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Central Park is a great place for families to explore and have fun. Everything you need to know about visiting the Park with your family is in our Family Guide: kid-friendly activities and games, details about our 21 unique playgrounds, delicious food options, information on our exciting public programming, and a handy list of all restroom locations. We hope you enjoy your time in ! The Conservancy’s mission is to restore, manage, and enhance Central Park in partnership with the public. We raise 75% of the Park’s annual budget from private IN THIS GUIDE resources and are responsible for all of the essential 2 Activities for Kids work that keeps Central Park beautiful. 5 Playground Listing 7 Food Options 8 P ublic Programs and Events 12 Central Park Map 2 ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

CENTRAL PARK NORTH (110TH ST) From seasonal activities like swimming in the summer to 1 | 2 year-round activities like taking a ride on the Carousel — there’s always something for families to do in Meer Central Park. No matter the time of year, you can 3 W 106 E 106 find something fun and family-friendly within the Park’s 843 acres.

1. GO CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING Fishing poles and bait are available at the The Pool Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, just north

W 100 of the , where largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill sunfish, carp, 4 and chain pickerel call home. Groups of 5 or W 97 E 97 more require reservations. Visit centralparknyc.org/fishing for more details. LOCATION: Inside the Park at between N Fifth and Lenox Avenues E W S 2. BROWSE OUR ‘LANDFORMS’ EXHIBIT Learn how natural features in Central Park’s north end played

Reservoir

CENTRAL PARK WEST PARK CENTRAL an important role in shaping our city’s — and our nation’s — history. At “Landforms,” our latest exhibit at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, you’ll discover more about the Park’s

W 86 military history and geological foundations. Open daily.

E 85 Visit centralparknyc.org/landforms for more details. LOCATION: Inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues

3. TAKE A DIP W 81 Turtle Operated by NYC Parks, Lasker Pool is open daily during the summer Pond 5 E 79 from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm (this year’s season runs from June 7 to September 29). Free swimming classes are available. To secure your belongings, please bring a combination lock. Visit nycgovparks.org for more details. LOCATION: Mid-Park between 106th and 108th Streets 6 7 Conservatory The Water 4. BORROW A FIELD DAY KIT Lake 8 Visitors can borrow a kit with balls, bats, Frisbees, and jump ropes at the North Meadow

W 72 E 72 Recreation Center. These field day kits are available for rent with photo ID. The Recreation Center also features basketball and handball courts, as well as baseball, softball, and soccer fields. LOCATION: Mid-Park at 97th Street

5. SEE A PUPPET SHOW

W 66 E 66 Under the direction of the City Parks Foundation, the Swedish Cottage is home to one of the last public marionette companies in the U.S. This summer, see Neverland: Peter Returns, the 9 11 10 Swedish Cottage’s spin on a beloved children’s classic. Visit cityparksfoundation.org for 12 13 more information and to purchase tickets. LOCATION: West Side at

The Pond

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CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 3 ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS continued

Carousel 6. RIDE A BOAT 9. RIDE THE CAROUSEL Boating on the Lake, Central Park’s second largest water body, Central Park’s famed Carousel features calliope music and 57 is a great way to spend a lazy summer afternoon in the Park. horses. A city official discovered the current vintage carousel Row boats and gondolas can be rented at the Loeb Boathouse abandoned in an old trolley terminal on Coney Island. It is the daily from April through October, weather permitting. Visit fourth carousel to stand in the Park since it opened in 1871 and thecentralparkboathouse.com for more details. remains one of the largest carousels in the U.S. The Carousel LOCATION: East Side of the Park between 74th and 75th Streets operates on a limited schedule in the winter and daily during the summer, weather permitting. Call 212.439.6900 for hours, 7. RENT A MODEL SAILBOAT admission fees, and more information. , the site of the children’s classic Stuart Little, LOCATION: Mid-Park at 65th Street offers model sailboat rentals from April through October. These remote-controlled, wind-driven sailboats provide a fun, interactive 10. LISTEN TO TUNES AT THE DELACORTE CLOCK activity. Visit sailthepark.com for more details. This popular clock near the Zoo rings seasonal chimes and nursery LOCATION: East Side from 72nd to 75th Street rhymes every half hour. The clock sits atop a three-tiered tower and features a band of animals including monkeys, a penguin, a 8. GATHER ROUND FOR STORYTIME hippo, and a kangaroo. The animals circle the tower to 44 tunes that Every summer since 1956, children have spent their Saturdays change seasonally. listening to fairytales around the Hans Christian Andersen statue. LOCATION: Near the at 65th Street and Fifth Avenue Once storytelling is over, stick around to play on the statue, which is one of the most popular climbing sculptures in the Park. Visit hcastorycenter.org for more details. LOCATION: 74th Street near Fifth Avenue west of Conservatory Water

