7 Top Activities at Central Park for a Memorable Touring Experience

Central Park is a wonderful destination in the neighborhood of New York City. The park was built back in the 1850s and was one of the first structurally designed parks in the United States. The park also acted in many films, and there are a lot of celebrities too have their residence close to the park. The visitor to Central Park can enjoy a lot of things ranging from the serene nature walks to horseback riding, Central Park Zoo, or Shakespeare theater acts. In this article, we will discuss some top family fun activities to do at Central Park.

1. Gapstow Bridge and The Pond

You can find the pond at the southernmost part of the park. This is a fully human-made pond, which is supplied through the city water supply. The structural marvel of Gapstow Bridge arches across the pond, which offer some great view of the Midtown. This is an ideal photography destination for the visitors. Like it did in movies, it is also a known location for marriage proposals for those who carry the ring with you.

2. Central Park Zoo

Central Park zoo was not actually included in the first design of the park but was started later when the New Yorkers started giving some cozy gifts to the exotic animals of the park. Initially, the park had a few bears and swans. After a couple of years, the administration thought of making it official. New York State Assembly then established Central Park Zoo, which was the second of its kind publicly owned zoo in the US. A Sea Lion pool is one major attraction of the zoo now, which was added in the 1930s. It was a groundbreaking attempt as the pool was made in the same manner after studying the natural habitats of lions.

3. Central Park Dairy

It is a cottage made in Victorian style, which was one of the first structures in the park when it was opened in the 1850s. Now, this portion of the park is called as ‘The Children’s District.’ One major criticism for the Central Park once was it doesn’t have enough facilities for the children. This further led to the making of The Dairy and some other attractions for children. The Dairy is now a place where children can refresh by taking a break from the outdoors on summer days. The Diary used to serve ice cream and fresh milk at first. In 1979, it was restored to its maiden appearance and made a cozy Visitor’s Center.

4. Central Park biking

When it comes to activities, biking at Central Park is an exhilarating experience to both children and elderly alike. This huge landscape cannot be fully explored on foot and biking across Central Park can offer some amazing views from the hilly and scenic terrains of the park. You can explore a lot in the park in a short duration with bike rental Central Park . The park drives offer three long routes for the bikers to choose from as the longest one of 6.1 miles, then 5.2 miles and 1.7 miles. However, there are some shorter routes too you can choose at the park to explore some hidden treasures of this destination.

Bike rentals at Central Park start at around $15, which include helmet, lock, map, and basket. You have the option to book the bike rentals online also. It is best to plan it beforehand and make the booking online; otherwise sometimes you may find it difficult to get one on reaching there. The biking tour providers also offer the assistance of an expert and knowledgeable guides who can guide you through the wonders of Central Park on standard bike tours. It will be fund to pedal along the scenic paths of Central Park at a casual pace to explore the landmarks, movie locations, and other attractions.

Some specific things to know while booking a bike ride in Central Park are:

• Children under age 14 should wear a helmet.

• Cyclists taking the standard trails should ride in a counter-clockwise direction.

• You cannot do cycling on the pathways.

• Should give priority pedestrians.

• The cyclists should stick to the outer half of the lane while the recreation drives are open for motor vehicles.

• When nearing a car, the cyclists should stay out of the recreation lane.

5. Chess and Checker House

This part of the park is also a portion of The Children’s District. Once, it was known as the Kinderberg, which was a shelter for children and guardians. Chess and Checkers House was constructed in 1952 by replacing the Kinderberg. In the 1980s, it was again refurbished by The Central Park Conservancy by added a shaded space too. Nowadays, visitors can bring their own chess and checker sets, or there is an option to borrow these from here. Apart from Chess and Checker, backgammon and Dominoes are also made available. You can also find the Wollman Rink downhill, which is shown in many films like Serendipity.

6. The Carousel

Scintillating Carousel is one of the major attractions at Central Park. This is the fourth carousel in the park. The first one was opened back in 1873 which was actually powered by horses. It was stopped in 1924. The next one was started in 1950. The current one was found abandoned in the trolley terminal at Coney Island. It was actually constructed in 1908 and is now considered as one of the best representations of the American folk art. This has 57 horses, and there is also calliope music.

7. The Mall

The Mall is a patch laid out in a straight line at Central Park. The designers made is a big straight buildup which leads to the Bethesda Terrace towards the north. You can find the beautiful cathedral ceiling made by American Elm trees lined on both sides through the pathway. The Mall features one of the largest collections of this species of trees in the US. Mall became very popular among the wealthy New Yorkers. Carriages used to drop people at the start of The Mall and then loop around to pick them up from the other end. You can find the Literary Walk also along the pathway with statues of the famous writers, with William Shakespeare being the first.

The wonders of Central Park are not limited to the above, but if you plan for a bike rental Central Park, explore the spots like the Statue of Balto, Bethesda Arcade, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, The Lake, Sheep’s Meadow, The Conservatory and many other attractions of the park too while down here.