 | New York City Central Park Reviews | 1 - 10 of 578 |  |
Originally designed by Frederick Law Olmstead to reflect the English pastoral life, Central Park became instead another proof of New York's artful skill in imitation nature while making it better.
On these 843 acres of land, there are trees, shrubs, vines, rock, trails, and pathways.
There are lakes, fountains, cascades, bridges, gardens, statues, an obelisk, a fort, and a castle.
There are theatres, concert grounds, a great museum, and restaurants.
There are playgrounds, carousel, discovery center, wild life center, and a children’s zoo.
There is green grass for picnic and sunbathe, and green grass to contemplate life.
There are places for jogging, biking, birdwatching, chess playing, and tai-chiing.
There are specific areas for sledding, ice-skating, inline skating, boating, model boating, hockeying, tennis courts, volleyball courts, baseball fields, basketball courts, and a bocce court.
In short, anything you want to find, you will find it in Central Park. Is that a valid enough reason for a few visits during your next stay in NYC? Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting New York City?
Read reviews about New York City Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
In 1981, the New York City Council decided to name the 2.5-acre parcel of land at Central Park West Strawberry Fields.
The project was not officially intended as a memorial to John Lennon, but rather a symbol and hope for world peace. Nevertheless, three very prominent elements altered the original intention.
First, the entrance to this garden is located directly across the street from the Dakota. Second, Yoko Ono donated $1 million to Central Park Conservancy with specific instruction to use only for re-landscaping and maintaining this parcel of land. Third, a marble mosaic (donated by the City of Napoli) was set in the pathway of the entrance. In the middle of the mosaic is the word “Imagine”.
There are 121 nations who sent their endorsements to make Strawberry Fields the Garden of Peace. There are 121 trees on this parcel of land to represent those nations. Yet, there are 153 countries in the world. I wonder what the other 32 countries think. "Heck, we don't believe in world peace and we're not gonna waste the postage to send a seedling over to some garden in America!" That's a rather antisocial behaviour, wouldn't you say? Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Central Park, an oasis of green and a New York City landmark, was built between 1859 - 1870, and provided employment during a depression at that time. It's hard to believe that originally, this site consisted of pig farms, quarries, shacks, and swampland. The designers, Fredrick Law Omstead and Calvert Vaux seemed to have foresight about the growth of New York, as even today the heavy traffic of midtown Manhattan is largely hidden from sight by transverse roads.
Come here and walk the various pathways, and you really do escape the hustle and bustle of the city -- don't miss out on the charming building known as "The Dairy", where years ago, children could get fresh milk and refreshments. It was restored in 1979, after falling into disrepair while being used as a shed. You can get park information here, maps and even rent chess and checker sets. Leave a Comment Directions: Central Park stretches from Fifth to Eight Avenues (also known as Central Park West) and from 59th to 110th Streets.Website: http://www.centralpark.org/
|
| | |
This place is slick, shiny, glittery, glamorous, and of course, ridiculously expensive. A few of the restaurants here disclosed the price range in their menu, and the lowest dish was $300. The use of space in the building is also quite wasteful, and the display artworks are too strange for my taste. The $27,000 chair looks extremely uncomfortable, a pair of colossal statues depicting out-of-proportion people is very unattractive, and the sculpture that sits at the sitting area upstairs resembles neither animal nor human being. I guess it's a matter of acquire taste, translating to if you cannot acquire it, you don't have a taste to begin with.
Anyhow, it was an experience being in there for a few hours watching the people and knowing we didn't belong. At least all of us dressed sort-of properly that evening, a task that is sometimes not easy to master for our Californian roots. Leave a Comment Address: 10 Columbus Circle (1 Central Park), New York,Directions: Take the 1, 9, A, C, B or D to 59th St./Columbus Circle.Website: http://www.centralpark.org/
|
| | |
New York's Central Park is arguably the most famous urban park in the world. In my opinion it probably the best that I have ever visited. The huge 853 acre rectangular shaped park was opened in 1873, designed as an escape for New Yorkers. It has served that purpose ever since. The park is very crowded in certain areas because of all of the numerous jogger, rollerbladers, skateboarders and picnicers.
The park has a varied collection of attractions to keep tourists and locals busy. This includes a small but good zoo, a castle, outdoor theatre, fishing ponds and sports facilitities. I do not think there is any city in the world where a park place such an important role in its urban landscape. In my opinion you have not seen New York unless you have walked around Central Park. A word of warning, Central Park is famous for its after dark muggers so do not explore when the sun goes down unless there is a large crowd. Leave a Comment Phone: (212) 310 6600 or 360 2726Directions: Between 59th Street to 110th StreetWebsite: www.centralparknyc.org
|
| | |
Visiting New York City?
