Central Park is not just your average neighborhood park. It is the nation’s first public park and is one of the greatest urban parks in the world. This giant rectangular park is about 843 acres of landscaped goodness in the middle of a bustling city. A visit to Central Park will make you one of the 35 million people who visit the Park annually. It is full of attractions but it also offers a peaceful place to get away and escape the sounds of the city. To take full advantage of everything the park has to offer try a bike ride off the beaten path or tour the gardens with a horse-drawn carriage.
Ways to See the Park
What’s the very best way to see all of it? A bicycle. If you want to go exploring alone and take in the beauty and ambience of the park, try renting a bicycle for a few hours and hit the hills or stop by the Conservatory Water or the Belvedere Castle that sits on top of the Vista Rock. If you happen by the Bow Bridge you will see why it is one of the locations that are most photographed in the park. The bridge was built in 1862 and the iron arch extends 6o feet over the lake. If you spend a moment and listen closely, you just might hear the whisper of the stories it has to tell.
If you prefer a Central Park bike tour knowledgeable tour guides show you the points of interest, the history of the Park, celebrity homes, and movie locations, or other attractions you may be interested in. The two-hour tour includes a ride out to Cherry Hill fountain on the west side of the park and then onto Strawberry Fields and the Imagine Mosaic. You will see the skyline of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir and breathe in the scent of the flowers at the Shakespeare Garden. Each stop offers a new opportunity for that perfect photo and a chance to revel in the quiet beauty of the Park.
Bike tours are not the only way to see the famous park. Central park offers bike rentals and carriage rides to give you the full experience. As fantastic as the bike tour is, the carriage rides are a novelty in themselves. If you’re a bit nostalgic, or maybe more hopeless romantic, the 50-minute carriage ride through this famous park will become a cherished memory. You will be entranced by the gentle clip-clopping of the horses’ shoes on the pavement as you ride past the Park statues and over to Sheep Meadow. The driver’s knowledgeable and experienced oration of the sights take you back in time for just a moment. You will learn about the various statues, see the movie locations and learn how the Park is important to everyday life.
What You’d Miss if You Miss Central Park
A visit to Central Park will give you a day full of activity whether you pedal around the lake, take that romantic ride in the horse-drawn carriage, or stroll on foot through the Conservatory Water garden. This garden offers the experience of a European garden without the cost of airfare.
It is six-acres and offers a plethora of flowers in three styles, French, English, and Italian. Take the time to visit each one. The walk ways are perfectly manicured and the fountains trickle relaxation into your day. It is a complete experience for your senses.
If you want a time out, or just a bit of peace and quiet tour Strawberry Fields. It is located across the street from the home of John and Yoko at the Dakota. Strawberry Field got its name after Lennon was murdered in front of the building and remains a place of quiet contemplation to this day, except when a musician plays his songs in remembrance.
A tour through the Central Park Zoo will delight animal lovers and children will love the experience of the Tisch Children’s Zoo where the babies and cute little animals wait for little hands to pet them. The Zoo also feeds the sea lions and penguins on a daily basis which delights both young and old visitors.
The perfect beginning to the start of your day or the highlight at the end of it, either way you can’t go wrong touring this gorgeous National Park. End your visit with a stop at Bethesda Fountain which was designed in 1868. It is now one of the most famous fountains in the world.
Central Park is a magical place to leave your troubles behind. At least for a while.
