New York City

Central Park

59th (Central Park South) to 110th Street (Between 5th and 8th (Central Park West) Avenues)

Central Park, an 843-acre retreat in the midst of bustling Manhattan, was developed in 1858 by Frederick Olmsted, the famous landscape architect, and Calvert Vaux. The park combines beautifully landscaped areas with a remarkable variety of recreational facilities. Among its many features are: Belvedere Castle, with scenic views and the children's Discovery Chamber. The Carousel with its beautiful and historic hand-carved horses. Central Park Zoo (at 64th Street), with animals living in a 5-acre habitat. The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center , with scenic views, hands-on exhibits, and family workshops. Conservatory Garden. Delacorte Theater (at 79th Street), host to the famous annual Shakespeare in the Park Festival. Great Lawn, featuring New York Philharmonic performances. The Heckscher Puppet House, with weekday shows at 10:30am and noon. Lasker Rink. Summer Stage, presenting free performances and events May through August. Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre with performances Tuesday through Friday. Walkman ice skating rink (at 62nd Street), which is open year-round, with ice-skating in the winter, and roller skating and miniature golf in the summer. Also available are the Bethesda Fountain, a model yacht pond, carousel, two rowing lakes and Sheep Meadow. Guided tours of the Park by Manhattan National Park Rangers, featuring historic and natural history. The free tours, on Saturdays and Sundays, last approximately one and one-half hours, and include a good amount of walking. Horse-drawn carriages. The Dairy in Central Park near 64th Street and 5th Avenue is an exhibition -information-sales center for the park where slide presentations on the park are shown continuously. The Dairy is the location of the Central Park Visitor and Information Center. Horse enthusiasts will find plenty of bridle paths, and horse rentals are available at the West 72nd St stables. Visitors to Central Park can cruise the park lake on a Venetian gondola. The 37.5 foot Daughter of Venice was built in Venice and donated to the city by New York Philanthropist Lucy Moses. The gondola rides must be reserved by calling the boat house at the above number.