NYC - Central Park

About 20 years ago, a friend and I took what turned out to be a private bike tour of Central Park. It was a couple of hours, and the girl leading it showed us her favorite little places, like the Bow Bridge and the Ramble. Having a bike makes it possible to see a LOT more of the park than walking.

That said, I was poking around and noticed a "hidden secrets" walking tour. I know nothing about it other than reading the website.
https://www.centralpark.com/tours/walking/hidden-secrets-of-central-park/

If Central Park is a high priority for you, then using a bike to cover more distance and sights, and adding the "hidden secrets" tour or something like it, might be a good combination.

The same year I took the bike tour, I took a tour on one of the open-top double-decker buses, and when going down 5th Avenue along the park, the guide pointed out Harlem Meer and said it was the Reservoir. Argh. Suffice to say the park was best done with someone who loves it in particular.

As for burgers, in my opinion they are too variable to name a "best" because it depends on what a person likes, but an interesting place is Burger Joint in the Parker Meridian hotel on 56th Street. The entrance is in the lobby of this fancy hotel, behind a curtain, marked with a neon hamburger. Just burgers and fries in a very small space (best to avoid lunch hour), but interesting because it's just so odd that it's there.

HadEnough wrote:

pasusan wrote:
HadEnough - this is great! The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the number one item on our itinerary. So glad to get info on the park...

Last time we were there we did check out the Dakota and popped into the park from there. Now we've got ideas on where to go and what to see. And we've got the burger joints whittled down too, lol.

Thanks a bunch!


Thanks to the other responders also - guess I could have mentioned that we have our itinerary pretty mapped out - except for the park and the burgers. :)

Glad to be of help. Have a great trip!

PS: I'm a rabid BareBurger fan. Was trying to be unbiased. Ha ha ha

Not to worry - as I looked it up it is organic - that's where we're going!

Thanks again!

pasusan wrote:
HadEnough - this is great! The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the number one item on our itinerary. So glad to get info on the park...

Last time we were there we did check out the Dakota and popped into the park from there. Now we've got ideas on where to go and what to see. And we've got the burger joints whittled down too, lol.

Thanks a bunch!


Thanks to the other responders also - guess I could have mentioned that we have our itinerary pretty mapped out - except for the park and the burgers. :)

Glad to be of help. Have a great trip!

PS: I'm a rabid BareBurger fan. Was trying to be unbiased. Ha ha ha

Thanks! I have never been to the 9/11 memorial and will never go. I got to see, hear and smell it all in real life. That was enough 9/11 for me. :/

rhagfo wrote:

HadEnough wrote:
Wow! What am I reading?? If anyone thought there was nothing to see in central park, they should have made a post like the op did above to get some help. It's one of the best and most interesting places in all of NYC.

Places to see:

I suggest starting (or ending) at Columbus Circle. Southwest corner of the park. There is a whole foods where you can pick up a nice prepared lunch for a picnic on the lawns.

Carousel*
Central Park Zoo
The Mall
Bethesda Terrace and the singers in the steps area there*
Strawberry Fields for John Lennon fans
Loeb Boathouse (and The Lake)*
The Ramble
Belvedere Castle*
The Metropolitan Museum of Art*
Conservatory Garden

*denotes a must see


If you didn't think Central Park was amazing, you had no idea where to go. It's probably the best thing in NYC.

Burgers:

Best high quality burgers and incredibe shakes are at BareBurger.

Most popular is Shake Shack.

Surprisingly good but simple is Schnipppers.

Very nice list,
Before retirement work took me to NYC many times starting in 1997. Back then I was several pounds lighter I would run the loop road inside the park (6.2 miles) the park is a lot more than the side that faces 59th it extends to south Harlem. Enjoy your visit to NYC, but also visit the 911 Memorial very moving.

HadEnough wrote:
Wow! What am I reading?? If anyone thought there was nothing to see in central park, they should have made a post like the op did above to get some help. It's one of the best and most interesting places in all of NYC.

Places to see:

I suggest starting (or ending) at Columbus Circle. Southwest corner of the park. There is a whole foods where you can pick up a nice prepared lunch for a picnic on the lawns.

Carousel*
Central Park Zoo
The Mall
Bethesda Terrace and the singers in the steps area there*
Strawberry Fields for John Lennon fans
Loeb Boathouse (and The Lake)*
The Ramble
Belvedere Castle*
The Metropolitan Museum of Art*
Conservatory Garden

*denotes a must see


If you didn't think Central Park was amazing, you had no idea where to go. It's probably the best thing in NYC.

Burgers:

Best high quality burgers and incredibe shakes are at BareBurger.

Most popular is Shake Shack.

Surprisingly good but simple is Schnipppers.

Very nice list,
Before retirement work took me to NYC many times starting in 1997. Back then I was several pounds lighter I would run the loop road inside the park (6.2 miles) the park is a lot more than the side that faces 59th it extends to south Harlem. Enjoy your visit to NYC, but also visit the 911 Memorial very moving.

HadEnough - this is great! The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the number one item on our itinerary. So glad to get info on the park...

Last time we were there we did check out the Dakota and popped into the park from there. Now we've got ideas on where to go and what to see. And we've got the burger joints whittled down too, lol.

Thanks a bunch!


Thanks to the other responders also - guess I could have mentioned that we have our itinerary pretty mapped out - except for the park and the burgers. :)

Wow! What am I reading?? If anyone thought there was nothing to see in central park, they should have made a post like the op did above to get some help. It's one of the best and most interesting places in all of NYC.

Places to see:

I suggest starting (or ending) at Columbus Circle. Southwest corner of the park. There is a whole foods where you can pick up a nice prepared lunch for a picnic on the lawns.

Carousel*
Central Park Zoo
The Mall
Bethesda Terrace and the singers in the steps area there*
Strawberry Fields for John Lennon fans
Loeb Boathouse (and The Lake)*
The Ramble
Belvedere Castle*
The Metropolitan Museum of Art*
Conservatory Garden

*denotes a must see


If you didn't think Central Park was amazing, you had no idea where to go. It's probably the best thing in NYC.

Burgers:

Best high quality burgers and incredibe shakes are at BareBurger.

Most popular is Shake Shack.

Surprisingly good but simple is Schnipppers.

We walked into Central Park. Not really much to see! Yes they have the fountain and the bridge, along with some ponds, but nothing overly exciting. I would spend more time at ground zero, liberty and Ellis islands.

We are big on bus trips. Surely there is a bus tour that takes in Central Park. Feel like renting bicycles to tour the park?

While there don't miss Ellis Island. My wife does a lot of genealogy research (family)and she loves it there.