Central Park, New York's green lung

Central Park is the first public park in the United States to be entirely man-made: the entire park is artificial. However, it is not the first man-made park in the world, that being Birkenhead Park in Liverpool, England. It was while visiting this park that architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux came up with the idea for Central Park. Construction began in 1857 on land covered in marshland, and was completed after 13 years in 1869.

This colossal project had its ups and downs before arriving at the park we know today. It took a lot of manpower and sweat: 1,500 workers put in 14-hour days. Sadly, the site cost the lives of 5 workers.

For the record, New York City had to spend more to build Central Park than the United States spent to buy Alaska from Russia.

New York's temple of outdoor sport

Central Park is the lifeblood of New York City, one of those places where locals and visitors mingle. On Sundays, many New Yorkers come here to play sports, football or have a picnic. If you're a keen runner, you can follow the joggers along the 10 kilometres of trails or take a walk around one of the seven lakes that dot the park. You can also hire a Californian bike, famous for its large handlebars, to explore the park with ease. Keep your eyes peeled for art everywhere: sculptures, fountains, kiosks, bridges and arches adorn the wooded areas and lawns.

How do you find your way around the park?

It's easy to get lost in the 341 hectares of Central Park. To remedy this, the 1,600 lampposts have been numbered so that walkers can easily find their way around. This number is made up of four digits: the first two refer to the nearest street, while the last two refer to the east or west direction (even numbers indicate east and odd numbers indicate west). Clever!

The benches of Central Park

There are around 9,000 benches in the park, almost all of which have name plaques. These plaques do not attach themselves to the benches. There is a man in the park known as "BenchGuy". He travels the length and breadth of Central Park to repaint and maintain the benches. He also fixes the plaques on the benches.

Whether it's marriage proposals, declarations of love or tributes to a family member, Louis Young can tell hundreds of stories. In the end, it's all these stories put together that make up the great story of New York.

Activities in the park

If you're visiting in summer, treat yourself to a boat trip on the park's waterways. You can hire a boat at the Loeb Boathouse. If you're visiting in winter, you can try out the large ice rink in Central Park: a New York classic! And if you're there with the family, a visit to the park's zoo will delight young and old alike.

At the heart of Central Park is Belvedere Castle, a medieval castle resembling the one in Beauty and the Beast, designed in 1865 by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould to create a romantic setting in the park. Open from 10am to 5pm, it is a promontory with several terraces offering panoramic views over the entire park.

With almost 37.5 million visitors a year, Central Park is the most visited park in the United States, so it's easy to see why it's a must-see on any trip to New York! We recommend spending at least two hours there to get a quick overview, but half a day is best.

🚌 How do I get to Central Park?

Occupying much of northern Manhattan, it's very easy to get to Central Park by taxi or public transport. There are so many options that we recommendusing Google Maps to create your personalised route.

⏰ Central Park opening times

Central Park is open every day from 6am to 1am.