A walk in New York City’s Central Park – things for families to see and do when visiting Central Park in springtime with kids.
I finally had the opportunity to explore Central Park on a recent weekend in New York City. This was my fourth visit to the city but previous trips had taken place in the winter when the weather was miserable and cold and that had discouraged us from seeing the park on foot. This time we visited on the first weekend of April and were treated to lovely spring weather.
Central Park was the first major landscaped urban park in the United States when it was designed in the 19th century and the 843 acre park is now a National Historic Landmark and one of the premier public urban parks in the world. We spent a couple of hours walking around the south end of the park moving at a fair pace because we knew we didn’t have much time and wanted to cover as much ground as possible.
We stayed at the J.W. Marriott Essex House located on Central Park South so we had easy access to the park and headed there directly from breakfast on Saturday morning.
One of our first stops was near the Wollman Skating Rink where we were surprised to see skaters on a pleasant spring morning in early April.
We have had an unseasonably cool spring at home so Emma was quite excited to see robins in the park.
We decided to see the park on foot but these carriage rides did look like quite a bit of fun. We went on one on our first trip to New York more than six years ago but Emma couldn’t remember it.
Another sign of spring that we haven’t seen at home yet – daffodils blooming everywhere.
We stopped at the Dairy Visitor Center & Gift Shop which is housed in a historic Victorian building in order to purchase a map of the park ($4). The Visitor Centers and the Gift Shop are operated by the Central Park Conservancy which is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is “to restore, manage, and enhance Central Park in partnership with the public”.
One of my favourite areas of the park was The Mall and Literary Walk where the tree-lined pedestrian pathway reminded me of parks in Paris. At the south end of the mall is the Literary Walk where there are statues of four famous writers (William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Fitz-Greene Halleck) plus Christopher Columbus.
While making our way from The Mall to the Conservatory Water we discovered this statue of the sled dog Balto who was made famous in print and on screen for delivering diphtheria serum in Alaska in 1925. The popular statue was unveiled in Central Park in 1925.
We also enjoyed walking in the quiet area around the Conservatory Water – the sailboats reminded us of the Stuart Little movie and are also reminiscent of sailing ponds in Parisian parks.
Near the Conservatory Water is Central Park’s tribute to Hans Christian Andersen which was erected in 1956 to commemorate the author’s 150th birthday. Kids love to climb on the bronze statue which depicts Andersen reading from his book The Ugly Duckling. During the summer months, storytelling takes place at the foot of the statue.
Another statue that is very popular with kids is the 11 foot tall bronze of Alice in Wonderland which appears to be as much fun to climb on as any playground structure. I was talking to the mother of a young girl who said that they visit every weekend and her daughter insists each and every time that they take a photo with Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and friends.
From there we walked toward the Loeb Boathouse where boats can be rented to row on The Central Park Lake. The 18 acre Lake is the second-largest man-made body of water in the park.
The beautiful 26 foot high Bethesda Fountain which is the focal point of Bethesda Terrace was commissioned as part of the original design of Central Park and dedicated in 1873. The sculpture is called Angel of Waters and was designed by Emma Stebbins who became the first woman to receive a commission for a major work of art in the city of New York.
From Bethesda Terrace, we headed across the park toward the west boundary.
We completed our walk near Central Park West at Strawberry Fields which was created as a tribute to John Lennon and named for the Beatles’ song Strawberry Fields Forever. Lennon was murdered in 1980 outside his apartment located adjacent to the park. The black and white Imagine Mosaic draws visitors who want to pay homage to Lennon and quietly contemplate a world without conflict.
We didn’t come close to seeing everything that there is to see in Central Park but we will definitely return and I now have a better idea what I want to see the next time. On our wish list for a subsequent visit are: the Central Park Zoo; Belvedere Castle, the Shakespeare Garden; the Conservatory Garden; the Central Park Carousel; and a Central Park tour.
What You Need To Know
- The boundaries of Central Park are: 59th Street on the South; 110th Street on the North; Central Park West on the West; and 5th Avenue on the East.
- Central Park is open daily from 6:00 am until 1:00 am 365 days a year.
- Restrooms are available at various locations throughout the park.
- The park has two full-service restaurants, five concession stands with outdoor seating and concession carts scattered throughout the park.
- There are 21 playgrounds in the park.
