2.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide, Central Park is a 844 acre green oasis within the heart of Manhattan, positioned in the island's geographical centre. From tree lined promanades to graceful lakes, Central Park is popular with New Yorkers and tourists alike, and is the most visited city park in the USA, with an estimated 25 million visitors annually.
The park is a popular place to stroll, especially along its Mall which is flanked by Elm trees and statues of famous literary figures such as William Shakespeare, Robert Burns and Walter Scott. The park's 13 acre Great Lawn , popular for picnics, offers great views of the city's skyline.
Though offering many peaceful spots, the park also buzzes with activities throughout the year: rollerblading or ice skating - depending on season, horse riding, jogging, boating, etc, it is also popular for outdoor pursuits, such as tennis, especially baseball in the summer, and American football and soccer in the winter.
The many attractions within the park include Central Park Zoo, Children's Zoo, a carousal ride, the richly ornate Bethesda Terrace, the Belvedere Castle 'folly' offering panoramic views of the park, Strawberry Fields - a memorial to John Lennon.
The park was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux, and took almost twenty years to complete. First opened in the the winter of 1859, the park was not officially completed until 1873. During the park's landscaping, 166 tons of gunpowder was used to blast through rock, 500,000 cubic feet of topsoil was carted in from New Jersey, and other 270,000 trees and shrubs were planted.
It is easy to become disorientated in Central Park, so on your first visit we recommend you make your way to the Dairy, which is now the Park's visitors centre, and collect a park map and enquire what activities are taking place, such as free guided tours.
Opening Hours
Open daily 365 days a year.
6am - 1am
note it is not recommended to visit the park late at night
Address
59th to 110th Streets
(bet. Fifth Ave. & Central Park West)
Tel: 212-363-3200
How to Get There
Subway:
West Side of the Park:
Take the A, B, C, D, 1 or 9 train to 59th St
Take the B or C trains to 72nd, 81st, 86th, 96th, 103rd and 110th Sts
East Side of the Park:
Take the N or R train to Fifth Ave
Take the 6 train to 68th, 77th, 86th, 96th, 103rd, and 110th Sts.
External Links
Official website for Central Park
Central Park
 | Statue of Shakespeare
in the park's literary walk |
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