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Like so many of New York’s landmark attractions, Central Park is known across the world. Invariably, its the public park to which those in cities all over the globe are compared. While its not even the largest park in New York City, the central location of this over 300 hectare space makes this picturesque destination the official lung of greenery in the Big Apple. You can easily spend a whole day in Central Park. If you’ve only got a few hours to spare, that’s enough time to see the highlights as well. Visiting the Park is always one of my personal favourite things to do in New York. In this post, I’ll take you on a tour its southern half (its where most of the notable sights are located) so that you can plan your own route through this verdant urban escape.
By the way, did you know that Central Park is bigger than Monaco? Get those walking shoes on!
Central Park may provide an escape into nature within Manhattan’s concrete jungle, but make no mistake about it, the creation of the park involved a huge amount of urban planning and labour. Back in the 19th century, Central Park’s land was filled with pig farms and a garbage dump – a far cry from the incredibly scenic outdoor space that fills its many hectares today. As Manhattan grew rapidly in this time, the population was is desperate need of a recreational space for outdoor activities. New York had been planned out to a tee on the grid system, but there had been no consideration of park space in those plans.
With the site of today’s Central Park chosen by the local authorities to meet the demand, nearly 34,000 lots were cleared out. Approximately 1,600 residents were evicted and communities such as Pigtown and Seneca Village were demolished. The mass transformation campaign commenced in 1858, and lasted some 20 years. Over 20,000 labourers worked on the project as the terrain was converted into the Central Park we know today.
Central Park’s layout was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. It included the large fields, wooded areas, water bodies and roads traversing underneath that the iconic Park is now known for. Nowadays, Central Park sees over 42 million visitors annually – I’d say the project was a success!
So, Central Park is big. Like REALLY big! I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never made it all the way to park’s north end. To get the most out of the park, you don’t really need to either. The southern edge of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir basically cleaves the park into two, at 86th Street. Considering the park begins at 59th Street, that’s a solid distance of over 25 Manhattan blocks you’ll cover just getting halfway into Central Park from Midtown.
Needless to say, you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Its definitely the best way to see the park. You can take your time, relax on benches and take in the surroundings while exploring. While you should plan out a route that covers the main sights (don’t worry, I’ve got you covered), you don’t have to stick rigidly to it, wandering about as you desire. Another way to see the park is to book a Horse & Carriage Ride, though you will obviously be sticking to the main paved areas. Its also very costly, with 30 minutes setting you back $120.00 USD per carriage. You can also rent bicycles, though you won’t be allowed to ride along pedestrian pathways.
For a first time visitor to New York, I suggest allowing around 2 to 3 hours for Central Park. You’ll be able to cover all the places mentioned in this post within that time without feeling rushed. Bear in mind however that some of New York’s best Museums (such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History) are located within or just beyond the park’s boundaries. I haven’t covered them in this post, but if you want to one of them, you’ll need to set at least a few more hours aside. Personally I like to combine a visit the Met around lunchtime after a morning in Central Park, and the path I propose below will leave you in a perfect spot to do just that.
If you’re wanting to see the highlights of Central Park in a reasonably efficient manner, I’ve put together a recommended path to tackle Central Park. Most visitors will be coming up from Midtown, so you’ll be starting at the park’s southern edge. While there’s quite a few entry points, I recommend starting your tour in the park’s south-eastern corner. Known as Grand Army Plaza, its marked by a bronze sculpture called the Sherman Memorial. The monument depicts Union Army General William Tecumseh Sherman on horseback, alongside an allegorical figure of Victory. In the finer details, Sherman’s horse is trampling a Georgia Pine Branch, making it clear that this statue is all about the victory of the Union over the Confederated States in the American Civil War.
