Walking Tours
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Discover the Park's history, ecology, and design on volunteer-led walking tours sponsored by the Central Park Conservancy.
Year-round, the Conservancy offers at least ten different walking
tours that highlight several areas of Central Park.
Our free guided walking tours take place year-round, rain, or
shine, except in extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, sustained winds of 30 mph or more, snowstorms, 25 degrees or below, or 95 degrees or above). The tours, led by experienced, knowledgeable guides who are volunteers in the Central Park Conservancy Walking Tour Program, last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. No reservation is required for individuals or groups of six (6) or fewer people. Groups of seven (7) or more people should call
212-360-2726 to schedule a custom tour (see information on custom tours below). Please be at designated location at least five minutes before the start of the tour.
Please Note: Children under 16 must be accompanied by
parent(s) or guardian.
Event dates and times are subject to change without notice. |
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Amble Through the Ramble
Pass over streams, under arches, through the woods along a maze of pathways in this secluded 38-acre woodland respite.
The Castle & Its Kingdom
Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit this tiny 55-acre realm on an eclectic tour of history and nature.
Cross-Park Promenade
You will see many surprises: a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water. These are just some of the sites on this east-to-west walk through the Park.
Manhattan Adirondacks
Olmsted and Vaux designed the North Woods to replicate the forests of the Adirondack Mountains, with their crystal streams, tumbling cascades, rustic bridges, and picturesque pools right in New York City’s backyard.
A Road Once Traveled
Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs.
Seneca Village
Seneca Village was Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners, on land that would become Central Park. Learn about the history of the village, the property owners, and what New York City was like at the time.
Views From the Past
As you promenade through the heart of Central Park, imagine living in 19th-century New York City. Learn about the Park’s history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.
Waterways & Vistas
Walk from the Dairy to Belvedere Castle and learn about the intricate design of Central Park’s web of pastoral landscapes and formal romantic vistas.
West Side Stories
Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, Lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.
Special Tours
Memorial Walk
Combine a walk through Central Park with a look at how different generations of New Yorkers viewed the Park as a proper place to remember their veterans.
Let the Games Begin:
History of Sports and Recreation in the Park
Fondly recollect the early decades of baseball, recall ladies riding sidesaddle along the bridle paths, envision the thrill of ice skating and boating on the Lake, cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon, and more. Learn how tastes in recreation have changed since the mid-19th century and how the Park has been changed to mirror those tastes.
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Custom Tours
Perfect for that special occasion — a birthday or anniversary, a welcome to New York, a retirement or going-away — let us help you design your very own tour. Custom tours led by experienced guides with specialized knowledge, who are volunteers in the Central Park Conservancy Walking Tour Program, are available for individuals or groups of 6 to 25 people at a cost of $12.00 per person. A non-refundable minimum fee of $100 will be applied to the cost of the tour. This is required to guarantee the time, the date, and the tour guide. Additionally, one month's notice is required to book a custom tour. For more information about our customized tours call 212-360-2726 leave your name and number and your call will be returned as soon as possible or email mcregg@centralparknyc.org. |
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Conservatory Garden Tours
Conservatory Garden is located at
Fifth Avenue and 105th Street
Saturday Morning Tours
11:00 am; beginning April 4 through October 31, 2009
Tours highlight the history, design, and unique plantings of the 70-year-old Conservatory Garden, led by Garden Staff. (Approximately 75 mins.)
Wednesday Lunchtime Tours
12:00 pm
April 29 and May 13, 2009
Spring tours feature highlights such as 45,000 tulips, daffodils, grape hyacinths, and other bulbs, as well as flowering crabapples allées, perennials, lilacs and other shrubs.
June 17, July 15, August 19, September 9 and October 28, 2009
Summer tours feature blooming perennial and annual borders (over 250 varieties) as well as ornamental trees and shrubs.
Father's Day Tour & Concert
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tour: 2:00 pm
Join the curatorial staff for a tour of the Garden in early summer, when perennial beds are particularly lovely and annual beds are beginning to shine.
Concert: 3:30 pm
Concert location: South Garden, Burnett Fountain
Enjoy a concert featuring a brass quintet from the Mannes College of Music. |
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Self-guided Tours
If you are unable to join one of our scheduled tours, you might be interested in one of our self-guided tours described below. Each tour will take you to the most visited and the most popular sites in Central Park. Just click on the title of the tour to see more information.
South End Tour — this tour, which takes your from East 59th Street East 65th Street, includes the Dairy, Chess and Checkers House, Wollman Skating Rink, 59th Street Pond and the Hallett Nature Sanctuary.
Mid-Park Tour — this tour includes Belvedere Castle, King Jagiello statue, Turtle Pond, the Obelisk, and the Great Lawn.
It will take you from mid-Park at 79th Street to 85th Street.
North End Tour — this tour includes Conservatory Garden, the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Harlem Meer, and Fort
Clinton at northeast part of the Park between 104th Street and
110th Street.
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Calendar of Events
July 2009 Tour Schedule (PDF)
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