5 Must-See Places In Central Park

Over the years I have explored each corner of the park and everywhere in between. During this time, I have “discovered” areas that I’m more fond of than others. For example, I am not crazy about the lower areas of Central Park as they tend to be more touristy and dirty (thanks to said tourists amongst other people who don’t care about the park). However, I’ve found some really amazing areas that I have repeatedly visited, primarily in the central and upper areas of the park. Keep reading for more. 

North Woods Waterfalls

This is hands down my favorite area in Central Park. Like I mentioned above, I’m not a fan of the lower areas in the park so I tend to gravitate north. Last summer I spent a ton of time exploring the upper areas of the park and ended up exploring the North Woods on multiple occasions. Primarily alone too! Remember what I said in my last post about spending time alone? Yeah, this is where that comes in.

The North Woods make you feel like you’re hiking upstate rather than being dead center of a busy city. There are so many beautiful features of the North Woods, including beautiful flowers, green trails, bridges, and my favorite thing EVER, the waterfalls.

One of my favorite things to do in the North Woods is to bring a book to one of the many waterfalls. This is how I relax and recenter myself in nature like the zen bitch I am.

More info on the North Woods here.

Side note. Ladies, please be safe here! I’ve never had an issue or felt unsafe but it can feel pretty isolated and sometimes there’s not a ton of people around. As we all know from living in NYC, there is comfort in numbers so make sure you bring a weapon of some sort and be super aware of your surroundings if you’re alone.

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The Turtle Pond

The Turtle Pond was an accidental discovery of mine a few years ago. This place is definitely not a secret by any means, but I had no idea it existed until I was walking around the area one day. I stumbled upon it without knowing what it is and was so surprised to see SO. MANY. TURTLES.

I’m not lying when I tell you that turtles are the main attraction of Central Park. They are everywhere. Even in the waterfalls in the North Woods that I mentioned above! But at the turtle pond, they all congregate in one area and there are dozens of them. And they’re so cute!

This is definitely more of a touristy area as it’s right near the Great Lawn but it’s definitely worth it. So if you’re easily impressed like me, then it is truly a sight to see and I highly recommend you check it out.

More info on the Turtle Pond here. 

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Conservatory Garden

Another great place to park your butt and read a good book, the Conservatory Garden! This gem is only open during certain hours throughout the year which is how it’s able to remain in gorgeous, pristine condition (with the help of the groundskeeper peeps, of course). What’s even cooler is that the gate leading into the park is the original Vanderbilt gate which once stood at the Vanderbilt mansion on fifth ave. How freaking cool is that! 

The Conservatory Garden has a bunch of sections that you can walk around to admire the flowers, statues, water fountains, and all-around beautiful outdoor space. This is where it actually feels like you’re not in NYC because it’s so peaceful and calm.

If you need a little bit of time to escape the city but don’t know how to do it, I highly recommend visiting the Conservatory Garden. Not only is it so serene, but it’s located conveniently on the upper east side of Central Park. Enjoy the butterflies and the bees living their best lives there.

More info on the Conservatory Garden here.

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Belvedere Castle

Confession: I’ve actually never been inside the Belvedere Castle. This is primarily because it’s been under construction basically the entire time I’ve lived in NYC (ok, maybe that’s a little dramatic but it has felt like forever). But I have been around it a bunch and wow, it really is beautiful. 

According to Central Park, the Belvedere Castle was originally built with no windows or doors as it was meant to be just a viewing platform because it overlooks so many beautiful areas of the city. But this changed when National Weather Service started using it as a location to track data regarding…you guessed it..weather. 

Belvedere Castle isn’t just a cool castle to go stare at and stand on. It actually has a nature observatory where you can see a bunch of natural history artifacts.

All and all, it’s a cool ass place to look at so I can’t wait to go inside and see what the rest of the hype is about. 

And guess what, it’s located right near the Turtle Pond I mentioned above! So you can kill two birds with one stone when visiting the park. Boom. 

More info on the Belvedere Castle here. 

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Shakespeare Garden

Last but certainly not least, we have the Shakespeare Garden. I find that when I come here, it’s never as busy as I expect which is GREAT because I hate people!

The Shakespeare Garden is always beautiful regardless of the season as there are plants that bloom year-round. There are also many odes to Shakespeare, obviously, including various plants and even bronze plaques with quotes from Shakespeare’s plays.

This area is one of my favorite places to sit and listen to nature. However, there’s been a few times I’ve visited here and wasn’t able to walk around because there were wedding photos happening in the garden…kinda annoying. Are people really getting married…in this climate? KIDDING. Whatever just be aware that you may have to wait to visit this area especially around wedding season. 

More info on the Shakespeare Garden here. 

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Final Thoughts

The reason I wrote this article is that Central Park is the most magical place in the city and a lot of people overlook these areas when they visit the park, whether you’re a tourist or an NYC resident. I wouldn’t say these places are underrated or “secret” by any means, but I find them to be the places that helped me grow and maintain my love affair with Central Park.

Also, shoutout to the Central Park Instagram for having wayyyy better pictures than me. You the realest.

I’d love to hear your favorite parts of Central Park, leave a comment or write to me here! Thank you for taking the time to read, I love you.