Central Park Zoo is relatively small, but I think its worth checking out on your first visit to Central Park. Sure, if you go in expecting the massive zoos you’ll find in many major cities around the world you’ll be disappointed (if thats what you’re after, the Bronx Zoo is your best option in New York), but go in with tempered expectations and I think you’ll enjoy it. For a small zoo, there’s a surprising amount of diversity in species here – ranging from penguins, snow leopards, red pandas and grizzly bears. I particularly enjoyed seeing the incredibly active sea lions in the tank in the centre of the zoo.
You can book your entry tickets on the zoo’s website to avoid having to line up separately on arrival. Once inside, you’ll be able to see the whole of the zoo in about an hour. Considering how much there is to see in New York, I feel thats a decent way to get your fix of animal watching on a trip to the Big Apple. As you leave the zoo, don’t miss the Delacorte Clock outside, which features various animal pieces that circle the clock to familiar tunes on the half hour.
Backtracking slightly from the Zoo’s entrance, if you head slightly west you’ll come to Gapstow Bridge. Standing above the Pond, this is one of the most picturesque bridges in all of the park. Its also one of Central Park’s original 27 bridges (of which 24 still stand today), and was designed by Calvert Vaux. I’m sure you’ll take plenty of photos while hanging around the Pond before continuing deeper into Central Park. Its a really scenic area.
When you’re ready to continue, you’ll want to head north (follow the crowds) to the next destination. Along the way you’ll pass the Wollman Ice Skating Rink (or the Victoria Gardens Amusement Park in the summer months).
The Mall is Central Park’s main thoroughfare. Lined on both sides by massive American Elm Trees, this wide pathway is often filled with artists, souvenir vendors and street buskers. Its an iconic spot that you’ll definitely recognise from films, and is probably one of the most photographed spots in all of New York City. Believe it or not, its also the only straight path in all of Central Park!
One of the coolest parts of the Mall is the Literary Walk. Along the southern stretch of the promenade, you’ll find a collection of six statues, depicting some of the greatest authors in literary history. Think names like Fitz Green-Helleck and Robert Burns. The Literary Walk dates back to 1872, when a committee of actors and theatre managers erected its first statue, that of William Shakespeare himself.
Follow the Mall all the way to its northern end, and you’ll reach Bethesda Terrace. This is the site of the Bethesda Fountain, known for being one of largest fountains in New York. With the Angel of the Waters perched above, the fountain was created by sculptor Emma Stebbins in 1868 and today is a favourite gathering spot for New Yorkers and visitors from abroad.
The tunnel you’ll pass through to reach the fountain has also appeared on many a TV or film screen, often as a site for shady deals between shady figures and the like in crime dramas. You’re much more likely to encounter a choir of street buskers on your visit though. Enjoy their performances to their songs before sitting by the fountain and looking out across the lake. Across the water, the Loeb Boathouse is where you can rent row boats to take out onto the water – well worth considering on a nice, sunny day! The food at its restaurant is pretty great too – crab cakes and cocktails anyone?
Assuming you’ve decided to stick to dry land, you’ll want to follow the path a few minutes west to Cherry Hill. There’s another fountain up here. According to urban legend its THE fountain from the opening of the hit TV show Friends. Its even advertised as such by many tour guides. Spoiler alert: its not the same fountain! But still, stop by and get your photos anyway.
To the north from Cherry Hill is another of Central Park’s beautiful bridges, and this one arguably tops the bunch. Bow Bridge connects across to the northern side of the Lake. It was constructed in 1862 and definitely has something of a classical Victorian design. Don’t cross just yet – otherwise you’ll be doubling back on the way to the next destination. It actually is rather photogenic from a distance anyway! You’ll be able to see its ever so slight slope, which you’ll barely notice when you actually cross.
Heading further west from Cherry Hill is one of my favourite spots in all of Central Park. Strawberry Fields is a tear shaped space of quiet reflection, commemorating and paying tribute to the life of John Lennon of The Beatles. Most people will know that Lennon was murdered near his New York home. The “Imagine” mosaic in Strawberry Fields lies just across the street from where that murder took place. Strawberry Fields was funded by Yoko Ono and takes its name from the Beatles song “Strawberry Fields Forever”.
