Our visit to NYC was a lot of fun, and we did a lot of walking, so at the end of the day, the idea of taking a carriage ride through Central Park seemed like a good choice to us. I was afraid that it would be really cold, since it was during Christmas time, but surprisingly, it was pretty comfy inside the carriage with the provided blankets. Our coachmen and guide provided a lot of information about Central Park’s attractions during the ride. According to him, horse-drawn carriages are a symbol of pre-modern life in New York City. Over time, horses remained an iconic symbol of New York City along with the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty and the street-side performers. Our guide also pointed out places in the park made famous by Hollywood films. We didn’t see the whole park. The place is huge: 843 acres filled with many interesting places to see. We just enjoyed our ride and took some pictures.
Our ride began in this cute carriage.
CentraI Park is a beautiful and large place. According to wikipedia, it is 2.5 miles (4 km) long between 59th Street (Central Park South) and 110th Street (Central Park North), and is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West. Its size and cultural position, similar to Munich’s Englischer Garten and London’s Hyde Park, has served as a model for many urban parks, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Tokyo’s Ueno Park, and Vancouver’s Stanley Park.
The historic Carousel is probably the most popular attraction with the pre-teen set. The original park carousel opened in 1871 and was powered by a blind mule and a horse which walked a treadmill in an underground pit. It almost immediately became one of the park’s most popular attractions and remains so to this day.
The Chess & Checkers House is one of five Park visitor centers run by the Central Park Conservancy. Players are welcome to borrow pieces from the Conservancy staff, or bring their own. Dominos and backgammon are also available. In 1986, the Conservancy built the rustic pergola surrounding the house to provide shade for players. This house hosts not only chess and checker games for the public, but also special events run by the Central Park Conservancy.
The Dairy is one of five visitor centers, where parkgoers can find information on Central Park events and programs. Maps, guides, history books, T-shirts and gifts are also available. The Dairy has an interesting history. Park architect and designer Calvert Vaux originally created this charming Victorian cottage as a quiet retreat for children and their caregivers. In the nineteenth century, the Dairy became a source of fresh milk and snacks. By the 1950s, the building had become dilapidated. The Parks Department tore down the decrepit loggia and turned the building into a maintenance shed. Then in 1979, the new Central Park administration cleaned up the building and turned it into the Park’s first visitor center. A year later, the Central Park Conservancy was founded and raised enough private money to restore the loggia, which was recreated from historic photographs.
Wollman Rink, a 33,000-square-foot venue built with a gift from Kate Wollman, was opened in 1950. Ice skating is a long-standing and beloved tradition here in Central Park – as old as the Park itself. Wollman Rink with its romantic backdrop puts visitors beneath the magical New York City skyline by day, and its twinkling lights by night. Wollman Rink has been featured in films such as Love Story and Serendipity. Numerous movies were shot in Central Park. Here is a short list of the places featuring the most famous ones:
- The Boathouse Cafe, used in When Harry Met Sally.
- The Bandshell, which was featured in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Kramer vs Kramer.
- Tavern on the Green, seen in Ghostbusters.
- The place to feed the pigeons, where Macaulay Culkin fed them in Home Alone II.
- Bethesda Fountain, which was used in Ransom and One Fine Day.
We witnessed a social event near the Jose Julian Martí statue.
Jose Julian Martí is a Cuban patriot, journalist and poet, fought for the liberation of Cuba from Spanish rule. The statue shows the moment when Martí was mortally wounded in battle.
The ride lasted about half an hour. It included many Central Park attractions and was relaxing and enjoyable. 🙂
