If you have some time to explore one of the best symbol of Manhattan, I invite you to visit these most amazing spots of the legendary Central Park. There is nothing quite like it! This is not a complete list of all the spots in the entire park, but ones that are the most photogenic and that I am sure you will love discovering.
This list is also good to follow if you have limited time to explore Central Park. I would say this list will take around half a day to do if you’re also taking lots of photos, taking in the atmosphere and not in too much of a rush. If you are in a hurry, I would say you can probably go through all of these spots within 1.5-2 hours. I took my sweet time with most of the spots (and along the way) so I took about half a day!
6 Most Recommended Spots to Visit in Central Park:
Gapstow Bridge
Located at the Pond on 59th Street, Gapstow Brdige is one of the most iconic bridges of central park. The pond is oocupied by a lot of interesting flocks of beautiful swimming ducks. In the winter, the pond becomes frozen. At the time I visited in early March, the pond was half frozen, with ducks swimming on the other half, a really unique sight to see.
Umpire Rock
Named after it’s clear and amazing view of Central Park’s baseball field, the Umpire Rock’s history is actually very exciting. The Umpire Rock is actually an exposed ancient bedrock that is evidence of an epic event that happened hundreds of millions of years ago.
Strawberry Fields (John Lennon’s Imagine)
This is John Lennon’s memorial. In the middle of the memorial is a circular mosaic with a single word, “Imagine”, John Lennon’s song. There are gatherings at the memorial on John Lennon’s birthday and the anniversary of his death. John Lennon was shot in front of The Dakota right by the memorial. Sometimes, people would gather at the memorial with flowers and candles, and sing together.
Literary Walk (The Mall)
The Mall is the widest pedestrian pathway in Central Park, where you can find the largest and last standing of american elm trees in North America.This is just a peaceful and inspiring place to be. Many writers would come here to get inspired and write. At the south end of The Mall is the Lliterary Walk, you will see statues of poets and writers.
Bethesda Fountain and Terrace
Bethesda fountain is one of the most beautiful and biggest fountains, and the focal point of Bethesda Terrace. It is part of the original commissioned plan of building Central Park. Not only the fountain is beautiful, but so is the architecture surrounding it. The lady in the middle of the fountain is known as Angel of the Waters. This is possibly the most beautiful photogenic spot in Central Park, and certainly my favourite.
Alice in Wonderland Statue
The statue of Alice in Wonderland has an enormous amount of details on it. Walk all around it and observe the bunny, the cat, the worm, the mushrooms, the Mad Hatter, and of course Alice! It is definitely a fascinating sight to see, especially if you’re a big fan of Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland. Climbing is even encouraged on this statue. Sometimes I wonder if the statue is strong enough to bear all that weight, but it does. Just after I took my photos, more than 50 high school kids arrived and climbed on the statue. There must have been at least 20-30 kids on the statue for their photos. There were many poems from the book on the base of the statue.
In the Area:
For Chocolate Lovers:
Very close to the Alice in Wonderland Statue, my favourite Chocolatier: La Maison du Chocolat serves the best chocolate macarons I’ve ever tasted, and very rich warm hot chocolate that willl warm you up on any chilly day.
For Coffee or Brunch:
If you’re feeling hungry, I recommend a visit to Little Collins, located on Lexington Avenue, for one of the most magnificent brunches and coffee in town. I would visit a little early, since the line is usually very long, showing how popular this place really is even among the locals.
It’s Gonna Take Some Time:
It takes time to visit, make your way through, and really appreciate Central Park thoroughly. I would put in roughly half a day. During summer time, it may take a little longer, as it will get more crowded in the more popular spots. But generally, Central Park is beautiful in every season. I have visited Central Park during spring time, and it was crowded but not crazy. It’s definitely doable especially when it is sunny out and things are a lot greener! So visit any time of year and you will sure love this amazing largest green space of NYC!