The Lennon mural in Strawberry Fields is an obvious reference to his famous song “Imagine”. There’s a very high likelihood you’ll witness a busker performing a stirring rendition of the song while you wait to take your photo at the memorial. Strawberry Fields has a different atmosphere to the rest of Central Park. Despite the tragic events that led to Lennon’s death, a sense of positivity and melancholic tranquility can be found by spending some time here before continuing on through the Park.
Heading north to the next stop, you can either walk around the outer perimeter of the Lake, or double back to Cherry Hill and cross Bow Bridge. Doing the latter, you’ll end up in the Ramble, a section of the park filled with narrow, winding paths among forestry, rocks and streams. Its the best place in Central Park to really get the sense of escaping into the wilderness, so I highly recommend passing through here. After getting lost along the way, you’ll reach Belvedere Castle. That’s right – Central Park even has its own little castle. Built in 1869 for decorative purposes, the castle provides views across the park from one of its highest points.
Built in Gothic style, the castle was renovated in the 1980s and today contains a small interpretive centre, providing details on Central Park’s local flora and fauna. If bird-watching is your thing, Belvedere Castle is the place to be, as you can rent Discovery Kits here that provide a guide to all the birdlife you’ll find in the surrounding area.
Not too far from Belvedere Castle, you’ll come across the Shakespeare Garden and Delacorte Theatre. Shakespeare in the Park shows are a New York tradition in the summertime. Famous actors are even known to take the stage. Similar to the Literary Walk, there’s also a number of sculptures in this section of the Park, this time representing iconic Shakespeare plays.
Going further north, you’ll pass the Great Lawn. Situated right at the centre of the park, this sprawling lawn contains baseball fields and grass to relax on.
Further still, your adventure through Central Park will be interrupted by 86th Street. You can cross it over various bridges to reach the southern boundary of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. By far the largest body of water in Central Park (covering almost an eighth of the entire park, its surrounded by a 2.5 kilometre jogging track. The Reservoir was originally designed to supply New York with clean water in the 19th century. Nowadays, it offers a chance to take in the scenery as skyscraper reflections mirror in the vast waterbody.
When you realise how far you’ve walked through Central Park upon reaching the Reservoir, you might be shocked that you’re only halfway through the park. To be honest, I think the Reservoir makes a good point to end your adventure. If you head east you’ll come across the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you’re enjoying the outdoors and have more time to spend in New York, don’t let that stop you from going further though. As I’ve said, I haven’t been any further north than the Reservoir, but if you do want to venture deeper, points of interest might include the Conservatory Garden (a 2.5 hectare quiet retreat filled with apple trees and flowering gardens) and the Blockhouse (a military fortification dating back to 1812). The northern half of Central Park is less touristy, so you’ll find less people around.
Alternatively, you might decide to double back, heading south along the Park’s eastern edge. Going this way you’ll pass the Conservatory Water (where you can watch people sail model boats) as well as popular statues like Alice in Wonderland and everyone’s favourite dog, Balto.
With so much to see, hopefully this guide has given you an idea of where to spend your time in Central Park. While I feel I’ve covered the main destinations, I’m sure there’s areas of the park that I’ve missed (or haven’t even heard of). If you know of any hidden gems, definitely let me know!
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The Statue of Liberty speaks for itself. Its the most famous sculpture in the world and an iconic New York City landmark. Standing tall on Liberty Island, a short distance off Lower Manhattan, the Statue has welcomed new arrivals into New York’s harbour since 1886. If you haven’t seen it in person, you haven’t really experienced New York. Sure, its crowded and cliche, but I can’t imagine making a trip to New York without taking in Lady Liberty. I’ve been there numerous times (though not since the latest construction work completed on the island). In this post I’m going to let you know how you too can visit the Statue of Liberty.