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 4 ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS continued

Central Park Zoo 11. PLAY BOARD GAMES VISIT OUR FAMED STATUES Chess & Checkers House, one of the Park’s five visitor centers, There are many popular sculptures throughout the Park for features outdoor chess and checkers tables. Visitors are welcome kids. Philanthropist George Delacorte commissioned the Alice in to borrow game pieces from Conservancy staff, or bring their own. Wonderland statue (East Side at 75th Street) for the children of A variety of other games, including Scrabble and Jenga, are City in 1959. It’s a popular climbing spot and contains also available. varied textures and hiding spaces. A (East Drive at LOCATION: Mid-Park at 64th Street 67th Street), the famed sled dog who battled tundra conditions in Alaska to help save the state’s children from a deadly diphtheria 12. GET UP CLOSE WITH ANIMALS epidemic, is another kid favorite. Managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Central Park Zoo showcases animals from tropical, temperate, and polar zones EXPLORE ON YOUR OWN around the world. At the Tisch Children’s Zoo, children can get With our Discovery Kits and Discovery Journals — best for ages up close with potbellied pigs, sheep, goats, and the only cow in 6 through 10 — it’s easy to craft your own in-Park adventure! . Visit centralparkzoo.com for more information. Discovery Journals include activities to help kids investigate the LOCATION: East Side between 63rd and 66th Streets plants, wildlife, and people in the Park. Discovery Kit backpacks are filled with kid-friendly binoculars, field guides, a hand lens, colored 13. VISIT AN AMUSEMENT PARK pencils, and sketch paper. Journals and Kits are available at any is a family amusement park with one-of-a-kind visitor center. handcrafted rides designed to complement the historic architecture of Central Park. Located at (which serves as an Discovery Programs are generously supported by The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation. ice skating rink in the winter), Victorian Gardens features rides, performances, and games. Visit victoriangardensnyc.com for more information. LOCATION: East Side between 62nd and 63rd Streets

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 5 PLAYGROUNDS

West Side CENTRAL PARK NORTH (110TH ST) Central Park is home to 21 playgrounds, each with their own unique design and character. They are open year-round, weather permitting. 1 13 1. WEST 110TH STREET PLAYGROUND 7. PINETUM PLAYGROUND 14 Set in a small valley surrounded by large This playground is located within the Arthur W 106 E 106 trees and rock outcrops, this playground Ross Pinetum, a small that is includes a sandbox, slide, spinners, home to the largest collection of pine trees swings, and a water feature. in the Park. AGE GROUPS: Toddler, pre-school, AGE GROUPS: P re-school, school-age, 2 15 and school-age teens, and adults W 100 2. TARR FAMILY PLAYGROUND 8. TOLL FAMILY PLAYGROUND The Tarr Family Playground is recognized This playground features playhouses, 3 W 97 E 97 for its large, conical climber with a tunnel climbers, swings, tunnels, and slides as 16 and slides. Its water feature has jets that well as plenty of open space for free play. shoot up from the ground. AGE GROUPS: Toddler and pre-school 4 N AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age E 9. DIANA ROSS PLAYGROUND W 5 S 3. RUDIN FAMILY PLAYGROUND Situated at the base of Summit Rock, the

Known for a large, wisteria-covered trellis, highest elevation in the Park, this space FIFTH AVENUE the Rudin Family Playground has game features a large, wooden play structure set WEST PARK CENTRAL tables for playing chess and checkers in a large area of sand. or picnicking. AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age 6 AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age W 86 10. TARR-COYNE TOTS PLAYGROUND 7 17 E 85 4. TARR-COYNE WILD WEST Designed for the Park’s youngest visitors, 8 PLAYGROUND this playground features a new sprinkler, This western-themed playground features sand tables, easy-to-climb land forms, 9 wooden play structures resembling a and more. W 81 18 frontier town. AGE GROUPS: Toddler AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age E 79 11. ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND 19 5. SAFARI PLAYGROUND This playground lives up to its name with This playground features hippopotamus tunnels, maze-like structures, a fortress, sculptures set in a “river” of blue safety and water feature. surfacing. A canoe, water-spray feature, AGE GROUPS: School-age and two tree houses further animate this 12. safari-inspired scene. The playground will W 72 20 E 72 Heckscher Playground is the oldest and be renovated in 2018. largest playground in the Park. At 1.8 acres, AGE GROUPS: Pre-school it contains a variety of play structures, 10 6. ABRAHAM AND JOSEPH including swings, slides, and a large maze- 21 SPECTOR PLAYGROUND like climber and water feature. 11 One of the largest playgrounds in the Park, AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age W 66 E 66 this play space features an expansive sand area and open space for running 12 and playing. AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age

