Our tour’s starting point.
A colossal figure of Columbus stands atop a column pierced by three boats, the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María, on a pedestal adorned with commemorative inscriptions and a winged figure examining a globe.

• Admission Ticket Free

One of the most favorite attractions in the park since it was first launched in 1871. 250 thousand people ride the carousel every year.

• Admission Ticket Free

The historic Chess & Checkers House is currently home to one of Central Park’s five visitor centers managed by the Central Park Conservancy. Surrounding the octagonal brick structure are 24 game tables shaded by a wooden trellis.

• Admission Ticket Free

The Dairy is Central Park’s largest gift shop, offering a wide range of products for a wonderful day in the Park and thoughtful gifts for your loved ones. Conveniently located mid-Park at 65th Street, the Dairy is easily accessible. Plus, every purchase supports the Central Park Conservancy, so you can feel good knowing that your contribution helps care for the Park

• Admission Ticket Free

Located in the southwest corner of the Park, Umpire Rock is named for its location in what was Central Park’s first playground, a large open meadow where children could play games. From the same location you will be able to see the Wollman Rink.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

For over 100 years, The Plaza has been the New York hotel to see and be seen. Kings, presidents, and stars of stage and screen have all gathered and stayed at The Plaza.
It is also most known for being filmed in a famous 1990’s movie Home Alone.

• Admission Ticket Free

The bridge brings visitors over the narrow neck of the Pond and is also a popular spot for enjoying an overview of scenery and taking photographs.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Central Park Zoo is home to animals from tropical, temperate, and polar regions. One of its most prominent features is the sea lion pool and tank, located in the center courtyard, which is visible from outside of the Zoo. Other exhibits feature snow leopards, grizzly bears, penguins, and more.

• Admission Ticket Free

One of the most beloved monuments in the park. Balto became famous after a heroic journey across Alaska. In January 1925, an outbreak of diphtheria threatened the population of the town of Nome, Alaska. Weather conditions prevented the transport of vaccines from Anchorage by plane. A relay of dog-sled teams and mushers provided the only alternative.

• Admission Ticket Free

SummerStage is an outdoor concert and performance series organized by the City Parks Foundation. It is held on an open sports field in the park called Rumsey Playfield.

• Admission Ticket Free

The posh, residential Upper East Side is known for its wealthy denizens, fancy restaurants and designer shops along Madison Avenue. It’s a pretty neighborhood, with a mix of classic brownstones and upscale high-rises. Museum Mile, a stretch of 5th Avenue next to Central Park, draws crowds to cultural institutions that include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and El Museo del Barrio.

• Admission Ticket Free

Bethesda is a large plaza consisting of two levels as well as an Arcade and a Fountain. The Terrace is a popular destination for relaxing, people-watching, and admiring the architecture and the scenery. At the center of the Terrace stands Bethesda Fountain, also known as Angel of the Waters, one of the Park’s most beloved works of art.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Mall is one of Central Park’s most significant landscapes – a wide, straight path lined by two rows of American elm trees. The southern section of the Mall is known as Literary Walk because of the numerous statues of writers added there in the 19th century.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Named for the cherry trees that bloom in this landscape each spring, Cherry Hill is a popular destination overlooking the Lake. Its sloping lawn is an ideal place for picnicking, relaxing, and enjoying views of rowboats on the water. Visitors flock to Cherry Hill in spring to enjoy the pink and white blooms of the Yoshino cherry trees.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bow Bridge got its name because of its low-lying and graceful curve that resembles the bow of an archer or violinist. It is a prominent spot that offers expansive views of the Lake and surrounding landscapes. It’s one of the most photographed Park features and one of the most romantic, serving as the site of numerous wedding proposals.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Strawberry Fields is a memorial to the British rock musician and peace activist John Lennon (1940–1980). It also includes the Imagine mosaic, where many come to pay tribute to Lennon. The memorial’s name is a reference to the 1967 song Lennon wrote and performed with the Beatles, “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Dakota occupies the western side of Central Park West between 72nd and 73rd streets. It is largely square in plan and built around a central H-shaped courtyard, through which all apartments are accessed. According to a 1996 article in New York magazine, many brokers classified the Dakota as one of five top-tier apartment buildings on Central Park West, largely because of its residents, large scale, and “historical prestige”.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tavern on the Green, the restaurant located in the historic building once known as the Sheepfold, has been a destination for fine dining in Central Park since the 1930s. The restaurant recently underwent a years-long renovation during which some of its many additions were removed to expose more of the original structure and provide more variety of dining options. Tavern on the Green reopened in 2014.

• Admission Ticket Free

Pinebank Arch is an elegant cast-iron bridge that spans the bridle path. Designed to be integrated with the landscape, it seems to emerge from rock outcrops on either end, and its lacy ironwork almost blends in with the surrounding foliage. The bridge is often photographed and is a popular spot from which to survey the surrounding landscapes and take photographs.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free