Central Park, New York City
Stretching 51 blocks between 59th and 110th streets, the famed 843-acre Central Park in New York City has been a welcoming retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city since its official completion in 1973. The park is brimming with notable landmarks, attractions and sculptures, including the bronze creation of characters from Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the statue of Balto, an Alaskan sled dog who led his team from Nenana, Alaska, to Nome to deliver antitoxins to sufferers.
Also popular, the Central Park Carousel features 58 hand-carved horses and two chariots that carry nearly 250,000 people each year on a spirit ride. Another landmark, the majestic Belvedere Castle, doubles as both a weather station and the Henry Luce Nature Observatory, where guests can study a collection of natural history artifacts. Other popular attractions in the park include the Conservatory Garden, the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Shakespeare Garden and Summit Rock.
Guests can also feel free to wander the paths that traverse the park, crossing over and under the Gothic and Romanesque arches and bridges including the Gapstow Bridge, Greywacke Arch and Bow Bridge, one of the most photographed locations in the park. During warm weather, Sheep Meadow, the Great Lawn and North Meadow make for great picnic spots, and Loeb Boathouse offers row boats and authentic Venetian gondolas for those looking to sail out onto the water. In the winter, the Wollman Rink is frequented by ice skaters looking to enjoy the fresh night air.
Visitors need not be overwhelmed by the park's numerous points of interest. The Central Park Conservancy offers about 10 different tours of the park year-round, including the Views from the Past Tour, which details the park's history and its designers, and West Side Stories, which explores the lesser-visited western edge of the park. Another popular way to see Central Park is aboard the horse-drawn carriages that run year-round. Available at 59th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, the carriages offer rides for $34 for 20 minutes and $54 for 50 minutes.
Central Park is a beautiful outdoor location for events, though events with 20 or more people in attendance require special event permit. The Central Park Carousel is open daily, April to November, from 10 AM to 6 PM, and weekends, November to April, from 10 AM to 4:30 PM, weather permitting. Tickets cost $2. Belevedere Castle is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Wollman Rink offers ice skating November to March. Weekday admission is $4.75 for children under 12 and $9.50 for adults. Schedules and prices for other attractions vary. For more information on special events in Central Park: 212-360-1319
For more information on the Central Park Carousel: 212-879-0244
For more information on Belvedere Castle: 212-772-0210
For more information on Loeb Boathouse: 212-517-2233
For more information on Wollman Rink: 212-439-6900
For more information on Central Park Conservancy Tours: 212-360-2726
