Self-Guided Central Park Walking Tour- The Adventuring Millennial

Welcome to the most visited park in the United States. You are about to be one of the 40 million people who will visit this year. Parts of the 843 acres first opened to the public in 1858. Just take a moment to appreciate that this huge public park was built before the Civil War. That piece of trivia kind of blew my mind.

Frederick Law Olmsted designed this expansive park that is now designated as a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over its history, Central Park fell into some disrepair. In the 1980s the Central Park Conservancy was established to maintain this vital area. For many New Yorkers, this is their first experience with nature. Today the park is thriving and is extremely popular with both tourists and locals.

Alright now that we have some background info, let’s get to it! Just a head’s up, the park is pretty massive. It stretches from 59th street up to 110th and from 5th Ave to Central Park West (8th Ave). You could spend days exploring all that it has to offer.

Walking tours are a great way to experience a new area. They really help me learn and feel more connected to the place I am visiting. Self-guided tours are a great option because you can pick and choose which sites to visit and take the tour at your own pace. This Central Park walking tour starts on the east side and focuses on the lower section. Go explore the park and have fun!

Central Park Walking Tour

Start: 5th Ave/59th St Subway Station

Ok, here we go! Take the N/R/W train to the 5th Ave/59th street station. After you exit the station turn right. You will probably pass people selling paintings or books. Some days a mobile version of the popular Strand Bookstore can be found here. Take another right into the Doris C Freeman Plaza. If you are hungry, look for the Wafels and Dinges cart before heading into the park. (You guys, the strawberry and Nutella wafels are killer!) You will also have a great view of the Plaza Hotel from here.

Finish you your waffles (you know you want one!) and continue straight through the Doris C Freeman Plaza until you reach an outer Central Park wall. Turn right. You should be very close to a park entrance at this point. Make a left into the park and follow the path to The Pond. You will see a statue of the Irish poet Thomas Moore on your right and The Pond straight ahead.

Stop 1: The Pond

Ok, so you are now looking at 1 of the 7 water bodies in the park. This is a serene spot to relax and forget that you are just minutes away from bustling 5th Avenue. Soak in the view, sit on one of the surrounding benches, or get a quick Insta photo shoot in. When you are ready make your way to our next stop.

From here walk 0.2 miles to the Central Park Zoo. There are a few different paths you could take (this might be a recurring theme on this Central Park walking tour) but just make sure you are heading towards the bridge. If you took the path closest to The Pond, take the stairs on your right once you reach the bridge.

Go straight up the slight hill. You will encounter a fork in the road. Make sure you stick to the right side. Once you get to the main road turn right and stay on the sidewalk. It might look like you are about to exit the park but turn left and cross the road before this point. You will walk down a path and reach the Central Park Zoo.

Stop 2: Central Park Zoo

You have now reached the oldest zoo in New York. Visitors can see sea lions, grizzly bears, snow leopards and more in this 6.5-acre zoo. Purchase your tickets in advance online for a 10% discount. After the discount, adult admission is $18 and child admission is $13.

If you are not visiting the zoo, continue through the breezeway to our next stop. It might feel like you can’t walk through this part unless you are visiting the zoo but it is a public walkway. Pass under a bridge
and look for the Tisch Children’s Zoo on your right. Apparently, the only cow in Manhattan can be seen here. Pro Tip: You can see some of this exhibit outside the park on 5th Ave between 65th and 66th.

Pass under another bridge and you will reach a fork around a large rock formation. Stay left and after a short walk, look for the Balto Statue on your left.

Stop 3: Balto Statue

You should now be facing a bronze dog. The Balto Statue was unveiled in December 1925 (and the real-life Balto attended the ceremony. How stinking cool is that?!) If you don’t know the story of Balto, you are in for a treat. In January 1925 Nome, Alaska experienced a horrific diphtheria outbreak. The closest serum was in Anchorage, but since Nome was snowbound, it was challenging to leave the town. The available open-cockpit planes were not safe to fly in the weather. A train from Anchorage could reach Nenana, but this was still 674 miles from Nome.

The decision was made to send sled-dog teams on the mission. 20 mushers and over 150 dogs were sent across the frozen tundra to retrieve the medicine from Nenana. Balto and his team completed the trek in only 5 days and 7 hours (a world record) and successfully brought the medicine back to Nome.

Admire the statue (and try to figure out how you can get your hands on the 90s classic Balto) before making your way to the Summer Stage. Face the statue turn right. Walk under the Willowdell Arch and then turn right. The Mall will be on your left but don’t worry, we will check that out in a bit. For now stay straight and walk up a slight hill. Take a left at the fork. You should now see signs or the stage at this point!

