Central Park fun for all ages

Central Park: Fun For All Ages
Right in the middle of the world's busiest city is an oasis that provides great beauty and enjoyment for all who visit. We're speaking, of course, about New York City's Central Park. Two miles long and 843 acres in total, Central Park provides the beauty and tranquility of nature plus outdoors sports and culture. To help you plan your visit. Here is a partial listing of what you can expect to find including, special summer events.

Sports in the Park | Walking Tours | Wildlife, Nature & Other Fun Things | Restaurants In The Park

Visitors Information Centers in Central Park | Live Performances

Sports in the Park

Row Boating on The Lake
(April - Oct, 10:00an - 5:00pm $10.00 first hour and $2.50 each additional 15mins.)
This 22 acre lake, the largest body of water in the park other than the reservoir, provides a peaceful site for row boating. B= oat rentals are available at The Boathouse (mid park at 75th Street). Boats fit as many as four persons.
The Boathouse Restaurant is a great place for a lakeside lunch on a sunny day. This is a Kodak picture moment. Row Boa Rentals March through October, weather permitting: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Up to four people per boat. Gondola Rides are available during the summer from 5:00pm to 9:00pm Mon.-Fri.
2:00pm to 9:00pm Sat.-Sun. $30 per half hour

Roller Skating/Blading and Bicycling Central Park's main thoroughfares are closed off to traffic on weekends creating safe roads for roller skaters and cyclists. Note that that the law requires skaters under 14 to wear a helmet. Skates are available at Woll man skating Rink for $15.00/ hour and can be taken throughout the park. Bicycles are available at Loeb Boat House for $9-$15./hr. Bicycle Rental: $9 to $15 per hour

Horseback Riding Central Park has three bridle paths averaging 1.3miles. Where do you find a horse? Claremont Stables located at 175 West 89th Street is the oldest continuously operating stable in Manhattan. The Claremont Riding Academy, 175 W. 89th St. (212) 724-5100. A National Historical Site, Claremont is the oldest continuously operated stable in the United States. Primarily a riding school, its horses are also available for hire on the six miles of bridle paths in Central Park.

Walking Tours

Views from the Past - Free. Meet at The Dairy (Mid-Park at 65th Street)
Sunday, June 23, 12:00pm
Saturday, June 29, 3:00pm
Walk through the heart of Central Park and imagine what it would have been like in the 19th Century. Learn about the Park's history and its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

The Castle and its Kingdom - Free. Meet at Belvedere Castle (Mid-Park at 79th Street)
Saturday, June 1, 11:00am
Saturday, June 8, 3:00pm
Sunday, June 16, 12:00pm
Saturday, June 29, 1:00pm
Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit this tiny realm featuring a pond sometimes visited by a stately egret. Call 212-772-0210 for directions. Tour is approximately one hour.

Conservatory Garden - Free
Meet at the Vanderbilt Gate (5th Avenue at105th St.)
Saturdays, 11:00am to noon
Take a tour with a curator of this six-acre horticultural gem.

Amble Through the Ramble - Free
Meet at Belvedere Castle (Mid-Park at 79th Street)
Friday, June 7, 12:00pm
Saturday, June 15, 11:00am
Sunday, June 23, 2:00pm
Bring your binoculars for this walk. You'll have a chance to spot some of the over 200 species of birds that pass through this wooded area. 212-772-0210 for directions. Tour is approximately 1 hour.

Wildlife, Nature & Other Fun Things

Bird Watching Tour the "Rambles", a lovely wooded area by Belvedere Castle. Free one hour tours take place Friday, June 7 at noon, Sat., June 15th at 11am and Sun, June 23rd at 2pm. Whether on a tour or on your own, bring your binoculars. This is a great opportunity to spot many of the 200 species of birds that live and nest in this area.

Conservancy Gardens (East Side from 104th-106th Streets; enter at Fifth Avenue & 105th Street)
Enter the Garden from Fifth Avenue at 105th Street. You will pass through the Vanderbilt Gate, which originally stood before the Vanderbilt Mansion at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, now the site of Bergdorf Goodman department store. The six-acre Garden is made up of three smaller gardens. Flowers, shrubs, and trees are in bloom from early spring through late October.

