4. The Boathouse Restaurant

The Boathouse Restaurant looks south out over the Lake and past Bow Bridge, offering one of the most beautifully pastoral vistas in the park. Dozens of tables all offer spectacular views of Bethesda Terrace as well, with the beautiful Angel of the Waters statue center stage on the Fountain. Whether it’s a balmy summer evening or a brisk fall afternoon, there is no better place to share a sunset in Central Park. The restaurant offers more than just scenery, too. With an accomplished and imaginative kitchen and professional floor staff, the restaurant offers a gastronomical experience to equal that of any of New York’s finer restaurants. Add to that the incomparable panoramic view of the heart of Central Park, and you have the perfect recipe for an evening of romantic bliss.

3. Belvedere Castle

A storybook setting framed against the cosmopolitan skyline, Belvedere Castle offers a charming juxtaposition between urban architecture and medieval artifact. It also provides a magically romantic backdrop for a shared moment between lovers. Strolling along the parapets evokes images of errant knights and ladies in waiting, of a time when suitors declared their devotion by sonnet rather than cell phone. The edifice gives visitors a scenic overlook to the Great Lawn and Turtle Pond directly beneath. It is also just a few steps from the Delacorte Theater, which has also played host to its share of star-crossed romances. Of all the romantic spots in Central Park, it is Belvedere Castle that must be experienced by moonlight. The glint of silvery light reflected off the mullioned windows, the pool shimmering below, all this and the myriad lights of the city beyond, how could even the most audacious suggestion be refused?

2. Bethesda Fountain

Bethesda Fountain rises majestically above the Terrace along the south shore of the Lake. The sculpture that tops it, Angel of the Waters, was designed by Emma Stebbins in 1873 and is one of the most recognizable icons in the entire park. It is also one of the loveliest places to share a romantic interlude. Couples can sit by the fountain and watch the row boats, and occasional gondola, glide by on the tranquil waters of the Lake. Directly across to the north, you can see the Boathouse Restaurant that stretches down to the water’s edge. It is scene that harks back to another era, the turn of the nineteenth century. You almost expect to see a parasol held by one of the ladies strolling by. It is one of the magical qualities of Central Park: it not only takes you away from the confines of a loud and busy city, but it also can transport you to another time. It is here, at Bethesda Fountain, that you can imagine your love by gaslight, waiting to accompany you to dinner at Delmonico’s. Bowlers optional.