Top 20 MUST SEE Places in CENTRAL PARK

when Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Bell designed Central Park back in the 1850s they imagined an immediate respite from the city's hustle and bustle built as the first urban landscape park in the United States Central Park is not only a Nature Preserve within the city but also home to a multitude of attractions for local New Yorkers and tourists alike it receives 38 million visitors each year and with so much to do in C it can all seem pretty daunting today I show you all the cool spots you won't want to miss when visiting this massive park in the center of Manhattan so sit back relax and leave it up to me to give you the lowdown on the best parts to check out without further ado here are my top twenty must-see places in Central Park number one the Central Park Conservatory this is Central Park's own mini Botanical Garden located on the Upper East Side you can enter the beautiful flower gardens through the Vanderbilt gate at the corner of 105th Street and Fifth Avenue this six acre formal garden consists of three unique gardens in the Italian French and English styles the conservatory garden is officially designated as a quiet zone and offers a peaceful setting for leisurely strolls reading and a colorful backdrop for studying wedding pictures number two the Central Park Zoo originating in 1864 and located off of East 64th Street this small Zoo is the first stone public zoo in New York City open all throughout the year you'll find over a hundred and thirty species of animals including sea lions penguins reptiles farm animals and so much more over the years many of the animals have become cherished members of the New York community and have held a special place in the hearts of many New Yorkers number three woman and last bearing yes Central Park has two official skating rinks Wollman Rink which is located on the east side between 62nd and 63rd Street and Lasker rink which is located on the northern end of the park between 106 and 108 streets both rinks are open for skating from November through March in the summer months you'll find an amusement park in the place of Wollman Rink and a swimming pool at last drink number four the Great Lawn this 55-acre oval-shaped lawn was not part of the original Central Park the site originally served as one of New York City's first reservoirs until 1931 when it got filled with excavation material from Rockefeller Center and the 8th Avenue subway line located in the middle of the park from 79th to 85th Street the Great Lawn plays host to many large gatherings famous performances concerts multiple baseball diamonds as well as a place for simple relaxation number five Belvedere Castle located in the middle of the park off of 79th Street this mini castle sitting on thick slabs of vista rock acts as a central park visitor center the name Belvedere means beautiful view in Italian which implies exactly that the castle towers will provide visitors with the highest and best views of the park and the neighboring city schemes this stunning stone attraction contains exhibit rooms and an observation deck and hosts a multitude of free family and community programs throughout the year number six Turtle Pond name for the large number of turtles that reside in the pond with other numerous species of wildlife Turtle Pond is a small part of what is left of the city's original reservoir which was later filled to create the Great Lawn it sits alongside Belvedere Castle and is another one of central parts designated quiet zones it's a nature sanctuary and provides a relaxing escape from the noisier sections of the park [Music] number seven Strawberry Fields named after the famous Beatles song Strawberry Fields is an area dedicated to the memory of John Lennon the memorial features benches a floral border and the famous circular imagined mosaic which can be found on Central Park West off of West 72nd Street very close to where John Lennon was killed this spot is a designated quiet zone and a garden of peace [Music] number eight sheetmetal another designated quiet zone this 15 acre expanse which runs from west 66 to West 69th Street is known as central parks largest pastoral lawn and reserved only for quiet picnicking and relaxation sheetmetal sits on top of original rocky and swampy terrain that was later blasted away and filled over with four feet of soil the name Sheep Meadow is derived from the flock of 200 sheep that formerly grazed the area in the earlier part of the 20th century [Music] number nine Tavern on the Green originally built in 1870 as a sheepfold for the Sheep that grazed in the nearby Sheep Meadow Tavern on the Green is now an iconic restaurant visited by millions every year open 7 days a week this landmark restaurant serves breakfast brunch lunch and dinner located at 66th Street in Central Park West Tavern on the Green is known as one of the nation's highest grossing independent restaurants and reservations must be made at least two months in advance number 10 Bethesda Terrace this architectural marvel was originally designed as the parks central meeting place back in the heyday if you were a part of high society it was a place to be it was a place to see and to be seen however today New Yorkers and tourists from all walks of life can be seen enjoying the sites at Bethesda Terrace located at the 72nd Street cross drive-in overlooking the Central Park Lincoln woods it features an upper and lower terrace connected by a set of grand staircases of covered arcade with beautifully tiled ceiling and of course the famous Bethesda Fountain in the middle number 11 the dairy located closer to the East 65th Street entrance the dairy was constructed in 1870 at a time when fresh milk was hard for parents to obtain for their children it served as a place that provided milk and snacks to the children in the park however today this Victorian Gothic style building serves as Central Park's main visitor center and gift shop number 12 the pond just a few feet from the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue is an ecosystem teeming with natural wildlife in this highly visited part of Central Park you will find many species of birds and turtles basking in the Sun and just living the life the pond features a serene natural environment among its