Review: Central Park

Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here?
Step off the crowded sidewalks of 59th Street into Central Park and you’ll hardly realize what lies before you: 693 acres of man-made gardens, meadows, forests, and rolling hillsides. If you ambled down every one of Central Park’s pathways, you would walk 58 miles. (That’s not a challenge, please don’t.) Along the way, you pass fountains, monuments, sculptures, bridges, and arches. Plus 21 playgrounds, a winter ice-skating rink, a zoo, and even a castle. But you’d hardly notice the four major crosstown thoroughfares, which cleverly disappear into foliage-covered tunnels. What you will do is break out into a Sound of Music-style sprint upon arriving at Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn, vast landscapes dotted with New Yorkers looking to escape the urban jungle in which they reside.

Any standout features or must-sees?
Embrace your inner child at Conservatory Water, the seasonal pond on the East Side (from 72nd to 75th Streets) made famous in E.B. White’s iconic children's novel, Stuart Little. Here you’ll find nautical enthusiasts both young and old navigating radio and wind-powered boats across the pond’s shimmering waters.

Was it easy to get around?
Manhattan’s urban grid disappears among the winding paths and dense foliage of Central Park. Even seasoned city dwellers can get turned around. But there’s a trick to reorienting yourself: Check the numbers at the base of any lamp post. Each is inscribed with four numbers—the first two digits indicate the nearest cross-street; the second two signal whether you’re closer to the east or west side of the park (even numbers mean east; odd, west). If you never venture north of Times Square, NYC might seem entirely flat, but Central Park will prove otherwise. So whether you’re jogging or in a wheelchair (most of the park is handicap-accessible), mentally prepare yourself for some winded inclines.

All said and done, what is this best for?
Central Park is the unicorn of New York City: You can pass an entire day here and never spend a dollar.