Awesome Things To Do In New York City’s Central Park With Kids

Last Updated on: 2nd June 2023, 06:56 pm

Today we have a guest blogger on our blog, with some awesome things to do in New York City’s Central Park With Kids. Although If you have ever seen movies based in New York City, you will know that Central Park plays a big part in the city. And there is so much for kids to do there. You just need a little nudge in the right direction to know about them. Finally, it’s over to Jen.

My name is Jen and I review books for teens and adults on my blog, Jen Ryland Reviews. I live in New York City with my husband, our kids, and our dog. If there’s anything I love as much as reading, it’s being outside. I am in Central Park every day, all year round! You can find some of my photos on Instagram

New York City’s Central Park With Kids

Families who are visiting New York City should not miss a trip to Central Park with kids.  Why? Central Park is featured in many movies and books that you and your kids know and love! In addition, while walking around a city can be fun, sometimes kids need a place to run around. Best of all, many of these activities are completely free!

What are the best places you and your family should visit in Central Park? 

Here are five suggestions for places you can visit in an hour or two. Central Park spans such a large part of Manhattan that it is easy to incorporate a visit to the park. Here are my 5 favourite free and low-cost things to do in New York City’s Central Park with kids of all ages.

One: Take a Spin on the Central Park Carousel

How to get there? The Carousel is located mid-Park near 65th Street

The current Central Park Carousel dates to 1908 and is one of America’s largest merry-go-rounds, featuring 57 hand-carved horses and two chariots. Because the carousel is so old, it is periodically closed for repair and maintenance.  As of June 2023, the Central Park Carousel seems to be open – hooray! 

To get to the carousel, you can enter the park at either East or West 65th Street and walk toward the centre of the park (use that map app!) Riding the Central Park Carousel is a lovely way to spend an hour. Each ride costs $3.25 and the hours (as of June 2023) are 11-6.

Two: Watch a Puppet Show at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater

How to get there? Located mid-Park near 79th Street

The Swedish Cottage is an often-forgotten treasure in the park. It was built in Sweden and brought to the U.S. in 1876 as part of the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. It has offered puppet shows that are perfect for younger kids since the 1970s. 

Jen’s Tips for Visiting the Swedish Marionette Theater:

• The theatre is most easily accessed from West 79th Street, but you can also enter on the east side and walk across the south end of the Great Lawn.
• Use a map app to find your way. 
• Check the City Parks Foundation website to see if there’s a show available during your visit.
• Tickets in 2023 were $12 for adults and $8 for kids.
• There are no toilet facilities in the theatre, so visit the toilets at the nearby Delacorte Theater before the show!

Three: Get a Great View at Belvedere Castle (free!)

How To Get There?  Located mid-Park near 79th Street

Belvedere Castle is the best (free!) place to enjoy stunning views of Central Park. 

Jen’s Tips for Visiting Belvedere Castle: 

• The Belvedere Castle terrace is always open, and the inside of the castle (where you can climb to an even higher vantage point) is usually open from 10-5, Wednesday to Sunday. 
• There are no toilet facilities in the castle, but there are some at the Delacorte Theater (just west of the castle) which is close by. 
• The castle isn’t far from the Metropolitan Museum, which runs from East 80th Street to East 84th Street on Fifth Avenue. If you have older tweens or tweens, make sure to get a photo on the Met steps, famous from Gossip Girl!

Four: Visit the Central Park Zoo 

How to Get There? Enter the Park at 59th Street and Central Park South

New York City’s Bronx Zoo is huge and impressive, but Central Park has its own zoo. A short walk from the Fifth Avenue shopping district, the Central Park Zoo has broken up into two parts: a small Children’s Zoo where kids can feed sheep and goats, and a larger zoo featuring a penguin house, a sea lion tank, an aviary, and more. 

The zoo’s Dancing Crane Cafe, which specializes in kid-friendly food, has indoor and outdoor tables. The cost of zoo tickets in 2023 was $20 for adults and $15 for kids, which includes admission to both zoos.

Jen’s tip: for Visiting the Central Park Zoo

• Start your Fifth Avenue shopping in the morning, around 49th Street (near Rockefeller Center.) Stroll north and enjoy ten blocks of shops, from Tiffany & Co and Gucci to H&M and Uniqlo. 
• When you reach Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, you will see the iconic Plaza hotel, famous for the book and movie Eloise at the Plaza, on your left. Cross 59th Street and enter Central Park. The Central Park Zoo is only a few minutes away!

Five: Watch Fairy tales Come Alive at The Conservatory Water (free!)

How to get there? Enter Central Park at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Take an immediate right and walk a short distance down the hill.

Spending an hour at the Conservatory Water is a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Known by New Yorkers as the “model boat pond,” this compact space has three separate attractions: The Conservatory Water, the Hans Christian Andersen statue and the Alice In Wonderland Statue. The Conservatory Water itself was featured in both the book and the movie Stuart Little. 

The Conservatory Water is a large reflecting pool where hobbyists race miniature sailboats and yachts on Saturday mornings. The sides of the pond are lined with wooden benches, popular spots for relaxing. The Alice In Wonderland statue, a large bronze sculpture of Alice in Wonderland characters, is located on the north end of the Conservatory Water. Generations of kids have climbed on this statue since it was installed in the 1950s.

The Hans Christian Andersen Statue, located on the west side of the Conservatory Water, is a larger-than-life-sized bronze statue that depicts Andersen reading his story, The Ugly Duckling, to a duckling. Children often climb up the sculpture and onto Andersen’s lap.

Jen’s Tip for Visiting the Conservatory Water: 

• There is a storyteller at the Hans Christian Andersen statue every Saturday morning at 11 from June through mid-September. 
• Restrooms and a small coffee stand offering drinks and snacks are located on the east side of the Conservatory Water.
• The area is lined with benches and is a great place to take a rest from the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you want more tips on my favourite Central Park playgrounds, places to eat just outside the park, AND my secret for not getting lost in Central Park, check out my full Best Central Park Children’s Activities post!

For more tips on travelling with kids, you can read this post about Interrailing in Europe this year.