The Zoo (Fifth Avenue at 65th Street)
America's oldest public zoo was recently remodeled to create more humane habitats. A favorite spot among visitors is the Sea lion pool (feeding time (11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. Adults $3.50; Seniors $1.25; Children 3-12 $0.50).

The Carousel (mid park at 64th Street)
Built originally for Coney Island Amusement Par and later transferred to Central Park, this carousel dates back to 1874. Each of the 58 figures including; horses, lions & elephants is hand carved and painted with exquisite detail.

The Dairy This Victorian building, which once operated as an actual dairy, is home to an exhibit about the history and design of Central Park, a Central Park reference library, information desk, and a shop. Built in 1870, the dairy now serves as the main visitor's center providing helpful information on Central Park.

Cleopatra's Needle (80th St. near Fifth Avenue behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art)
This ancient Egyptian obelisk dating from 1600BC was a gift to the people of New York from Egypt.

Puppet Shows (West 79th Street)
Tues-Fri, 10:30am & noon plus Sat at 1pm at the Marionette Theatre housed in the Swedish Cottage presents "The Peter Pan Game," a new production (July 8 through August 16,). Reservations are required. Suggested donation: $6 per adult, $5 per child. For additional information, call 212-988-9093.

The Toy Boat Pond (79th Street near Fifth Avenue)
Watch toy boat enthusiasts with their remote control miniature crafts. Stop for ice cream cones at the ice cream cafe and enjoy the majestic backdrop formed by Fifth Avenue's tall buildings. Bring your binoculars, you'll want to take a look at the red tailed hawks that nest on a 5th Avenue window sill just across the street. The patriarch of this hawk family has been nesting in this same spot for years and has been the subject of documentary films on animals in the city.

Puppet Shows (West 79th Street)
Tues-Fri, 10:30am & noon plus Sat at 1pm at the Marionette Theatre housed in the Swedish Cottage presents "The Peter Pan Game," a new production from July 8 through August 16, 2002. Reservations are required. Suggested donation: $6 per adult, $5 per child. For additional information, call 212-988-9093.

Belvedere Castle (mid park at 79th street) Open Tues-Sun, 10-5 year round
Perched majestically above turtle pond, this playful castle was part of the original layout of the park created by the architectural team of Olmsted and Vaux. Home to The Henry Luce Nature Observatory, it features educational and environmental exhibits - among them, a permanent hands-on exhibit that focuses on the various plants and animals found in the park. Temperature readings used for TV and radio broadcasts are taken here by meteorological equipment located here since 1919.

Dancing on the Plaza The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, at 110th Street and Fifth Avenue
The first four Thursday evenings in August (7:00pm to 8:30pm) the Plaza of the Dana Discovery Center will be turned into an outdoor ballroom. Each week a professional dance instructor will teach the latest and greatest dance steps in swing, salsa, ballroom and classic disco from 6:00-6:45pm. From 7:00 - 8:30pm participants can practice these new skills while dancing to live music.
August 1 - Swing Night
August 8 - Salsa Night
August 15 - Latin Ballroom Night
August 22 - Disco Night

Visitors Information Centers in Central Park
Belvedere Castle, Mid-Park at 79th Street (212) 772-0210
The Dairy, Mid-Park at 65th Street (212) 794-6564
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (212) 860-1370

Belvedere Castle, The Dairy, and the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center are open Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm from April through October, and 10:00am to 4:00pm during November through March.

Restaurants In The Park

Tavern on The Green (Central Park West at 67th Street) Reservations: 212-873-3200
This attractive building was once home to Central Park's flock of sheep and its shepherd. Twice a day, until 1934, the shepherd stopped traffic on the west drive so that the flock could travel to and from their meadow, Sheep Meadow. The building was converted into a restaurant in the 1930s. The glass enclosed Crystal Room with its colorful decor provides a cheerful environment with a lovely park view. The outdoor patio with its collection of topiary is a great choice for early evening cocktails.

