Attractions

Rick Anderson The Reservoir in Central Park.

Central Park, designed by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, is home to a ton of attractions spread throughout its 843 acres of landscape. The landmarks nestled in the park are diverse; visitors can find everything from sprawling waters and green meadows to stunning bridges and performance centers, plus educational facilities, gardens and even classical architecture. 

There is a story behind every attraction in the park that is loaded with fascinating history.  Belvedere Castle is a fully functional weather station, the Great Lawn hosted a Papal Mass in 1995, the Blockhouse is an old fort from the War of 1812 located at the northern end of the park, and the Continental Army even walked through McGown's Pass on the Upper East Side in 1783 the during the American Revolution.  Central Park also boasts numerous statues of iconic figures, including Balto, Alice and Wonderland and even William Shakespeare; fountains and the oldest public monument in North America: The Obelisk.

For animal-lovers, Central Park is home to the world famous Central Park Zoo and Wildlife Center and the Children's Zoo.  At 6.5 acres, the zoo is only a mere .77% of the park's acreage, but it manages to hold over 1,400 animals of more than 130 species in its three temperature zones: tropic, garden and polar.

Of course, above all things, Central Park is a park, so there are plenty of attractions that focus on physical activities and other fun pastimes. Two skating rinks, a carousel, a public swimming pool, baseball fields, tennis courts and other sport attractions are scattered throughout the park. 

And finally, the main highlight of Central Park is not an "attraction" in the normal sense of the word.  It is the picturesque beauty of the natural green landscape and pastoral escape that Central Park provides to one of the busiest cities in the world.  There is nothing better than wandering through the paths, exploring the rustic spaces and basking in the nature.

For those that need a little guidance while exploring, the CentralPark.com Online Store has some great maps to help you find your way.  Our popular Pocket Guide Map is loaded with interesting and useful information for anyone visiting the Park, plus it is compact enough to fit in your pocket, purse or pack! Practical park-goers might also appreciate the Waterproof Recreation Map, our other highly detailed pocket-sized map of Central Park.