Today, the Statue of Liberty is one of the United States’ most defining icons, however it may surprise you to learn that the original idea for the Statue had nothing to do with the USA. The brainchild of the sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue was originally conceived to be a colossal structure to guard Egypt’s Suez Canal, drawing inspiration from two of the Wonders of the Ancient World – the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Funding however didn’t materialise, and plans were on the back burner. That changed in 1865 when a group of French activists led by Bartholdi’s friend, Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye, proposed to make a gift to the United States as a symbol of triumph of the independence movement and democracy. Bartholdi was quickly brought on board.
Work on the Statue began, with Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel) designing its internal framework. It was assembled in Paris, while work began at the site of what would become Liberty Island, in New York Harbor. The Statue was reassembled on its Liberty Island pedestal 21 years after work began, and was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Lady Liberty quickly transformed into an icon of its new home, touching the hearts of many in the face of strict immigration laws. The Statue of Liberty became a beacon to immigrants and freedom, as embodied by Emma Lazarus’ poem, The New Colossus, inscribed on its pedestal.
Over the many years since, Lady Liberty’s role has evolved with the times – used in political movements, military campaigns and so much more. The Statue of Liberty today is the embodiment of America.
The only way to actually visit the Statue of Liberty is to take a ferry operated by Statue City Cruises. Its the only company that legally is allowed to dock on Liberty Island, so keep that in mind when you see other operators claiming to operate cruises to the Statue – they may well pass it, but you won’t get to set foot on the island. Assuming you’re staying in the city (they also run ferries departing from New Jersey), you’ll need to head to Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. Once you arrive there, you can redeem your ticket at the Castle Clinton Monument, which is a short walk from the South Ferry subway station.
My two golden rules for visiting the Statue are: (1) prebook your ticket, and (2) get on the first boat of the day. If you don’t have a pre-booked ticket, you’ll have to wait in a line that gets extremely long (we’re talking hours later in the day). If you’re planning to head up to the Crown (more on that below), you’ll need to book your ticket at least 3 months in advance to avoid disappointment. In any event, aim to arrive at least half an hour before the first ferry of the day so that you can get off to Liberty Island as soon as possible.
You’ll need to clear airport style security before boarding the ferry (no open water bottles or large bags allowed). Once you’re on board, its a scenic ride across the water. I strongly recommend that you sit on the right hand side of the ferry’s top deck – you’ll get the best views as you approach the Statue. On board, you can also buy snacks and drinks.
Liberty Island is fairly small, but you’ll still spend a decent amount of time here (I’d budget around an hour and a half, or more if you’re heading up the Crown). Obviously the main thing to see is the Statue of Liberty itself. While you may want to rush inside its Pedestal, I like to start my time at the Statue with a walk around the island’s perimeter. Not only will you get stunning photos, both of the Statue from all angles, and looking across the water back at the city, there’s also a really interesting audio guide (included with your ticket) that takes you along the path, giving you some historical context to the Statue. You’ll find park rangers handing out the audio guides as your disembark at the dock.
You should definitely go inside the Pedestal when you visit the Statue of Liberty. You have to go through another security checkpoint to enter and you need to have pre-booked your entry time. To get to the top of the Pedestal, you’ll need to ascend 215 steps – thats about the equivalent of 10 floors, so be ready to do the work. I accidentally exited the Pedestal early before going up the Crown and had to climb this set of stairs twice the first time I visited the Statue – that was a leg burning experience! While there is an elevator, its only available for those who can’t use the stairs for accessibility reasons. Once you’re at the top, you can go outside and enjoy the panoramic views.
The Pedestal used to contain a small museum about the Statue of Liberty. That changed in May 2019, as the exhibits were moved into a purpose built Museum elsewhere on Liberty Island. I haven’t visited the new Museum, but admission is now included with your ferry ticket. Unlike the Pedestal, you don’t need to reserve a time to go inside, so it makes the Museum more accessible to those travellers who aren’t as prepared.