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CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 6 PLAYGROUNDS

CENTRAL PARK NORTH (110TH ST) East Side 13. EAST 110TH STREET PLAYGROUND 18. RUTH AND ARTHUR SMADBECK — 1 13 This playground’s innovative design HECKSCHER EAST PLAYGROUND 14 includes four circular play spaces: a water More commonly referred to as Three W 106 E 106 area, wooden play structure, tire swings, Bears, this playground is known for its and big-kid swings. All play areas are large, bronze sculpture entitled Group connected by a wooden walkway. of Bears. AGE GROUPS: School-age AGE GROUPS: Toddler and pre-school

14. BERNARD FAMILY PLAYGROUND 19. J AMES MICHAEL LEVIN 2 15 W 100 Set against the backdrop of the Harlem Meer, PLAYGROUND the Bernard Family Playground features In the middle of this playground sits a water 3 swings, a sandbox, and play structure spray fountain featuring characters from W 97 E 97 16 complete with slides and climbing poles. the childhood classic, Alice in Wonderland. AGE GROUPS: Toddler and pre-school AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age 4 N 15. ROBERT BENDHEIM PLAYGROUND 20. EAST 72ND STREET PLAYGROUND E W A favorite component of this play space is a This playground has a huge climbing pyramid, 5 S corkscrew-shaped water feature that allows several tire swings, and a fortress-like

FIFTH AVENUE children to run through mists of spray. water spray feature making it a perfect

CENTRAL PARK WEST PARK CENTRAL AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age place to play on hot, summer days. AGE GROUP: School-age 16. EAST PLAYGROUND One of Central Park’s largest playgrounds, 21. BILLY JOHNSON PLAYGROUND W 86 6 7 17 this space includes two play structures This playground’s design was inspired E 85 8 with slides, a tree house, tire and bucket by Central Park’s landscapes, which is swings, and more. This playground will be why you’ll see natural materials, wooden renovated in 2018. structures, and lots of foliage. 9 W 81 AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age 18 Note: Billy Johnson Playground is closed for 17. ANCIENT PLAYGROUND E 79 renovation until Fall 2018. Just north of the Metropolitan Museum 19 of Art, Ancient Playground’s climbing pyramids, obelisk, and sundial were inspired by the museum’s collection of Egyptian Art. AGE GROUPS: Pre-school and school-age

20 E 72 W 72 East 110th Street Playground

10 21 11 W 66 E 66

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CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 7 GRAB A BITE

Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a full meal, there are plenty of places to pick up food in the Park.

Ballfields Cafe HARLEM MEER SNACK BAR Maoz Vegetarian operates out of this snack bar on the east side, This restaurant was originally built in 1870 as a sheepfold for the offering healthy salads and falafel sandwiches. sheep who grazed on nearby . It was converted into LOCATION: East Side at 106th Street a restaurant in 1934, and offers lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. LOCATION: West Side between 66th and 67th Streets LOEB BOATHOUSE Grab a quick bite at the Boathouse Express Cafe or enjoy a more BALLFIELDS CAFE formal meal at the Lakeside Restaurant, which offers breakfast, On the northern edge of Heckscher Ballfields, this small cafe offers lunch, dinner, as well as a full bar and weekend brunch. salads, sandwiches, burgers, and snacks. LOCATION: East Side between 74th and 75th Streets LOCATION: Mid-Park, north of Heckscher Ballfields at 65th Street

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN AT KERBS BOATHOUSE DANCING CRANE CAFE AT THE CENTRAL PARK ZOO On the east side of the Pond near 73rd Street, Le Pain Quotidien Just south of the Zoo, this cafe features a variety of full meals, serves breakfast, sandwiches, and drinks. snacks, and beverages. LOCATION: East Side at 74th Street LOCATION: Inside the Central Park Zoo at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN AT MINERAL SPRINGS Just north of Sheep Meadow, Le Pain Quotidien offers sandwiches, handmade breads, healthy salads, bakery fare, and beverages. Hours vary. Concession carts selling snacks and beverages are LOCATION: Mid-Park at 69th Street also located throughout the Park.