* Lunch: Weekdays noon to 3 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m.
* Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:30 pm � 10:30 pm, Friday and Saturdays 5pm-11:45 pm;
* Saturday and Sunday brunch: 10 am
* Pre-theater dinner: Monday-Friday, 5-6:30p.m.
* Gift Shop
* Valet Parking

Loeb Boathouse ( East side at 75th Street) Reservations: 212-517-2233
Here visitors can purchase refreshments, take boat rides, and watch other boats. The current Loeb Boathouse built in the 1950s, replaced the 19th century, wooden Victorian structure that burned down. The boathouse is a great place to relax, people watch, enjoy the scenery and grab a bite to eat. This is also the location for boat & bicycle rentals.

Winter: Brunch � Saturday and Sunday: 11:00am to 3:00pm, Buffet
Dinner � Wednesday through Friday: 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Kerbs Ice Cream Caf� (at Conservatory Water- East 74th Street near 5th Avenue) Sports in the Park

Live Performances

Jazz, Blues, Latin and Gospel Music- Free
Charles Dana Discovery Center (110th Street at Fifth Avenue) Sundays, May 26th - Sept. 1, 1PM - 4PM
June 16 - Los Soneros De Orienet
June 30 - Coco Suksli's Band
July 7 - Georgie Bonds & The Blueskeep
July 14 - Viento De Agua
July 21 - Harold Ousley and a Circle of Friends
July 28 - Emeline Michel
August 4 - Lou Donaldson Quartet
August 11 - Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers
August 18 - The Beghardt/ Casenave Quartet
August 25 - Stringbeans
September 1 - Voices of Inspiration

Philharmonic in The Park -Free.
All performances are at 8PM on the Great Lawn (mid park between 79th & 86th)
AOL/Time Warner presents the New York Philharmonic as part of its Concerts in the Parks Series.
Seating is on the lawn. Bring a blanket to sit on ... a pack a picnic if you like.
Wednesday, July 24
Dvor�k: Carnival Overture
Bruch: Scottish Fantasy
Liszt: Les Pr�ludes
Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
Sibelius: Finlandia
Bramwell Tovey, Conductor
Leonidas Kavakos (Debut), Violin
Thursday, August 1
Rossini: William Tell Overture
Saint-Sa�ns: Cello Concerto No.1
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances
Asher Fisch (Debut), Conductor
Alisa Weilerstein (Debut), Cello

The Metropolitan Opera In The Park -Free.
The Great Lawn (mid park between 79th & 86st)

Tuesday, June 11th at 8PM La Bohemme.
Monday, June 17th at 8PM The Barber of Saville

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts,
Naumburg Bandshell and Mall Concert Ground (Mid-Park from 66th to 72nd Streets)
All performances are at 7:30pm -Free

June 18 - Lucy Moses Chamber Orchestra Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 cellos in G minor; flute concerto in D major; L'Estro Armonico Telemann: Viola concerto in G major Vieuxtemps: Souvenir d'Amerique

June 25 - Empire Brass Selection ranging from Bach and Handel to jazz and show tunes

July 16 - Naumburg Orchestra Beethoven: Seventh Symphony Brahms: Violin concerto in D major

July 23 - Flamenco Mystico Dancer Sandra Rivera; Arturo Martinez and Carlos Revollar on guitar; Alfonso Cid on cantaor and flute

August 6 - Naumburg Orchestra Elgar: Serenade for strings in E minor Haydn: Cello concerto in D major Stravinsky; Pulcinella

The Delacorte Theater
(mid park at 79th street next to Belvedere Castle)
This open-air theater is home to Shakespeare in The Park one of New York City's most enjoyable traditions. Every year, one or two plays are performed free to the public. This summer, from June 25 through Aug 11 (Tues-Sun, at 8 PM) visitors will enjoy performances of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Tickets, which are free, can be obtained on the day of performance at either the Delacorte theater or the Public Theatre ( 425 Lafayette St. at Astor Pl.). Free tickets are distributed at 1PM however, the line begins to form at 7AM. The line is long but this, in and of itself, is a NYC experience. If you're venturing the line at the Delacorte, bring a blanket and picnic basket, and meet fellow park lovers.