, between the through roads at 85th Street and 97th Street sits the large ‘Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir’. Which is a very popular running spot thanks to a convenient track around the reservoir. Make sure you follow the one-way system and run counter clockwise, otherwise your fellow runners might give you the evil eye. Doing one round is just under 3 km, so even an inexperienced runner like me can complete a round (and if you can’t, just walk the rest).
Go early in the morning and you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline at sunrise.
Things to see and do in Central Park: Hire a bike and go for a ride
As many major cities nowadays, New York runs a city bike rental scheme. And whilst I would not recommend renting and riding a bike through the city if you are an inexperienced rider, taking it through Central Park is fairly safe. Well saying that, it is also fairly hilly, so be prepared for some heavy pedalling (not helped by the fact that the rental bikes weigh a ton). Or be cheeky and rent an e-bike instead.