HAVE A QUESTION? We are happy to help! Stop by one of our many volunteer kiosks in the Park, or visit one of our five visitor centers. Charles A. Dana Discovery Center Dairy Visitor Center & Gift Shop Inside Central Park at 110th Street Mid-Park between 64th and 65th Streets between Fifth and Lenox Avenues

Chess & Checkers House Mid-Park at 64th Street Mid-Park at 79th Street Information Kiosk Note: Belvedere Castle is closed for West at Central Park West restoration and will reopen in 2019.

Please note: Visitor centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 8 PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Discovery Walks for Families FREE Discovery Club Bring your family for a guided walk and discover why Central Park is a sanctuary for plants, Participate in our free family programs to animals, and humans alike. Learn about the architecture, landscapes, and ecosystems of the learn about nature and the history of Central Park through hands-on exploration using Discovery Kits — rugged backpacks filled with kid- Park – and collect exploration tools along the friendly binoculars, field guides, and hand lenses. Visit centralparknyc.org/discoverywalks way! Join the club by getting an activity card. for updated programs and schedules. Earn a punch on your card each time you: • Borrow a Discovery Kit TOWERING TREES | Free • Go on a free Discovery Walk for Families Take a hike and learn how to tell a maple from an oak! Discover how trees — from seeds to • Complete a Discovery Journal leaves — contribute to the health of an urban woodland community. • Participate in our Keeping it Green for THE NORTH WOODS THE RAMBLE Families program Saturdays, July 7, 21 & August 4, 18 Saturdays, July 14, 28 & August 11, 25 • Volunteer in the Park with your family 10:00 am – 11:30 am, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm 10:00 am – 11:30 am, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm through Pitch In, Pick Up Meet at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Meet in front of the entrance to the Loeb • Take your family out for catch-and- Center (110th Street between Lenox and Boathouse Express Cafe (East Drive and release fishing Fifth Avenues) 75th Street) Collect 5 punches to receive a free Discovery Along with the beautiful arches and In the words of Central Park co-designer Notebook. Collect 10 punches to receive a free peaceful waterfalls, the North Woods , the Ramble is a 36- Discovery Club bandana. Kids can wear it with provides a taste of the Adirondack acre “wild garden.” Explore the landscape pride as an official steward of Central Park! Mountains in the middle of . at the heart of the Park’s historic design. Visit centralparknyc.org/discoveryclub for GARDENS | Free more information. Saturday, June 30 | 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Meet at the Vanderbilt Gate at (Fifth Avenue and 105th Street)

Explore the various plants and landscapes in Central Park’s only formal garden. Learn about Conservatory Garden’s history and design from the people who know it best.

Discovery Programs are generously supported by The Dr. Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation.

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 9 PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS continued

ROOTS CHESS LECTURE AND SIMUL SERIES FREE ROOTS (Restoration of the Outdoors Organized by Teen Students) Saturdays, July 21 & August 18 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Saturdays, October – November | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Chess & Checkers House (Mid-Park at 64th Street) Application Deadline: August 31

Learn techniques from some of the best names in chess, and The ROOTS program gives high school students the opportunity to then put your new skills to the test against a grandmaster while complete a semester-long ecological restoration and management they challenge 30 participants – simultaneously! Ages 6 and project in the woodlands, and then use those skills to contribute up, prior experience required. Registration begins at 10:00 am. to a restoration project outside of Central Park. Projects include Attendees must be present for the entire program to play. maintaining rustic trails, removing invasive plants, and cultivating Visit centralparknyc.org/chesslecture for more details. new plantings.

YOUTH BASKETBALL CLINIC FREE Participants build their network of environmentally minded teens Saturdays, April 7 – October 27 while contributing to larger urban stewardship efforts. Acceptance Ages 5 — 8: 10:30 am – 11:30 am is through a competitive application process. Grades 9 to 12. Ages 9 — 17: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Visit centralparknyc.org/roots to apply. North Meadow Recreation Center (Mid Park at 97th Street)

Learn and enhance athletic skills through small group instruction and competitive games in these high-energy, interactive clinics! Open to players of all abilities. Visit centralparknyc.org/basketballclinic to register.

Recreation programs are supported by the Metzger-Price Fund, Inc.

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 10 PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EVENTS continued

Central Park Conservancy Film Festival Save the Date Mark your calendars for these upcoming family-friendly programs.

