Central Park
Culture in New York, New York, United States
Harry Gillen · by permission, via unsplash.com
- Best months: January–December
- Typical duration: 6h
- Elevation gain: 17 m
Access & fees
Things to do
- attend concerts and performances
- birdwatching
- cycling on park drives (dedicated lanes: true)
- explore belvedere castle
- guided walking tours (fee: $25 adult · frequency: year-round)
- horse-drawn carriage rides
- ice skating (location: Wollman Rink)
- jogging, walking, hiking (trails: Park Drives, Reservoir loop, bridle paths)
- photography
- picnicking
- relax in sheep meadow
- rowing and boat rentals (phone: (212) 517-2233 · location: Loeb Boathouse)
- stroll across bow bridge
- visit bethesda terrace and bethesda fountain
- visit strawberry fields (john lennon memorial)
- visit the central park zoo
- walk or jog scenic trails
Amenities
- bike rentals available (authorized vendors: Tavern on the Green, Columbus Circle)
- eateries on-site
- public restrooms
- wi-fi hot spots
Best time to visit
- summer weekends peak (window: summer weekends) — highest visitation
Events & seasons
- central park summerstage (phone: (212) 360-2777)
- harlem meer performance festival (phone: (212) 860-1370)
- metropolitan opera on great lawn (phone: (212) 362-6000 · location: Great Lawn)
- ny philharmonic on great lawn (phone: (212) 875-5709 · location: Great Lawn)
- shakespeare in the park (phone: (212) 539-8655 · location: Delacorte Theater)
Features
- ~50 fountains, monuments, sculptures (count: nearly 50)
- 21 children's playgrounds (count: 21)
- 36 bridges and arches (count: 36)
- 5 visitor centers (centers: Dana Discovery, Belvedere Castle, Dairy, Chess & Checkers, Columbus Circle)
- 8 artificial lakes and ponds (count: 8)
- 843 acres, landscaped (area acres: 843)
- national historic landmark (designated: 1963)
- unesco tentative list (since: April 2017)
- visit strawberry fields (john lennon memorial)
Nearby
- broadway malls (distance miles: 0.15)
- theodore roosevelt park (distance miles: 0.85)
Good to know
- crosstown bus routes (routes: M66, M72, M79, M86, M96, M106)
- general info phone (phone: (212) 310-6600)
- managed by central park conservancy (type: public-private partnership · since: 1998)
- multiple subway lines (lines: A,B,C,D,1 at Columbus Circle; B,C along CPW; 4,5,6 on Lexington Ave)