Central Park Guide: How Big It Is, What to Do and When to Go

Central Park is the city’s great green space, and most visitors underestimate it. It is far too large to see in an afternoon, so the best visit picks one part of the park and explores it properly. This guide covers how big the park is, what is worth seeing, and how to plan your time.

How big is Central Park?

Central Park covers 843 acres. It runs about 2.5 miles from north to south and half a mile from west to east, bordered by Central Park South (59th Street), Central Park North (110th Street), Fifth Avenue and Central Park West.

To put the scale in context: walking the length of the park, end to end, takes about an hour at a steady pace without stops. Pick a section rather than trying to cross it all.

What to do in Central Park

Walk the Mall to Bethesda Terrace

The classic first walk starts near the southern end and follows the Mall, the park’s long, tree-lined promenade, to Bethesda Terrace, a two-level plaza at mid-park around 72nd Street designed by Calvert Vaux. The Bethesda Fountain at its center overlooks the Lake. The Conservancy has scheduled the fountain for a year-long restoration, so it may be switched off when you visit; the Terrace stays open.

See the Conservatory Garden

The Conservatory Garden is the park’s formal garden: six acres on the East Side between 104th and 106th Streets, entered through the Vanderbilt Gate. It is quieter than the southern end and beautiful from spring through autumn. Hours vary by month, from 8 a.m. to as late as 8 p.m. in early summer and 5 p.m. in winter.

Go birdwatching or join a tour

More than 210 bird species appear in Central Park each year, according to the Conservancy, which also runs official guided tours covering the park’s history and lesser-known corners.

Run, skate or simply sit

The park’s drives are popular with runners and cyclists, and in winter the skating rinks open. Check the Conservancy’s site for current seasonal hours before you go.

When to visit

• Early morning is the calmest time, especially at the southern end, which fills up by midday.
• Autumn brings the best color; the Conservancy publishes a fall foliage tracker each season.
• Winter days are short, so plan outdoor time before late afternoon.
• Weekends are busiest; a weekday morning feels like a different park.

Is Central Park safe?

Central Park is busy and well used from morning to evening. As in any large city park, use common sense after dark: stay on well-lit, busy paths and drives, avoid isolated wooded areas at night, and keep valuables out of sight. The park closes at 1:00 a.m. For the wider picture, see is NYC safe for tourists?

• Emergencies: call 911.
• Non-emergencies: call NYC 311.
• Lost property: the NYPD Central Park Precinct, near the 86th Street Transverse Road.
• Restrooms are free across the park, except at the Central Park Zoo.

How to plan your visit

Combine the park with what surrounds it. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection sit just off the park on the Upper East Side, so a museum morning and a park afternoon make a natural day. See our three-day itinerary and hotels near Central Park.