The Museum is comprised of three galleries. The first is an immersive multimedia experience that chronicles the history of the Statue. This is followed by the Engagement Gallery, which focuses on the process of the Statue’s design and construction. The Inspiration Gallery ends the experience with a focus on reflection. This last hall also houses Lady Liberty’s original torch, which was replaced in 1984. When you’re finished, you can go up to the Museum’s rooftop terrace for more photo shoot opportunities.
The ultimate Statue of Liberty experience takes you right up to Lady Liberty’s crown, for unrivalled views of New York Harbor. Tickets to the crown are extremely limited, and will sell out months in advance, so make sure you book them as soon as you’re planning to head to the Statue of Liberty. It only costs a few dollars more than general admission. You should also be aware that to get to the Crown, you’ll need to ascend an extremely steep spiral staircase of 393 steps (and come back down again). There’s spots where you can rest along the way, but its probably not suited for those that are claustrophobic.
From the Crown viewing point, you’ll be able to see the Statue’s current torch up close. You’ll also see the book of law in her left hand. The book is inscribed July IV MDCCLXXVI, which translates to July 4th, 1776, the date of American Independence. I learnt a lot from the park ranger at the top of the Crown, as he pointed out the subtle symbolism of various parts of the Statue’s design that I was able to see up close.
When you’re finished exploring Liberty Island, get back on the ferry from the island’s main dock – make sure its not the ferry that goes back to New Jersey though. There’s no ferry that goes directly back to Manhattan, but you’ll want to head to Ellis Island anyway. While its not as well known as the Statue of Liberty, I actually think its even more interesting, so count on spending a few hours there before you’re back in the city. It is included in your ticket and is definitely worth a visit.
Before you leave the Statue of Liberty, you can grab a snack at the island’s cafe. Personally I wasn’t the biggest fan of the selection here, so I recommend holding over until you get to Ellis Island, which has a great cafe.
Visiting the Statue of Liberty is an experience that you’ll never forget. Its an essential part of any New York itinerary, and hopefully this post has helped you plan out your visit to Lady Liberty. I’d love to hear about your experiences at the Statue of Liberty. Until then, I leave you with the legendary words of Emma Lazarus embodied by this icon – “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift the lamp beside the golden door!”
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The Empire State Building is the crowning jewel in the world’s most recognisable skyline. Its also the most photographed building in the world, and has appeared on screens globally. From its first major film appearance in the original King Kong, and so many more since, you can’t picture New York without thinking of the Empire State Building. While in my opinion there are better skyscrapers in the city when it comes to getting a bird’s eye view of Manhattan, there’s no doubting the allure and splendour of the original. The Empire State Building retained its status as the world’s tallest building for nearly 40 years following its construction. You can’t come to New York without going up it. In this post, I’ll help you plan that.
The Empire State Building has at 102 floors. Its mostly filled with corporate offices and other private spaces, but a number of floors towards the top of the tower contain New York’s most visited observation point, attracting over 4 million guests a year. At the time construction was completed in 1931, the Empire State Building was the tallest skyscraper in the world. It held that distinction until the original World Trade Center was completed in 1973.
The Empire State Building was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and was destined for greatness from its inception. Legend claims that a financier of the project, John Jakob Raskob asked William Lamb in a meeting while propping up a pencil – “how high can you make it so it won’t fall down?”. And so work began.
While you would think the Empire State Building would have taken ages to build (especially going back to the Great Depression times of the 20th century), it actually set a record – construction began on 17 March 1930, and was completed on 11 April 1931. The tower opened to the public just a month later. Apparently 14 floors of the building were even completed within 10 days! The tower cost some $41 million to complete (which actually came significantly under its $50 million budget!).
It should come as no surprise that lines can be LONG at the Empire State Building. This is the kind of attraction where you should book tickets well in advance. You can do that on the official website. However, if you’re spending a fair amount of time in New York, you should consider a multi-attraction pass. The Empire State Building is included in both the CityPass and Sightseeing Pass. Do the maths before you come to New York and see if you’ll save money (I know I did when I used the Sightseeing Pass). You should also download the building’s app before your visit – it includes a free audio tour.
