North Meadow
The North Meadow is the largest of Central Park’s open meadows.
It hosts 12 fields for baseball, softball, and soccer in the spring and summer, and soccer and touch football in the fall. It’s one of three areas in Central Park with sports fields—the others being the Great Lawn and Heckscher Ballfields. All games require a permit from NYC Parks. The meadow also includes ample space for relaxing, picnicking, and strolling.
The North Meadow was originally envisioned as an open area for games such as baseball or cricket, known in the 19th century as a playground. Only one such playground was built in the Park, and instead this area was designed as an open meadow, a pastoral landscape intended to evoke the countryside and to provide a respite from the confined conditions of urban life. During the early 20th century, the growth in popularity of organized sports led to the meadow being used for baseball and soccer. In the 1930s, this use was made official with the addition of diamonds and backstops. In the 1990s, the Central Park Conservancy restored the landscape to balance its use for sports while accommodating other activities and return some of its original scenic beauty.
Things you can do here
Self-Guided Tours
Admiring the Open Landscapes
Find serenity in the north end of the Park as you pass by wide, bucolic meadows.
Tags: History / Art & Architecture
Guides
Meet the Trees of Central Park
Your support can help keep the Park’s trees healthy.
Tags: Kids and Families / Wildlife / Plants and Trees
Activities
Kite Flying
Tags: Kids and Families
Guides
Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Central Park
Whether you’re just stopping by for a visit, heading to a concert, or consider Central Park your backyard, we have you covered for your perfect weekend in the Park.
Tags: Kids and Families / Health & Fitness / Art & Architecture / Wildlife
Activities
Baseball & Softball
Tags: For Groups / Kids and Families / Health & Fitness
Activities
Soccer
Tags: Kids and Families / Health & Fitness
Guides
Guide to Fall Foliage in Central Park
Tags: Plants and Trees
Activities
Football
Tags: For Groups / Health & Fitness
Also in the area
Read more
Park History
Concerts of Note: Central Park’s Musical Highlights
Central Park has a storied history as a concert venue, welcoming musicians of all genres to its iconic lawns. Large or small, under clear or cloudy skies, music-making has been an essential part of the Park from the beginning.
Tags: History / Art Lovers
Plants and Trees
What Are Central Park’s Most Colorful Fall Trees?
In appreciation of this photogenic time of year, we asked a Conservancy arborist what trees you should look for this autumn and where to find them.
Tags: Fall / Trees
Park History
From the Archives: Fall Foliage in Central Park Over the Years
The colorful spectacle of fall foliage in Central Park never loses its appeal. We turned to our archives to see how the Park has evolved from one fall to the next.
Tags: Fall / Highlights / Staff Picks / Nature Lovers / Plants and Trees / Landscapes
Park Information
10 New Year’s Resolutions for a Central Park-Lover
Here are 10 ways to combine a desire for a new you in the new year with the joy of spending time in Central Park.
About the Conservancy
People of the Park: Martha & Serena
Central Park is integral to many people’s lives, and we're talking to some of them to get to know the people behind the people’s Park. Meet Martha and Serena, whose relationship is deeply entwined with this vibrant greenspace.
Tags: Conservancy Staff / Tips for Visiting / About the Conservancy / Nature Lovers / Park Experts / First-Time Visitors
Park Information
Sculpted Nature: Landscape Architecture in Central Park
Tags: Park Design