New York Guide
Central Park
212/310-6600
www.centralparknyc.org Landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, Central Park is confined to the east and west by by Fifth Avenue and Central Park West, and from south to north by 59th and 110th Streets.
One of the most popular attractions is the Wollman Memorial Rink (63rd St at mid-park; Nov– March ice skating Mon & Tues 10am–2.30pm, Wed & Thurs 10am–10pm, $9.50; Fri & Sat 10am–11pm, Sun 10am–9pm, $12; 212/439-6900, www.wollmanskatingrink.com). In addition to ice skates, you can rent rollerblades, the most popular mode of park transportation (skate rental $5, locker rental $4 plus $6.25 refundable deposit; no credit cards).
At 64th Street and Fifth Avenue lies the small Central Park Zoo (Nov– March daily 10am–4.30pm; April– Oct Mon– Fri 10am–5pm, Sat, Sun & holidays 10am–5.30pm; $8, children ages 3–12 $3, children under 3 free; 212/439-6500, www.centralparkzoo.com). This is a charming stop-off for an hour or two, but if you're a dedicated animal-lover, you're better off heading to the (Bronx Zoo).
The Bandshell and Rumsey Playfield are home to the free SummerStage performance series (www.summerstage.org), while the iconic Bethesda Terrace and Fountain (72nd St at mid-park) boasts the nineteenth-century Angel of the Waters sculpture. The fountain overlooks The Lake, where you can go for a gondola ride or rent a rowboat from the Loeb Boathouse on the eastern bank (April– Oct daily 10am–5.30pm; rowboats $12 for the first hour, $3 each 15min thereafter, $30 refundable cash deposit; gondola rides available 5–10pm, $30 per 30min per group, requires reservations; 212/517-2233, www.thecentralparkboathouse.com).
Strawberry Fields (72nd St and Central Park W) is a peaceful area dedicated to John Lennon, who was murdered in 1980 in front of his home at the Dakota Building. Near the West 72nd Street entrance to the park is a mosaic with the word "Imagine" at its center, donated by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono.
The Great Lawn (81st St at mid-park) has become a popular site for free concerts and rallies (Simon and Garfunkel, Sting, and the Pope, who celebrated mass here in 1995, have all attracted crowds of over half a million). Southwest of the Lawn is the Delacorte Theater, the venue of the annual free Shakespeare in the Park festivals (www.publictheater.org).