If you’re looking to avoid crowds, your best bet is to arrive first thing in the morning or late at night. During the middle of the day and sunset tend to be the busiest times. Weirdly enough, I’ve only ever been to the Empire State Building late at night. There’s just something I love about being in the open air, 86 floors above the Concrete Jungle, in the late night air.
When you arrive at the Empire State Building, you’ll have to clear security (airport style with metal detectors). Even if you have a skip the line pass, you have to line up here, so factor that time into your schedule. Note that there’s no lockers available so leave your backpack at the hotel. Once you clear security and the historical exhibits, its up to the 86th floor observatory.
You’ll learn all sorts of fun facts about the Empire State Building in the historical exhibits, which start on the building’s second floor after you clear security. This part of the tower actually underwent a major overhaul in 2019 and now includes really cool displays (including a sculpture of King Kong’s hands where you can take your pictures to re-enact the 1933 classic!). When I visited, the exhibit area was a bit more basic, but I still really enjoyed learning about the stories from the building’s construction and planning before heading up to the observation levels.
The current historical exhibit is comprised of a number of sections that chronicle the building’s development. You’ll start at the site of the building in 1920s New York and learn about the Waldorf-Astoria building that stood at the site beforehand. From there you’ll delve into the building’s construction in an immersive zone filled with models of the tower in varying stages of its development. After a feature on Opening Day, the context shifts to the modern day uses of the tower – ranging from the tenants housed within, the building’s status as a pop culture icon, and the energy efficient and sustainable technologies incorporated in the building.
Note that you can’t return to the historical exhibits after ascending the tower. Don’t rush through and miss everything. There’s a few more exhibits on the 80th floor, when you exit the elevator, but this is really just a preview to the viewing area ahead.
The Empire State Building’s main observatory deck is on the tower’s 86th floor, 320 metres above the island of Manhattan. The views from here are spectacular. You can build it up in your mind, but the moment you get up there, you’ll be absolutely blown away (and not just by the wind). You step out into an enclosed glass chamber, but you’ll spend most of your time in the outdoor space that winds around it. Its also the highest outdoor observation point in New York.
If the views alone aren’t enough for you, the 86th floor observatory also contains a number of coin operated binoculars that you can use to see some of the more notable landmarks in the New York skyline more clearly. If you happen to visit the observatory on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, you’ll also have a live jazz performer adding to the viewpoint’s ambience.
The big question is whether to go even higher than the building’s 86th floor. There is a second observatory, and its all the way up on the tower’s 102nd level. It costs an extra $20 to go up to the next viewpoint. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been to the 102nd floor, but I feel like its probably something you can skip. There’s a number of towers in Manhattan (and one of them is even taller than this one). Given that you’re going to get a completely different view from one of those, versus a slightly higher view of the same thing from the Empire State Building, I’d personally spend that money on one of the others instead.
If you decide that you can’t miss the 102nd floor, you’ll need to join another line in the main observatory. From there, you’ll board another elevator and be whisked up to a height of 381 metres. The observatory here is smaller and enclosed.
Fun fact: if you do make it to the 102nd floor, you’ll find a locked door that leads to a 103rd floor platform. It was originally designed to serve as a dock for airships (blimps), allowing their passengers to descend into the building on arrival. A neat idea that was just way too wacky to work in practice – though a blimp was moored here once in 1931 by the New York Evening Journal!
A regular trip to the Empire State Building will take around an hour and a half to get the most out of the experience. If you’re wanting to do something more unique, there’s plenty of special packages available (assuming money is no issue). The Empire State Building offers the following (bookings are essential):
Visiting the Empire State Building is an experience you’ll always remember. I really recommend stopping by this engineering Wonder of the World on your next visit to New York City. I’d also love to go again and see how they’ve overhauled the historical exhibits in the building since my last visit. If you’ve been since the refurbishment, let me know all about it!