Top NYC Things to Do
843 Acres to Bike, Blade, Boat, Walk, Picnic, Tour
Central Park NY has so much to see and do! Native New Yorkers always want to live “by the Park,” not just because of its beauty, but also for all the cool things to do there. Central Park draws 38 million visits a year and is home to the Central Park Film Festival, SummerStage, Shakespeare in the Park, Ice Skating, Central Park Zoo and much more. Most everyone has their favorite Central Park spot and you can read more about them below.
Central Park, New York City
Central Park is probably one of the most famous places in the world and one of NYC’s best (and free!) things to do. Central Park has been showcased for decades in movies, film and books. Here are some of the best things to do while visiting Central Park.
Central Park Tours
Central Park tours include famous Movie and TV spots, bike rentals and/or bike tours, walking tours, horse and carriage tours and pedicab tours. Some great places to view Central Park Tour choices and save big:
- New York Sightseeing Pass – see which options are included
- Free Central Park Walking Tours
Central Park TV and Movie Sites Tour (On Location Tours) – one of the city’s most popular two-hour walking tours includes over 40 locations in Central Park NY. Visit the Boathouse Café used in ‘When Harry Met Sally’, the Bandshell from ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’, and Bethesda Fountain seen in movies such as ‘One Fine Day’ and ‘Ransom’.
More Info: New York City TV & MOVIE Tours – Huge Selection, Save Big!
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Dine in Central Park NY
The Boathouse
One of MY FAVORITE NYC Restaurants – the view and atmosphere are unparalleled. Surround yourself with trees and a lake and you likely won’t even know you are in the City. Both the day and night landscape are gorgeous.
The food is also good, especially considering most restaurants with “prime locations” don’t have great food. Rent bicycles, row boats or, for a classic NYC wedding proposal, rent a private Gondola.
The Loeb Boathouse on 74th, East Side, www.thecentralparkboathouse.com
Venetian Gondola Tour around Central Park Lake. $30 per half hour for up to 6 people; must reserve in advance. Andres, Central Park’s very own gondolier, can take your family on a 30-minute spin around Central Park Lake. A classic for a marriage proposal in New York City.
Tavern on the Green
Reopened again in April 2014, Tavern on the Green is a classic NYC institution, especially popular for their Sunday brunch. Tavern on the Green has proudly served locals, presidents, royalty, artists, actors, and first-time visitors since 1934. Tavern on the Green, divided into multiple areas, both indoors and al-fresco, has a dining experience for everyone on every budget:
- The Bar Room is great if you want to sit on a comfortable sofa after a long walk or bike ride through Central Park.
- The Central Park Room provides all guests view of the courtyard through the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, as well as the open kitchen
- The main dining room has sweeping views of Sheep’s Meadow and floor-to-ceiling windows.
- The South Wing, the second dining room, looks like a stable with green tufted-velvet banquettes.
Enter on 67th Street and Central Park West, www.tavernonthegreen.com
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Central Park NY and New York City Passes
Includes Central Park Movie & TV Sites Tour ($25 Value) and choice of Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals ($50 value).
Offers Bike and Roll Central Park Tour ($40 value), Central Park Zoo admission and discounts to Central Park Movie & TV Sites Tour as choices.
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Walking Tours of Central Park NY
Strawberry Fields in Central Park NY
Most New Yorkers agree, Central Park is best seen on foot. Choose from over 10 different inexpensive tours all year round, such as Art of the Park, Belvedere’s Kingdom and Iconic Views of Central Park.
You can also print multiple self-guided tours and download their free app. Central Park is always free, but with so many options, and 843 acres of park to see, pick the things best for you and your family.
Check the official Central Park NY Tours site or try these FREE Central Park Tours with our favorite NYC free tour company, Free Tours by Foot.
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Ride a Bicycle in Central Park NY
If had to pick my FAVORITE way to explore NYC, it would be on bicycle! Just ask anyone who has visited me, I take them all around on bike. The views and hidden nooks of NYC you can see along our greenways and in our parks are second to none.
Luckily, there are a dozen ways to rent bicycles and you can choose from:
- Leisure Central Park Bike Tour (2 hrs) – good for all ages, offer bike trailers and baby seats, helmets, guides, leisurely tour of our famous 843 acres.
- Rent a Bike in Central Park
- More NYC Bicycle Tours
Do it Yourself Central Park Bicycle Rentals:
Loeb Boathouse
www.thecentralparkboathouse.com
$6-$15/hr, all day $45-$50
Bike Rental Central Park
2 hr tours daily: 10am, 1pm, & 4pm Adults: 45$ Kids: 35$
www.BikeRentalCentralPark.com
Central Park Bicycle Shop
315 W 57th St, #6 (8th-9th Aves)
Start at $15/hr www.centralparkbicycleshop.com
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Roller Blade in Central Park NY
Blades Board & Skate
W 72nd Bway/Columbus
(212) 787-3911
roughly $15-25 per day
www.blades.com
Also: www.centralparkskate.com
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Picnic in Central Park NY
You can grab anything at a local deli, or order a pre-made picnic from many places, including Perfect Picnic and Delivery.com.
