Every pedicab tour through Central Park starts at the same spot: Central Park South, at 59th Street and 6th Avenue. What changes is how far in you go and how many landmarks you pass along the way.
A 30-minute ride covers the southern end of the park. An hour opens up the mid-park highlights. Two hours takes you deep enough to see spots most tourists never reach on foot.
Here's exactly what you'll see on each route, landmark by landmark.
The 30-Minute Express Ride: 7 Landmarks
The Express Ride covers the most photographed stretch of Central Park, the southern loop between 59th and 72nd Streets. You won't rush through it. Pedicabs move at a pace that lets you take everything in.
1. The Pond The first thing you see after entering the park. This small, tree-lined body of water sits just inside the southeast corner. In spring and fall, the reflections off the surface are some of the best photo ops in the entire park.
2. Gapstow Bridge A stone bridge arching over the north end of The Pond. This is one of the most recognizable spots in the park and shows up in dozens of movies. Your driver will slow down here because the view of the Manhattan skyline framed through the bridge is worth the pause.
3. Wollman Rink The ice-skating rink in winter, roller-skating and events in summer. Even when it's closed, the area around it is one of the most open viewpoints in the southern park. You can see the skyscrapers of Midtown rising directly above the tree line.
4. Literary Walk A tree-canopied walkway lined with statues of writers: Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and others. The American Elms that form the canopy are some of the oldest trees in the park and create a natural cathedral effect overhead.
5. The Mall The only intentionally straight path in all of Central Park. The designers, Olmsted and Vaux, made every other path curve on purpose. The Mall leads directly north toward Bethesda Terrace, and the symmetry is striking.
6. Cherry Hill A circular plaza with a fountain originally built as a watering station for horses. The name comes from the cherry trees planted around it. In spring, the blossoms here rival anything in Washington, D.C.
7. Bethesda Fountain The centerpiece of the park. The Angel of the Waters statue sits on top of a two-tiered fountain at the base of Bethesda Terrace. This is the single most visited spot in Central Park, and for good reason. The terrace tiles, the staircase, and the view out over The Lake make this the natural turnaround point for the Express Ride.
The 1-Hour Classic Tour: 16 Landmarks
The Classic Tour covers everything in the Express Ride, then continues north through the heart of the park. This is the most popular option because it hits the iconic spots without feeling like a marathon.
Everything from the Express Ride, plus:
8. The Lake Central Park's largest body of water, stretching from Bethesda Fountain to the western woods. You'll ride along its edge, and on calm days the reflections of the surrounding trees and buildings are remarkable.
9. Bow Bridge A cast-iron bridge spanning The Lake. This is arguably the most romantic spot in Central Park. It shows up in more engagement photos than any other location in New York City.
10. Strawberry Fields The memorial to John Lennon, directly across from the Dakota building on Central Park West where he lived. The black-and-white "Imagine" mosaic is always surrounded by flowers left by visitors.
11. The Ramble A 36-acre wild garden designed to feel like you've left the city entirely. The paths twist through dense woodland, and it's one of the best birdwatching spots on the East Coast. Your pedicab rides along the edge, giving you a view into the canopy.
12. Conservatory Water The model boat pond on the east side. You'll see the Alice in Wonderland statue and the Hans Christian Andersen statue here. On weekends, remote-controlled sailboats dot the water.
13. Belvedere Castle A stone castle sitting on Vista Rock, the second-highest natural point in the park. It was built as a Victorian-era folly and now houses a weather station. The views from this elevation are some of the best in the park.
14. Shakespeare Garden A four-acre garden planted exclusively with flowers and plants mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. It sits just below Belvedere Castle and is one of the quietest corners of the mid-park.
15. The Swedish Cottage A wooden cottage imported from Sweden for the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and later moved to Central Park. It now operates as a marionette theater.
16. Turtle Pond A shallow pond at the base of Belvedere Castle. Named for the turtles that sun themselves on the rocks, it's surrounded by native plants and feels surprisingly peaceful for a spot in the middle of Manhattan.
The 2-Hour Grand Tour: 17+ Landmarks
The Grand Tour covers everything above, then pushes into the upper park, past the Reservoir and into areas most visitors never see.
Everything from the Classic Tour, plus:
17. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir The massive 106-acre reservoir that dominates the upper park. The running track around it is 1.58 miles, and the views of both the Upper East Side and Upper West Side skylines from the water's edge are unmatched. On clear days, you can see the entire southern Manhattan skyline reflected in the water.
18+ Additional Stops On the Grand Tour, your driver has time to make stops that aren't possible on shorter routes. These vary by season and driver knowledge, but commonly include:
- The Great Lawn — a 55-acre open meadow used for concerts, sunbathing, and pick-up sports. This is where Simon & Garfunkel played to 500,000 people.
- The Obelisk (Cleopatra's Needle) — a 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's the oldest man-made object in Central Park.
- The North Woods — a dense forest with a cascading stream that feels nothing like Manhattan.
- The Harlem Meer — a lake at the north end of the park, quieter and less crowded than anything south of 96th Street.
- Conservatory Garden — the only formal garden in Central Park, with three distinct sections inspired by Italian, French, and English garden design.
The exact northern route depends on conditions and your interests. Drivers on Grand Tours typically ask what you'd most like to see and adjust the route accordingly.
Which Tour Length Is Right for You?
| Tour | Landmarks | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Express Ride (30 min, $35/person) | 7 | Short on time, want the highlights |
| Classic Tour (1 hr, $45/person) | 16 | First-time visitors, couples, most people |
| Grand Tour (2 hrs, $90/person) | 17+ | Repeat visitors, photographers, completionists |
The Classic Tour is the most popular for a reason. One hour is enough to see the park's best without feeling rushed, and $45 per person is reasonable for what amounts to a private guided tour of 16 landmarks.
If you only have 30 minutes, the Express Ride still covers the southern highlights that make Central Park famous. You won't feel shortchanged.
If you want to see it all and don't mind spending two hours, the Grand Tour takes you into parts of the park that 90% of tourists never reach.