A stroll through Central Park is essential for a visit to the city, and watching all the dogs, park goers, and wonderful sorts of weird within the park is enough to brighten even the grumpiest teens. As you step off the crowded sidewalks of 59th Street into a mass of green, what lies before you is 693 acres of man-made gardens, meadows, forests, and hillside; enough to come back to for a lifetime of summer visits. All of the park’s pathways combined add up to 58 miles of walking, so be sure to lace up your favorite pair of walking shoes. Along the way, you’ll pass sculptures, bridges, and arches, plus 21 playgrounds, a winter ice-skating rink, even a zoo. But you’d hardly notice the four major crosstown thoroughfares, which cleverly disappear into foliage-covered tunnels. Map your park route to stop at classic Central Park landmarks, like the Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, and the Strawberry Fields John Lennon Memorial.