- The Central Park Conservancy offers guided walking tours year-round.
- Cellphone tours of many attractions are featured throughout the park. Look for green Central Park AudioGuide signs with the phone number to dial for each attraction.
- Detailed information for park visitors is available on the Central Park Conservancy’s website.
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budget jan
I have been to Central Park and you have captured some of my favourite parts in your photos. The Imagine memorial; the boats and the best – the Alice and Hans Christian Anderson statues. Love the robin too 🙂
Leigh
I’ve done Central Park a few times but not as thoroughly as you did on this visit. What a fantastic oasis in the heart of the city. Nice too that you caught a little of the spring warmth. My daughter & I are overdue for another trip to NYC.
Jenna
So much to see and do there! I can’t wait to take my kids to NYC!
Mary {The World Is A Book}
I’m so glad you finally got some decent weather to explore Central Park. It’s such a wonderful place to visit. We love all those statues but did miss Balto. I love The Mall and Literary Walk too. It does look very European. You need to go back in the summer for a different look to Central Park.
Muza-chan
Very beautiful place, especially in spring 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
We had such a great time in the park and I can’t wait to return and find some new favourites! The Alice and Hans Christian Andersen statues are charming – I think Emma would have played quite some time around the statues if we hadn’t been pressed for time.
Lisa Goodmurphy
We probably could have used a bit more time to just relax and enjoy the park instead of seeing as much as possible!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Your kids will love NYC, Jenna! This was our 4th visit and we never grow tired of it, in fact, Emma was wishing that she could stay for a month to do everything! 😉
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Mary – I was so worried that we would end up getting a rainy day! I knew the Balto statue was there but it wasn’t on our itinerary – then we took a wrong turn and there he was!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Muza-chan – it is beautiful in spring! I would love to see it in the summer now too when everything is blooming!
Average Traveller
Awesome pictures. It looks like you guys had a fun day at the park. The last time we were there we were just cutting through from east to west park and got completely and utterly lost. We managed to lose our bearings and could not figure out which side we came from and where we were going. Luckily a mountain bike police officer was able to help us out but it took him about 15 seconds of looking for landmarks to be able to tell which was west was as well!
Marisol@TravelingSolemates
Hi Lisa, you were just in my city! I’m glad you had a lovely time at Central Park. It’s one part of the city that I never get tired of. It’s beautiful all year round. I hope you get to visit in the summer next time when there’s so much fun free activities at the park – Concerts at the Park, SummerStages, etc. etc. And definitely let me know next time you visit. It will be nice to meet you and my adorable idol Emma.
Lisa Goodmurphy
We had a great time at the park – I’m completely and utterly lost most of the time so I just don’t worry about it much anymore! 😉 Interestingly, I was reading on my Official Map/Guide of Central Park yesterday that there are Identification Plates on many lampposts in the park which serve as orientation tools. The first two numbers indicate the nearest cross street and the last two numbers, if even, indicate that the area is closer to the east side and, if the numbers are odd, the area is close to the west side. Clearly, I should have read the map more carefully while I was in the Park!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Marisol, I loved Central Park and I would love to visit in the summer as well. I didn’t realize that you lived in New York! This was a very quick 2 day visit though to see my older daughter and her school choir perform in the Choral Festival at Carnegie Hall. Next time I won’t be so rushed and we will definitely have to meet up – it would be lovely to meet you in person!
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista
One of my favorite things to do while in NYC is walk in the Park! There’s a lot going on in the park but its also a great place to sit and relax for awhile.
Katherina
It’s great to see Central Park with a shining sun! The only time I had been was in January a few years ago, at -15ºC (yes, I was stubborn…). I really need to make it back to the Big Apple some time in summer.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I wish that we would have had the time to sit and relax – I’m going to have to put that on the list for next time!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Katherina, you were much braver than we were on winter visits! Our first visit was a bit above freezing at New Year’s and we went on a carriage ride but Emma was only 3 and not really up to exploring the park. Our second visit was also in early January and it was frigid – so we skipped the park. Our 3rd visit was in March and the weather had been lovely – until we arrived in NYC – we had freezing rain, slush, ice and just general yuck. I was so thankful to have nice weather this time but I do want to see the park in the summer as well!
