Things to Do in Central Park. This post covers things to do and see in Central Park.  While we offer many different guided Central Park tours, we know that many travelers prefer to explore on their own at their own pace. This self- guided tour and list of things to do in Central Park will help you make the most of your visit to this incredible New York iconic location. This tour covers about 5 miles (8 km), so you may want to split your visit in half.  We have designed this tour to give you the options and directions you need to stop at 7. Street or continue north. Lastly, check out our GPS- enabled audio tours of Central Park. Guided Tours. Food and Nearby Hotels.

Brief History of the Park. TIP: If you enjoy this self- guided tour, click here for our full list of free, self- guided New York tours, including our Central Park Movie Tour. You may also find our post on comparing the different New York tourist discount passes helpful during your trip. The map below is interactive and you can move around in it with your mouse. You can also download a PDF version of our Central Park Self Guided Tour as well as take an audio tour on your smartphone and enjoy loads more information! Click here for a larger Central Park map.(A) Start the tour Enter the park at the southeast entrance (5.

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Avenue) across from The Plaza hotel. Walk up East Drive and you will see on your left the first stop on the tour. (B) The Pond and Gapstow Bridge The Pond is the southernmost body of water in the park. It is entirely man- made and is fed from the city water supply system. Gapstow Bridge arches over the Pond and offers one of the best views of Midtown from Central Park.

It is a classic spot for a photo so have your camera ready. It is also a popular location for marriage proposals to take place – so have a ring with you too! Go north up the path and then head under the Inscope Arch towards the Central Park Zoo.(C) Central Park Zoo. The Central Park Zoo happened by accident. It was not included in the original plans for the park, but was started when New Yorkers started leaving “gifts” of exotic animals in the park. The park found itself with a menagerie on its hands, including swans and bears. A couple of years later, the city decided to make it official.

The New York State Assembly recognized the Central Park Zoo, making it the second publicly owned zoo in the country. Philadelphia was first). The zoo has received two major overhauls. The first was in the 1. Robert Moses Zoo. During this renovation, the famous Sea Lion Pool was added.

This pool was considered groundbreaking because the designer actually studied the habits of sea lions and tried to make the pool resemble their natural habitat. The next renovation occurred in the 1.

Many of the larger animals were moved to the Bronx Zoo. The Sea Lion Pool was redesigned and remains the central feature of the zoo. Check out our full blog post on the Central Park Zoo. On the way out, make sure you check out the Delacorte Clock. The clock was donated by George Delacorte and features animals that move in a circle to nursery rhymes every half- hour. The clock plays 4.

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From the Zoo, walk north East Drive until you reach the 6. Transverse and turn left (west) and walk a bit down til you find the next stop. (D) The Dairy. This Victorian- style cottage was a functioning dairy when the park opened. This part of the park is known as The Children’s District. One of the major criticisms of the Greensward Plan, when it was released, was that it didn’t contain enough features for children. The Dairy and other children’s attractions were then added.

The Dairy was a place where children and their caretakers could go for refreshment and a break from the outdoors. The dairy, designed by Calvert Vaux, served fresh milk and ice cream in the nineteenth century. By the 1. 95. 0s the building was dilapidated and was used as a maintenance shed.

When the Central Park Conservancy took over in 1. Visitor’s Center in the park. Walk a bit further on the 6. Transverse to find the next stop.(E) Chess and Checker House. Also considered a part of The Children’s District. When the park was built, this was the site of the Kinderberg (children’s mountain). The Kinderberg was the largest shelter for children and their parents.

In 1. 95. 2 the Chess and Checkers House was built to replace the Kinderberg. It was refurbished by The Central Park Conservancy in the 1. Today, visitors are welcome to bring their own chess and checker sets or to borrow them from the Conservancy staff. Dominoes and backgammon are also available. Look down the hill and check out the Wollman Rink, one of two rinks in Central Park. The rink is seen in a number of films, including the final scene of “Serendipity.” Check out our post on ice skating in NYC!

Now head down the path and through the red and white brick archway to the Carousel.(F) The Carousel The beautiful Carousel is a favorite attraction in the park. It is the 4th carousel to stand in the park. The first one, opened in 1.

It was trained to stop walking in a circle when the operator tapped his foot on the platform. This original carousel was replaced in 1. The next one also burned down in 1. The current carousel was discovered abandoned in a trolley terminal in Coney Island. It was constructed in 1.

American folk art in the country. Watch Blue Valentine Online. It has 5. 7 horses and plays beautiful calliope music. The carousel runs 7 days a week in the summer. For carousel lovers, you should visit Jane’s Carousel in DUMBO. It is one of a kind with the best views of the New York Skyline just behind it.

Head north up the path to the Sheep Meadow.(G) Sheep Meadow This massive grassy meadow got its name from the sheep that once grazed here. The famous Tavern on the Green restaurant at the edge of the meadow was constructed as the Sheepfold in 1. The area was used for grazing sheep until 1. Prospect Park. City officials feared that out- of- work New Yorkers affected by the Great Depression would eat the sheep. The area was turned into a lawn and the Sheepfold became a restaurant. On weekends, this is one of the most popular locations for New Yorkers to come and lay out in the sun.

It can be so crowded you may not find a spot to sit! But it is an amazing experience to see so many locals basking in the sun and taking in the best the city has to offer. Head east along main paths and you will find yourself at The Mall.(H) The Mall The Mall is the only path laid out as a straight line in the park. The designers did that so that there could be a big buildup leading to Bethesda Terrace, north of the Mall. The trees create a “cathedral ceiling” over the pathway. The American Elm trees that line both sides of the Mall, one of the largest collections of these trees in the United States. The Mall quickly became a popular spot for wealthy New Yorkers when the park opened. It was New York’s answer to Hyde Park or the Bois du Boulogne.

Carriages would drop people off at the start of The Mall and then loop around to the top to pick them up. Also along the pathway is the Literary Walk, a collection of statues of famous writers. William Shakespeare is the first statue of the walk. Many famous photographs and film scenes have been filmed here such as Doctor Who, Jessica Jones, Person of Interest and movie Enchanted. You can head up north along the Mall or, for dog- lovers, you can take a quick detour and walk east (crossing over East Drive) to see Balto.(I) Statue of Balto Head out of the zoo and then cut over towards the center of the park.