Stop 4: Summer Stage

You may want to skip this stop unless you are doing this Central Park walking tour in the summer. But if you are enjoying the nice NYC summer, let’s talk about the Summer Stage. Throughout the summer you can attend free live concerts across the city. This stage in Central Park is just one of the venues. Oh, and have you ever watched the Good Morning America concert series (you know, the ones that have the big Top 40 artists?) Those are filmed at this stage! The concerts are free and open to the public. Check the entire 2018 lineup here.

Alright, let’s keep going. Walk right from the spot pictured above. Turn right and cross East Drive (even if you don’t see a street sign you will probably find it. It is a main road through the park that traffic can use, so use caution when crossing). After crossing the street turn left. Continue straight and you will see a park exit ahead. You will turn left before you would actually exit onto 5th Ave. After turning left, walk down some steps. You will now see the Conservancy Water.

Stop 5: Conservancy Water & Alice in Wonderland Statue

Getting Stuart Little vibes yet? The Conservancy Water is popular with families because of the surrounding climbing statues. On a warm summer day, you will probably see some model boats in the pond. We are going to take a lap around the water. If you need a break this is a great place to rest. There are benches all around the pond. If you are hungry check out the menu at Le Pain Quotidien.

Facing the pond follow the path on the right. At the other end, look for the Alice in Wonderland Statue. This 1959 bronze statue depicts characters from Lewis Carroll’s classic tale.

Continue around the water to our next stop.

Stop 6: Hans Christian Anderson Statue

The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea, and The Little Mermaid are just some of the works by this famous Dutch author. The statue was gifted to the park to mark the 150 anniversary of Anderson’s birth. Since 1956, children have gathered here listens to his fairy tales. The Hans Christian Anderson Storytelling Association continues this free program today. Check here for the schedule!

Spend your time enjoying the Conservancy Water. When you are ready to continue the tour, head back to where we entered the Conservancy Water area. Turn right instead of going back up the hill. Next, you will take a left. Take a right and cross the road (observing the crosswalk of course). Turn right again and now you should be heading straight towards the Loeb Boathouse. You can enjoy a nice meal here or rent rowboats.

Turn left so the water and boathouse are now on your right. Continue down the path (have your Enchanted moment) and you will now see the Bethesda Terrace.

Stop 7: Bethesda Terrace

I mean how many times have you seen the Bethesda Terrace and fountain in movies and tv shows? It is so iconic! We’ve now reached the heart of the park. Enjoy the sites and sounds around you. You will probably see some performers, maybe a bubble blower, and tons of tourists.

The fountain, known as the Angel of the Waters was the only piece originally commissioned for the park. The fountain was dedicated in 1873. The artist, Emma Stebbins, was the first female to receive a commission for a major piece of public art in NYC (you go, girl!)

Our tour continues through the Bethesda Terrace to The Mall. Walk up one of the two the grand staircases or walk through the Bethesda Terrace Arcade. You will now be facing The Mall.

Stop 8: The Mall

This wide pedestrian walkway was originally designed to fit carriages. The wealthy would be dropped off in The Mall to enjoy the scenery before returning back to their carriages. Today The Mall is popular with performers, skateboarders, and rollerbladers. You will notice a collection of statues lining the pathway. The Mall also has a large population of the rare American elm tree.

Walk through The Mall or stick to the outer right path. To reach our next stop, cross the road and turn right.

End: Sheep’s Meadow

This large grassy field is the perfect spot to relax. If you are visiting on a warm summer day, Sheep’s Meadow will probably be filled with people picnicking, sunbathing, and throwing frisbees. This space is designated as a quiet zone and is one of the only open fields in the park without ballfields.

You might be wondering where the name came from. In the early 20th century there actually was a flock of sheep that grazed in this meadow. For over 50 years the sheep lived a pretty nice life in Central Park. After a full day of eating they spent their nights in the nearby sheepfold. In 1934 the sheep were sent to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and the sheepfold was renovated into the Tavern on the Green restaurant.

We have now reached the end of our Central Park walking tour. Spend some time relaxing in Sheep’s Meadow, enjoy a nice meal at Tavern on the Green, or coffee at the nearby La Pan Quotidien. If you are ready to leave Central Park, I recommend heading towards Columbus Circle. For reference, Columbus Circle is at 59th Street and Tavern on the Green is around 67th Street.

There is a park exit at 67th Street. Head left after leaving the park. Continue straight until you reach Columbus Circle. You will find the 1/2/A/B/C/D trains at this subway station. The station also houses the Turnstyle Underground Market, where you will find shops and restaurants. You could also check out The Shops at Columbus Circle if you are in the mood for some retail therapy. I recommend stopping in here to check out the Amazon Books store.