impressive backdrop of the city skyline and the ever-popular gap style bridge it's a great place to feed the ducks while watching the people go by [Music] number thirteen the Arsenal located on Fifth Avenue and 64th Street and designed to resemble a medieval fortress the Arsenal is one of the only two buildings that existed before Central Park it was completed in 1851 as ammunition supply depot for the National Guard today it's home to the headquarters of New York City parks and the Central Park Zoo the Arsenal is open free to the public Mondays to Fridays and is the main place where visitors can view original artifacts from the parks history since the beginning number fourteen the ramble this 38 Acre Woods the area between West 66th and West 79th Street features several winding paths rustic bridges and artificial stream in a former small cave due to its dense forests like vegetation the ramble attracts many migrating birds aided bird watchers in addition to those looking for anonymous sexual encounters definitely not a place for innocent eyes or the faint of heart [Music] number 15 the reservoir built in the 1860s as a temporary water supply for New York City and capable of holding 1 billion gallons of water this reservoir was decommissioned in 1993 with the millions of new york city households it would only take four hours for the city to go through the 1 billion gallons of water today the 106 acre reservoir located between 86 and 96th Street stands as the largest body of water in Central Park and the running track surrounding it makes a great spot for those early morning joggers [Music] number 16 the carousel since its inception in 1871 the Central Park Carousel has undergone four different models over the years located at the southern end of the park near East 65th Street the current carousel happens to be one of the largest in the country it features 50 70 and carved horses and two chariots attracting over 250,000 riders per year the Central Park Carousel is one of the parks most favorite all-time attractions number 17 the Nonnberg bandshell this is Central Park's official acoustical music arena located midway between East and West 71st Street the parks original band shell was replaced by the Nonnberg band shell in 1923 today throughout the summer months you can attend free outdoor classical music concerts representing a multitude of unique orchestras free concert tickets can be obtained through the nonverbal or casual concerts website number 18 conservatory water not to be mistaken for the Central Park Conservatory conservatory water is an ornamental pond popular for its model boats there you can find children and boat enthusiasts alike navigating radio and wind powered boats across this vast reflected pool the pool is located mid Park from East 72nd to East 75th Street and hosts other activities in the areas surrounding it such as children's storytelling and bird-watching in the winter months the water level is usually lowered for free public ice-skating number nineteen the Loeb boathouse this is where you will go to catch a gondola ride for that romantic evening over the years Central Park's main boathouse has undergone many renovations and facelifts before manifesting into the boathouse we've come to know today as the Loeb boathouse they are visitors can retro boats hire an authentic Venetian gondola or simply enjoy a nice dinner on the deck of the lakeside restaurant overlooking spectacular views of the lake located at the northeastern tip of the lake between East 74th and 75th streets the low boathouse is a pleasant way to spend a summer afternoon number 20 the Delacorte theater located just off of 81st Street and Central Park West overlooking stunning views of Turtle Pond and the Great Lawn the Delacorte theater is best known for hosting its free Shakespeare in the Park productions that hundreds of people attend every summer the theater is an open-air venue offering clear views of the stage from any seat in the house tickets are free and can only be purchased on the same day so be sure to arrive early this cultural tradition began as far back as 1954 and in 1960 became a permanent amphitheater that tourists and native New Yorkers flocked to every year and for sticking with me to the very end I've decided to throw you a bonus hotspot it's number 21 the Metropolitan Museum of Art how could I not include this world-famous museum when it takes up so much of central parts real estate to be exact the Metropolitan Museum sits off of Fifth Avenue between 80th and 84th streets and occupies a whopping 11 and a half acres of Central Park within its walls you will find over 5000 years of art history and hundreds of thousands of pieces from around the globe did you know that parts of the museum's back wall is enveloped in glass offering you serene picturesque views into the park that in itself is an exhibit did you also know that the Metropolitan Museum has a rooftop garden offering you one of the most gorgeous aerial views of Central Park like I said I could talk about Central Park without including the Metropolitan Museum it is an integral part of the Central Park experience and with that said I will leave you here so that you can go off and explore this incredible park at your very own leisure with so much to see and do you'll quickly realize that when it comes to New York City's Central Park there is never a dull moment if you'd like to share any of your own experiences or any Central Park discoveries which I haven't mentioned feel free to share them with us in the comments below and be sure to subscribe if you'd like to see more on New York City our favorite city that never sleeps anyway thanks for watching and we'll see each other next time [Music]

Channel: ALL NYC

Views: 73,021

Keywords: new york, new york city, central park, central park new york, central park nyc, ny, nyc, central park zoo, wollman rink, lasker rink, the great lawn, belvedere castle, turtle pond central park, strawberry fields nyc, sheep meadow nyc, tavern on the green, bethesda terrace, bethesda fountain, central park ramble, naumburg bandshell, loeb boathouse, delacorte theater, met museum, met rooftop, central park reservoir, conservatory water, allnyc33

Id: 72pT_Lyu6JY

Length: 14min 16sec (856 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 04 2019