Johanna at ZigaZag WA Travel & Lifestyle
I have never been to the States, and I can’t believe I’m saying that! Central Park is something that I would do straight away and from your lovely pictures I can see that you’d need to visit when the sun is shining.
Lisa Wood
Central Park looks so pretty – I would love to jump onto one of those carriage rides! As well as walking as much as possible (to explore the whole park)
The Ice-Skating would be something to see….we don’t have anywhere like that here, where people are skating in the open.
It looks so cold (Love Emma’s Jacket, beanie and gloves)yet such a great place to explore.
InsideJourneys
You covered quite a bit of the park. It’s such a fun thing to do, especially when the weather’s good like it was when you were there.
Margaret
I’m staying in that same hotel later this year, so I’m glad to know the great walking possibilities nearby. Hope I get nice weather, too.
Danielle (Bubs on the Move)
I first took my son to Central Park when he was 4 month old. Urban parks play such an important health promoting role in the lives of city dwellers and I take my hats off to New York for being pioneers in its development. I gorgeous place too stroll and expire too.
Ann
I can’t wait to take my kids there! I’m planning to go with them this fall. I’ve been to NY in the summer and several times in the winter and can’t wait to see it in the fall with my kids.
Monique
Thanks for this beautiful photo essay! Every time I try to think of a different place to visit, I stumble upon a beautiful NYC photo essay and it makes me want to go back as soon as possible.
My daughter would love a walk like this one, I guess I will follow in your footsteps! 🙂
Monique
Andrea, Passports And Pushchairs
Looks like you guys had a great time!
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
We were considering doing NYC this summer but another city that you kept referring to in this post won out instead. I really look forward to visiting there one day and taking time to explore Central Park. Thanks for such a good photo tour of this gorgeous public space.
Kate @Wild Tales of...
So glad that you had such a great visit in Central Park! I’ve explored the park a few times, and have many similar pictures…Emma is adorable as ever! You covered a lot of ground!
Aleah | SolitaryWanderer.com
Love, love, love the sculptures in Central Park! The Balto statue, for example, looks like some parts of the dog is shinier than others. Do people touch it for luck? And Hans Christian Andersen’s statue is beautiful!
Lisa Goodmurphy
We were lucky that we had such a beautiful day when we visited the park – it was still a bit cool but the sun was gorgeous! You would Central Park, Johanna, I do hope that you make it to New York soon.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Central Park is lovely, Lisa! We went on a carriage ride on our very first trip to New York more than 6 years ago. It was early January and a little chilly but they had wool blankets to cover up – it was a lot of fun!
Lisa Goodmurphy
The park is so big! We did quite a bit of walking but on the map there was a lot left to explore! 😉
Lisa Goodmurphy
I loved Essex House! We have stayed in 4 different hotels in New York and this has been my favourite by far. The location is perfect! It’s right next to the park and because the weather was so nice we walked everywhere – including back and forth to the Times Square area several times. This is definitely where we will be staying the next time we go to New York! Hope you enjoy it too!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I agree that urban parks are essential for people living in the city and Central Park was full of residents out playing in their park.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I’m sure that fall will be a lovely time to visit! I now have a desire to see the park in each season in order to decide which I like best – have seen it winter and spring so now I need summer and fall!
Sonja
As you know, we were there the same time and it was so lovely. We had lunch at the Boathouse at Central Park Lake. No matter how many times one visits Central Park there’s always something not seen before. Love it.
Lisa Goodmurphy
New York is just one of those places that you never get tired of visiting! We try to maintain a balance between traveling to new places and re-visiting the ones that we love. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time to go everywhere that I want to!
Lisa Goodmurphy
We had a fabulous time, Andrea – can’t wait to return!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I’m sure that you will have an equally fabulous time in Paris, Michele – I wish I was going back! 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
We did have a great visit and now that I feel like I know my way around a bit, I can’t wait to get back!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Aleah! I don’t know whether people touch Balto for good luck or if the shininess is just due to the fact that a lot of people are touching him when they are sitting alongside to take photos. I love the HCA statue too!
Lisa Goodmurphy
I wish that we would have had time to have lunch at the Boathouse – what a great view you must have had of the Lake! I’m now starting my mental list of what I want to do in Central Park the next time. 😉 It was lovely meeting up with you while we were there!
