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Central Park
Free, open daily, and 843 acres, which is the catch as much as the appeal: nobody sees it all in one go. Pick a corner. The southern third near Midtown holds the lake, Bethesda Terrace, the Mall, and Strawberry Fields, while the north end thins out into quiet woods that most visitors never reach.
Photos: Jet Lowe (Public domain), Rhododendrites (CC BY-SA 4.0), King of Hearts (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
No ticket, no gate, one of the great city parks, so there is barely a reason to skip it. The only one: a single jam-packed day where every hour is already spoken for.
Worth it for
- Stepping off the grid for an hour when the city starts to grind on you
- Rowing the lake, walking the Mall, or just watching New York happen on the lawns
You can skip if
- Deep winter, when a long walk in the cold loses to a warm museum
Tickets & tours for Central Park
What to see
The park's landscape was designed in the 19th century to feel natural, with lakes, meadows, wooded paths, and rock outcrops laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Familiar spots include the Mall, a tree-lined walkway; Bethesda Terrace and its fountain; Bow Bridge over the lake; Strawberry Fields; the Bethesda Fountain area; and the large open lawns to the south.
Toward the south end you will find a zoo, carousel, and playgrounds, which make it a good stop with children. Further north the park grows quieter and more wooded, with fewer crowds. The east side runs along Museum Mile, so it is easy to combine a park walk with a museum visit.
Ways to explore
Walking is the simplest way in, and you can wander for hours without a plan. If you want to cover more ground, bike rentals and guided bike tours are available, and the park's loop road is popular with cyclists. Rowboats can be rented on the lake in warmer months, and horse-drawn carriages and pedicabs wait near the southern entrances.
Guided walking tours focus on the park's design, its film locations, or its history, and can help you make sense of such a large space. None of this is required, though. The park is free, and simply choosing an entrance and walking inward is a fine way to spend a morning.
Planning your visit
Because the park is so large, pick an area rather than trying to cross the whole thing. The southern third holds many of the famous sights and is closest to Midtown hotels. Enter near Columbus Circle, Grand Army Plaza, or one of the Fifth Avenue gates, and you will reach the well-known spots quickly.
Spring and fall are the most pleasant, with mild weather and good color. Summer brings free outdoor events and concerts but also heat and crowds, and winter can bring snow and ice skating. Mornings are quietest; weekends draw the biggest crowds, especially on the southern lawns.
Getting there
Subway lines run along both sides of the park, so you can enter wherever suits your plan. The south end is served by Columbus Circle, the west side by stations along Central Park West, and the east side by Lexington Avenue trains a couple of blocks over.
Because entrances dot the entire perimeter, there is no single main gate. Decide which highlights you want first, then choose the nearest station, since walking from one end of the park to the other on foot takes a long time.
Central Park: FAQs
Yes. The park is free and open to the public every day. Some activities inside it, such as the zoo, carousel, boat rentals, and bike rentals, charge separately, but walking and sitting in the park cost nothing.
Only a portion. The park covers 843 acres and runs 51 blocks, so plan to focus on one section. The southern third holds many of the best-known sights and is closest to Midtown.
Popular highlights include the Mall, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, and the open lawns to the south. Toward the north the park is quieter and more wooded, with fewer visitors.
Yes, in season. Bikes can be rented for the loop road and paths, and rowboats are available on the lake in warmer months. Guided bike tours and pedicabs are also offered near the southern entrances.
It depends on what you want to see. For the famous southern sights, enter near Columbus Circle, Grand Army Plaza, or a Fifth Avenue gate. Subway lines run along both sides, so choose the station nearest your highlights.
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