For a DIY version, stop at the Whole Foods market in the Time Warner Center and make your own picnic to go, then enter CP right across the street at Columbus Circle.
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Central Park Zoo
Open 365 days per year, the Zoo is fantastic place to see leopards, polar bears swimming, pandas, lions, penguins, harbor seals, monkeys and bears.
Check out the Petting Zoo, 4-D movies, snack at the Leaping Frog Café, rain forest with tropical birds and so much more right in the heart of NYC.
Tickets start at Adult $20 and Child $10, Senior $9. Included with New York Pass and a choice on the Explorer Pass.
64th Street & 5th Avenue
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Carriage Ride in Central Park NY
Please Note: NYC Insider Guide does not encourage (or discourage) riding horse-drawn carriages in NYC. However, many New Yorkers and animal rights activists are AVIDLY AGAINST this practice. Don’t be surprised to see picket lines and protests near the carriages. Our current Mayor is reportedly going to ban these rides soon.
The carriages that sit outside Central Park and pick up passengers have fixed pricing mandated by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, which is who licenses the Hansom Cab Drivers. Those prices are for a set 1.5 mile route that takes, on average, 20 minutes (18- 23 minutes, depending on the horse pace).
The signs say "$50 for 30 minutes or any fraction thereof." What the sign really should say is "$50 for 1.5 mile tour, $20 per 15 minutes thereafter," although the Hansom Cab Drivers do not like to add on time. The bottom line is you are paying for the tour, not hiring the Hansom Driver by the minute. Suggested tip is $10 if the driver does a great job, so budget $60. Prices are for 4 Adults, or up to 5 people with 3 Adults and 2 small children.
There are also private Horse and Carriage Tours (by Central Park Sighteeing), who offer more flexible and longer tours, somewhat nicer Hansom Cabs and allow you to make reservations in advance.
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Central Park NY Hotels
These are NYC Insider hand picked hotels that are not just “near” Central Park, as most NYC hotels claim to be…but on the Park itself, either Central Park South, Central Park West or Fifth Ave. Many other hotels are nearby, or within a few blocks, but these are the closest, and all offer Park views from select rooms.
Some of our top value picks near Central Park include:
See the Insider Guide for dozens more Central Park NY Hotels and download our free Central Park map at Central Park NY Guide
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Central Park Photo Gallery
Central Park
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Central Park NY Annual Events
- Shakespeare in the Park – June/July
- Central Park Taste of Summer – June
- Central Park SummerStage NYC – FREE music and theater, June to September
- Central Park Film Festival – August
- Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series – July/August
Central Park NY Printable Map
Download our Free Printable NYC Guide which includes a Central Park Map
Also see the Central Park Site
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Get a Central Park Map + 50 more Pages
NYC Insider Printable Guides
NYC Printable Map Guide Book
BONUS NYC Maps
NYC Travel Guide
More Info: NYC Printable Maps | Customer Reviews | Free Mini Guide
Manhattan Neighborhood Map
“Helps me get a grip on what I want to do when I visit with very easy to understand maps and info. Thanks for the excellent work.”
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More on Central Park NY
- One Day in NYC with Kids Itinerary
- Secret Spots of Central Park NY revealed by New Yorkers
- Central Park Map in the NYC Insider Printable Guide
- Central Park runs south to north from 59th St to 110th St and west to east from Central Park West to 5th Avenue.
- Central Park is open to visitors 365 days a year from 6:00 am to 1:00 am. Main Visitor Center: Dairy Visitor Center and Gift Shop.
- Central Park Official Website
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Most Popular Ticketed Tourist Attractions
Sightsee from the Sky
Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, One World Observatory or Edge? Which is best and, if we have to choose, which should we visit? There is no easy answer, but here are some facts to help guide your choice.
- Empire State Building - (86 and 102 floors) Best for patient movie and history buffs who need to check it off their bucket list. Recently redone indoor 102nd Floor Observatory
- Top of the Rock - (67-70 floors) Best for sweeping 360° vista views, including of the Empire State Building and Central Park. Shorter lines and cheaper than the ESB.
- One World Observatory - (100-102 floors) Best for homage to the Twin Towers. Modern and high tech, with phenomenal views
- Edge - (100-101 floors) opening March 2020, highest outdoor observation deck, glass bottom floor, deck extends 80 feet away from building (photo)
Free NYC Tourist Attractions
New York City Museum Guides
- All NYC Museum Guides
- NYC Museums FREE Days and Times
- NYC Museums FREE Days Download Chart
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- 9-11 Memorial & Museum
- Statue of Liberty Museum
- Museum of Natural History
- Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
- Museum at Eldridge Street
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Museum Sleepovers NYC
- Itinerary: Art Lovers Tour of NYC Museums