Read reviews about New York City Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
One of my favorite things to do in New York City is visit central park.. It's easy for me since I live couple of blocks away... But it's really easy to spend an entire day there whether you live here or just visiting. You can start by going to the Central Park Zoo (much smaller than Bronx zoo-but lots of fun)... then you walk up towards the carousel, have lunch at one of the dozen ponds, or under a tree (bring a bag of sandwiches –there are also places to get food there)… than up towards the great lawn… there are a ton of entertainers all over, whether it’s clowns, musicians, or dancers. There are a couple of water fountains, you have to go to the bigger one (near the boat house), and you can rent kayaks and kayak through central park (also near boat house)! Amazing scenery... (just be careful.. it gets packed during nice weather and easily can bump each other kayaks). There is a pretty turtle pond, I saw many turtles floating on leaves. At times there are concerts performed (check their website)… There are a lot of things to see and do in central park.. I go there often just to take photographs.. with every season the pics come out absolutely amazing.
For the athletes, there is a tennis center, and you can rent bikes too… so if you want a full body work out –go for a bike ride, then kayak for the arms, and play a bit of tennis.. ;)
|
| | |
Central Park is a beautiful green oasis in the centre of New York.
It was so much more beautiful than I expected. We were there in spring, there were flowers everywhere, the grass was green and sun was shining.
We walked through the middle of the park, past the fabulous old Carousel, and we were amazed by the hundreds of people who where relaxing on the lawns, soaking up the sun.
We also enjoyed a fabulous lunch and some wine at the bar by the boat house in the centre of the park (see tip under Restaurants).
Central Park is such a contrast to the rest of the city, and a perfect place to relax after a hard morning of site seeing or shopping. Leave a Comment
|
A small area of Central Park, much beloved of John and Oko is now named "Strawberry fields". The garden areas includes a mosaic with the one word "Imagine" set in it's heart. Flowers are often left here to remember this extraordinary man, and especially on the anniversary of his assassination (see other tip in 'off the beaten path').
Rather than include the lyrics to Imagine, or Strawberry field I leave the first verse and Lyrics to a sing he wrote about New York : a city he may not have been born in, but one he probably felt most at home in.
Standing on the corner
Just me and Yoko Ono
We was waiting for Jerry to land
Up come a man with a guitar in his hand
Singing, "Have a marijuana if you can"
His name was David Peel
And we found that he was real
He sang, "The Pope smokes dope every day"
Up come a policeman shoved us up the street
Singing, "Power to the people today!"
New York City...New York City...New York City
Que pasa, New York?
Que pasa, New York? Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...
Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...
Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.
Writen by: John Lennon
Across the Dakota Building, John Lennon regularly entered the park with his son Sean. After he died Yoko adopted this part of the park and called it Strawberry Fields. In Strawberry Fields you also find this mosaic with the word 'Imagine' in the middle. Today, numerous visitors come to Strawberry Fields to pay tribute to the artist, bringing flowers and candles.
The black-and-white mosaic, which includes the word “imagine”, is located near the west entrance. Not to be missed! Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Delightful retreat from the city - one of the best zoos I have visited with lots of educational programmes and fantastic animals in as natural a setting as is possible in captivity. The polar bears are great viewed through the glass in their temperature controlled environment - on the very hot day we visited I envied their icy habitat.New York New York I must return Leave a Comment
|
More New York City Tips Overview
| General Tips
Tips: 1,703 - Photos: 1,491 | Restaurants
Tips: 2,955 - Photos: 2,219 | Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 1,381 - Photos: 945 | Things To Do
Tips: 6,139 - Photos: 8,488 | Nightlife
Tips: 1,005 - Photos: 738 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,143 - Photos: 1,201 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 390 - Photos: 201 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 484 - Photos: 264 | Transportation
Tips: 1,197 - Photos: 890 | Local Customs
Tips: 525 - Photos: 433 | Packing Lists
Tips: 224 - Photos: 99 | Shopping
Tips: 749 - Photos: 561 | Sports Travel
Tips: 182 - Photos: 199 | Flights
Tips: 76 - Photos: 0 |
 |
|
- Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel New York City
569 Lexington Avenue at East 51st Street, New York City, New York State - Millennium Un Plaza Hotel
One United Nations Plaza 44th Street (Between First and Second Avenue), New York City, New York State - Signature Mini Suites Of Minetta
9 Minetta Street, New York City, New York State - Hotel 41 at Times Square
206 W 41st St, New York City, New York State - Inn New York City
266 West 71st St., New York City, New York State - The Majestic Hotel
210 West 55th Street, New York City, New York State - Seventy Park Avenue Hotel
70 Park Avenue at 38th Street, New York City, New York State - Soho Grand Hotel
310 West Broadway, New York City, New York State - Tribeca Grand Hotel (2 Avenue Of The Americas.)
2 Avenue of the Americas, New York City, New York State - Hotel Roger Williams
131 Madison Avenue At 31st Street, New York City, New York State - Shelburne Murray Hill
303 Lexington Avenue, New York City, New York State - Holiday Inn Express New York City Fifth Avenue
15 West 45th Street, New York City, New York State - Manhattan Inn Hostel
303 W 30th Street corner of 8th Avenue, New York City, New York State - The St. Regis Club at the Essex House, New York
170 Central Park South, New York City, New York State - Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel
687 Lexington Avenue Between 56th & 57th Street, New York City, New York State
|
on December 3, 2005
on October 29, 2005
on May 10, 2004
on July 13, 2007
on September 25, 2004
on May 25, 2004
on October 29, 2004
on January 30, 2008
