Central Park is a must-visit spot in NYC all year round, but the summer season is when this park is at it’s best. The biggest green space in Manhattan comes alive thanks to local wildlife and plants, and there is always a fun event happening somewhere in the park. Below are the 10 best things to visit when taking a stroll through Central Park this summer.
Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo attracts people all year along, and it always should be on the top of your list when you come and visit the park. The zoo includes a wide variety of exhibitions and animal species. Here you can see everything from magnificent big cats to farm animals. You can also watch the Tropic Zone Exhibit that will deliver the most lifelike experience in a rain forest with rare species such as the black-and-white ruffed lemur, Victoria-crowned pigeon, poison dart frog, and emerald tree boa. You can visit the Polar Circle to adore the cute creatures like the puffins and penguins that you can rarely, see especially in such hot weather. The zoo also features the Tisch Children’s Zoo, exclusively designed for the fun of the children with adorable animals such as the potbellied pigs, sheep, goats, and plenty of opportunities for young visitors to crawl, jump, climb, and pretend to be animals.
Walking Trails
Central Park’s huge size allows visitors who like to walk or jog to have an uniquely beautiful and natural trail to explore. For those who seek an intense cardiovascular workout, the park offers a 58-mile hiking trail that has steep inclinations and bumpy pathways throughout the way to make sure you get the most out of your workout. And for those who enjoy a pleasurable, casual walk, the Great Lawn is the ideal trail to spend some time at, especially with children.
Summer Stage
For music fans, Summer Stage should never be missed. The music festival is an integral part of the New York City music culture and an important event every summer. During the festival, performances are held throughout the city and the grandest and most exciting one is situated at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. During the festival, fans will be joined by some of New York’s finest, most classic hip-hop artists and some big name indie-rock bands.
Tarr Family Playground
The Tarr Family Playground is a nice spot for you and your children to have some fun. The playground is divided by a bridge over a lake of sand that creates a perfectly ideal space for preschoolers to play and make sand sculptures.
East 96th Street Playground
Speaking of the playgrounds in Central Park, the East 96th Street Playground is one the biggest and best-equipped. The playground includes two playing complexes for children to go wild and free on the swings, climbing poles, tree house, sandboxes, and bridges. Bring some lunch and snacks and enjoy them over a picnic table while you watch your kids have fun.
North Meadow Recreation Center
Central Park presents youth basketball tournaments for adolescents from all five boroughs of the city with a chance to play safe yet competitive games during the summer. Registrations are online and get geared up for some intense basketball games!
Heckscher Ball Fields
One of Central Park’s most prestigious sports activities are baseball and softball. The Heckscher Ball Fields are among the most historical ones and are consisted of six different ball fields. Instituted back in 1927, the ball fields were renovated in 2006 to make sure the quality of the fields is absolutely state of the art. Each season, hundreds of games are played here by local leagues and amateur teams and it would definitely be exciting to catch a game while you are here.
Biking in Central Park
If you like biking, then take your bike to Central Park on a sunny day to enjoy the nice biking routes. Even if you do not own a bike, you can always rent one inside the park. Central Park has different routes that are suitable for different levels of bikers. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, you can find the right route for yourself. The park has three long-distance routes cycling the park, with the full one 6.1 miles, the northern loop 5.2 miles and the southern loop 1.7 miles.
Horse-Drawn Carriages
The horse-drawn carriages on the south side of the park, between 5th and 6th Avenue, will give you and yours some time to relax while still enjoying the beautiful scenery of the park. The carriage is also a great choice to travel to the far-reaching area of park that you would like to see but don’t want to walk to.
Delacorte Theater
Located at the heart of the Central Park, the Delacorte Theater holds the beloved summer tradition of Shakespeare in the Park. Every summer, local New Yorkers as well as visitors come to the theater and enjoy the dramatic performances delivered by talented crews. The theater produces two shows each summer and one is usually a traditional Shakespearean classic. The tickets are free for pickup at the theater’s box office, so be prepared to wait in line during the day to get yours.