HARLEM MEER PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL FREE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FILM FESTIVAL FREE Sundays, June 17 – September 2 The Central Park Conservancy Film Festival is a beloved summer 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm tradition that showcases great films in a great urban park. Bring a Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (Inside the Park at 110th Street picnic blanket and enjoy the magic of the movies under the stars. between Fifth and Lenox Avenues) Visit centralparknyc.org/filmfest for more details closer to the event. This annual festival, in its 25th year, brings the best local talent to Central Park! Enjoy a variety of performances featuring Tuesday, August 14 multicultural music and dance, family-friendly entertainment, and Hair (1979) more while admiring the lakeside views. All ages are welcome. Visit Wednesday, August 15 centralparknyc.org/hmpf for details. Crooklyn (1994)

Sponsored by Thursday, August 16 Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) GREAT JAZZ ON THE GREAT HILL FREE Friday, August 17 Saturday, August 4 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) Great Hill (Enter at West 106th Street) Gates open at 6:30 pm Bring a blanket, picnic food, and dancing shoes for the 11th Movies start at dusk rendition of this fun event! Co-presented with Jazzmobile, Great Landscape between Sheep Meadow and 72nd Street Cross Drive Jazz on the Great Hill features live music and swing dancing in a beautiful setting. Visit centralparknyc.org/greatjazz for more Presented by In partnership with details closer to the event.

With additional support from

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My Dog Loves Central Park Fair Save the Date Mark your calendars for these upcoming family-friendly programs.

MY DOG LOVES CENTRAL PARK FAIR FREE CENTRAL PARK HOLIDAY LIGHTING FREE Saturday, October 20 | 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Thursday, November 29 | 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Naumburg Bandshell (Mid-Park at 72nd Street) Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (Inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues) Come, sit, stay, and celebrate Central Park and its dog community! Tails will be wagging as you and your canine enjoy an afternoon of Celebrate the season at our Holiday Lighting in Central Park. Meet contests, training tips, games, and more. Open to all ages. The Fair Santa and friends, watch a live ice carving demonstration, sing is an on-leash event. Visit centralparknyc.org/dogfair for more carols on the Plaza, and warm up with hot cocoa and cookies. The details closer to the event. event concludes with lighting a flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer. Check centralparknyc.org/holidaylighting for more details closer HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN FLOTILLA FREE to the event. Sunday, October 28 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Harlem Meer (East Side from 106th to 110th Street)

Bring the whole family and celebrate Halloween in Central Park! At the Conservancy’s signature Pumpkin Flotilla, you’ll have the chance to send your homemade jack-o’-lanterns bobbing into the open waters of the Harlem Meer at twilight. Visit centralparknyc.org/halloween for more details.

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018 12 CENTRAL PARK MAP

Hours Points of Interest Central Park opens at 6:00 am and closes at 1:00 am, 365 days a year. W ESTW W 103 The Ravine / The Loch

W 101 The Pool

Visitor Centers and Facilities W 79 Shakespeare Garden Start your trip at a visitor center. Look for this icon on the map. W 74 Bow Bridge

Charles A. Dana Discovery Center W 72 S trawberry Fields / 110th Street between Fifth & Imagine Mosaic Lenox Avenues W 72 Cherry Hill Dairy Visitor Center & Gift Shop E Mid-Park at 65th Street EAST

Chess & Checkers House E 107 Harlem Meer Mid-Park at 64th Street E 105 Conservatory Garden Columbus Circle Information Kiosk Open year-round, 8:00 am to dusk. Central Park West at 59th Street Tours offered Saturdays, 11:00 am, April through October

Belvedere Castle E 90 Reservoir Mid-Park at 79th Street From 86th to 96th Street Note: Belvedere Castle is closed for restoration and will reopen in 2019. E 81 Obelisk (Cleopatra’s Needle) E 75 Alice in Wonderland

E 74 Conservatory Water Connect with us E 72 B ethesda Terrace / @centralparknyc Bethesda Fountain centralparknyc.org E 68 The Mall (Literary Walk) From 66th to 72nd Street

E 67 Balto

E 62 Gapstow Bridge

Map Key

Visitor Center Park Drive (shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles) Playground Transverse Road Information Kiosk (vehicles only) Food / Closed in Winter Pedestrian Path Restrooms / Closed in Winter (pedestrians only) Wheelchair Accessible Bridle Path (no bicyclists) Emergency Call Box or Dial 911

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY FAMILY GUIDE 2018