Eileen Ludwig
Nice walk through the park without having to be in the cold – very serene and easy to travel with your photos. I did the horse and carriage years ago – the smell of the horse kills the ride although it was fun to see other parts of the park further than I might have walked
Becca@rwetheryetmom?
I love Central Park – its such a gorgeous park with so much to do!
Thanks for linking up!
Tonya {The Traveling Praters}
You saw everything in Central Park that my daughter and I had intended to see. The first time I visited NYC, the weather was miserable and they had record highs. After walking around briefly and riding the subway all I wanted to do was shower, so I was thrilled to visit in September with my daughter. I thought the weather would be perfect. Wouldn’t you know, it was unseasonably cold? And rainy off and on. We did cut through Central Park from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Museum of Natural History and saw the Obelisk, the castle and had the lovely opportunity to get lost in the Ramble. I gladly would have paid to have one of those carraiges transport us OUT of the park! 🙂 You know they do say the third time is the charm.
Randy (Mr. TWS)
I really like this post. Sweeney and I love New York. And I am always amazed at Central Park. When you view Manhattan from a tall building and see what a large part has been carved out for the park, it is amazing. You did a very thorough job of capturing the many high points in picture and narrative. We’ve been in the park many times but the 2 most memorable were: 1) the day of and the day after (Sweeney alone) the biggest snowfall ever in NYC (I think 27 or 29 inches in Central Park and I think Sweeney did a post a while back)and 2) another day over 100 and really humid; I can remember sitting on a bench (by necessity) and saw an incoming storm. I asked Sweeny if she wanted to get a cab observing correctly that when it hit we wouldn’t be able to; the rain poured and we got drenched and the temps dropped to 70 over-chilling us but it was a great adventure.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I loved Central Park too, Becca – can’t wait to go back and see more of it!
Lisa Goodmurphy
We did the carriage ride on our first time to New York too – I think it’s a one-time experience!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Tonya, It took 4 trips to New York before I was able to spend time in the park – hopefully you will be luckier than me!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It truly is amazing to look out over the city and see Central Park! Love your Central Park memories – isn’t it funny how the bad weather experiences tend to make some of the best memories?!?
MIchelle @ Having Fun in the Texas Sun
Each year when I was growing up we would visit New York for the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, and then take a walk in Central Park! It’s been years since I’ve seen the Dairy House, it still looks great!
Sophie
My youngest recently saw Home Alone 2 and now wants to visit Central Park to look for the bird lady. (And the Balto statue is a bonus). Love this post – useful and inspirational.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I would love to be in New York City for the St. Patrick’s Day parade – what a great memory!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Isn’t it funny how kids want to see places from movies? Emma had fun figuring out where that bird lady might have been and also spent a fair bit of time singing the song from the movie Enchanted as we wandered through parts of the park.
Sophie
My youngest daughter recently saw Home Alone 2 and now wants to go to Central Park and see the Bird Lady. The Balto statue is a draw, too. Haven’t been in New York in ages, so maybe about time…
Meg
Visiting from the Sunday Social, now following via G+ and Facebook.
NYC is one of my favorite towns and I can’t wait to take my children there.
Take care,
Meg
Happy Kids, Inc
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks for stopping by, Meg! Your kids are sure to love New York!
Alysia George
Wow, I had no idea that Central Park was so big! When I finally make it to NYC, Central Park will be a must see! Looks like a fun day!
Monique
I didn’t get to go through the entire park when I was there last. I guess that’s something to look forward to for the next time. In the meantime, your pictures are a great way to experience it.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Central Park is huge! When you get to NYC you must go to the top of the Rockefeller Center – it gives the best perspective of just how much space Central Park takes up in Manhattan – it’s incredible!
Lisa Goodmurphy
We missed a few things that I wanted to see – will definitely try to return the next time that we are in the city too!
eileen at FamiliesGo!
In the warm weather they tunr Wollman Rink into a children’s amusement park. Central Park has some beautiful and unique playgrounds, too. Hope you found 1 or 2 of them!
Eco Central Park Tour
Snow skating ring also available in central park, great!
hassan ahmad
most trees do not have leaves on them And you are saying that you visited it in spring hahahA
its autum sister
Lisa Goodmurphy
Sorry Hassan but it was most definitely April. That’s what our trees look like in early April – it’s May before everything is really green. 🙂