What to do in Central Park

Central Park is a large public, urban park that occupies over a square mile (341 hectares) in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. Central Park is host to approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. Central Park was opened in 1859, completed in 1873 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963.

Activities in Central Park

1. Carriage horses in Central Park

One of the many carriage horses present throughout Central Park. New York City and Central Park has had carriage horses since 1935.

2. Pedicabs in Central Park

Pedicabs have more recently offered visitors a more dynamic way in which to view the park. Covering three to ten times the distance of a typical Central Park horse carriage ride, pedicabs have become very popular with visitors and New Yorkers alike in the last five years.

3. Sports in Central Park

The Central Park Drive, just over 6 miles (9.7 km) long, is a haven for runners, joggers, bicyclists, and inline skaters. Nearly every weekend, races take place in Central Park, many of which are organized by the New York Road Runners. The New York City Marathon finishes in Central Park outside Tavern on the Green. Many other professional races are run in Central Park, including the recent USA Men's 8k Championships. A long tradition of horseback riding in Central Park was kept alive by the one remaining stable nearby, Claremont Riding Academy until it closed in 2007. At the northern part of Central Park between 106th and 108th streets Lasker Rink and Pool is a large ice skating rink which converts to an outdoor swimming pool in Summer and serves the neighboring communities of the Central Park.

4. Entertainment in Central Park

Summerstage features free musical concerts throughout the summer in Central Park. Each summer, the Public Theater presents free open-air theatre productions in Central Park, often starring well-known stage and screen actors, in the Delacorte Theater, summer performing venue of the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park.
The New York Philharmonic gives an open-air concert every summer on the Great Lawn and the Metropolitan Opera presents two operas in Central Park.
Also each summer, City Park's Foundation offers Central Park Summerstage, a series of free performances including music, dance, spoken word, and film presentations in Central Park.

5. Climbing in Central Park
Boulderer climbing Rat Rock.Central Park's glaciated rock outcroppings attract climbers, especially boulderers; Manhattan's bedrock, a glaciated metamorphic schist, protrudes from the ground frequently and quite considerably in some parts of Central Park.

6. Children in Central Park

In addition to its 37 unique playgrounds, Central Park offers dozens of activities for children, including performances by master puppeteers at the historic Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.