New York’s Central Park is world renowned as a green, relaxing oasis found amid the bustling city of high rises. Central Park provides a place for New Yorkers – and visitors to the city – to go to enjoy nature. Its lawns, lakes, flowers, and leafy trees whisk you away from the sidewalks of New York to a fairy tale land. 
We scored an Airbnb apartment a half block from Central Park last week. So every day we wandered through parts of the park and took in the springtime color and newness. We were by the entrance known as Strawberry Fields, where you’ll find the John Lennon memorial. John and Yoko Ono lived adjacent to this area in The Dakota Apartments. People decorate the memorial, then it’s cleaned each evening so new flowers can be left the next day. 
The park is bordered on all sides by the city. Reflections on the water of the The Lake (that’s really the official name) show just how close you are to civilization. 
One morning I got up at sunrise and strolled along with locals who were out running, walking to catch public transportation to work, chatting with friends, and exercising their dogs. I wasn’t sure of the protocol, but I did talk with some of the dog owners and meet their pooches. My favorite was sweet Lilly, who loves chin rubs, in case you ever run across her in the park. 
Pink blossoms were everywhere. 
And it’s tulip season! 
One evening we happened on the iconic Tavern on the Green. I never thought we would be able to dine there (expensive, probably needing a reservation), but we checked and got right in. The food is fabulous, the wine delicate, the chocolate bombe dessert a masterpiece. And the price tag was reasonable. Our dinner here was a highlight of our trip. 
In our crisscrossing of Central Park, we still covered only a small part. Built in the 1850s, the park today covers about 840 acres. Through the decades, it slipped into disrepair, but it has been rescued and updated. Today it is maintained by the Central Park Conservancy, a non-profit that offers tours and runs information kiosks. We learned that the elegant Bow Bridge was built before the Civil War and then was refurbished not long ago. 
Pick up a map and head toward The Lake, Shakespeare Garden, or The Metropolitan Museum of Art, on the east side. So many areas of the park are waiting to be explored! 
Linking up with Image-in-ing, Little Things Thursday, Wednesday Around the World, The Good, the Random, the Fun, Through My Lens, Seasons, Our World Tuesday, Photo Friday, Travel Photo Thursday, City Tripping, Weekend Wanderlust, Faraway Files, and Weekend Travel Inspiration.
46 Comments
These are so gorgeous!!! I love Central Park!
I love every single picture. This exact trip is on my ‘bucket list’!
The pink blooms are breathtaking, Sharon! Central Park is much more beautiful than I had imagined (probably so too much crime stories on TV that are supposedly are taking place in Central Park:) ). And I love the white bridge – beautiful design. Somehow it looks more like Europe than than The South and South West of the USA. Many thanks for sharing your walk in the park with all the pooches with All Seasons:) Have a good one!
I have been there in Autumn and it was a great sight. But nothing beats Springtime. Your images are amazing. Thanks so much for linking in with “Through My Lens”
Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography
A fabulous post and I loved all your photos.
Breathtaking….I have no other words!
Central Park is beautiful, even in bad weather
Gorgeous photography of Central Park ‘in bloom’ ~ love Lily and the circular ‘Imagine’ with flowers ~ will wish and imagine how it could be ~ thanks ~
Happy Week to you ~ ^_^
Your pictures are so beautiful! I was just in Central Park a few weeks ago, and spent hours wandering around. Spring is most definitely my favourite time of the year to visit Central Park.
Wow, beautiful photographs and great commentary about the park. I’ve seen lots of excellent blog posts about the park and this is the best.
will visit New York in spring. Lovely flowers n gardens.
I knew there was a lot to Central Park but never saw it up close like this, so thanks for your wonderful photos and narrative.
Gorgeous images of Central Park! Such a picturesque place. I hope to visit one day!
Oh wow! How very pretty!
Absolutely lovely! I could browse through these beautiful pictures all day long. #CityTripping
Beautiful pictures… what wonderful places to visit! 🙂
Central Park in NY is a gorgeous place! I have never been in spring, unfortunately. Wow! Your pictures show some stunning sights! Oh, I’ve eaten at Tavern on the Green!
very nice! #citytripping
It’s just something straight out of a film! I’ve never been to NYC, but like so many people I’ve experienced it through movies, and it would be so exciting to actually stroll through Central Park. 🙂
Beautiful photos. We loved Central Park when we visited NYC although we found it very hard to navigate around even with a map! We’d love to return one day and see more of the park. It’s so vast that you don’t realise how big it is until you see it from the top of one of the skyscrapers. #CityTripping
Absolutely love how bright and colorful your photos are. And, of course I have to mention Lily!! What a cutie!!
All your photos look breathtaking, but the first is my favourite, I love the depth of field you achieve. #citytripping
I just love NYC and I love this post! The photos are so beautiful, especially the ones with the city and reflections! #citytripping
I love all of these photos! I used to live in NYC and haven’t been back during the springtime for years and years.
Gorgeous photos – way!
Beautiful images of Central Park. You have me wanting to visit in the spring. 🙂
With Love,
Mandy
You’ve really captured Central Park so beautifully! There’s so much to explore – I grew up outside of NYC, lived there for 12 years, and now live in the suburbs, and I still don’t know all of it. So nice you got to experience Tavern on the Green! #city tripping
Love the reflections
Mollyx
That blossom, so pink! Looks beautiful there in Spring, now I want to go back! #FarawayFiles
Ohhhh-I already LOVE Central Park-but I’ve never been in the spring. Talk about swooning! These are gorgeous. Visiting from Tamars
Stunning photos! What a great time of year to visit Central Park. There’s always something to see but springtime looks particularly wonderful. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Beautiful pictures! I got engaged in Central Park – near the Shakespeare Garden – so it holds a very special place in my heart. Great to learn a bit more about its history. Thanks for linking to #citytripping
I’ve only been to New York and Central Park in January and it didn’t look anything like this, So spectacular! #WeekendWanderlust
Your photos are amazing! The pink blossoms and tulips are breathtaking. I wish I could see Central Park this time of year. I guess I’ll have to arrange a visit now that I’ve read your post! #WeekendWanderlust
You made some beautiful photographs! I love Central Park in the springtime. Well, let’s face it, I love springtime! Thanks for the inspiration and for linking up this weekend at #wkendtravelinspiration!
Goodness me – so much beauty!
Your pictures are amazing! Central Park is one of my favorite places in New York and I’ve seen it in Spring. However, I didn’t get to see it fully bloomed as in your pictures. So pretty!
WOW! I leave for NYC in 6 days I AM SO EXCITED to get to explore Central park! #FarawayFiles
Central Park in spring looks gorgeous. It’s great to have such a large park in the middle of a major city. I wish I had eaten at Tavern on the Green.
A visit to NY without stopping by Central Park would be incomplete. Gorgeous photos Sharon – do you happen to know the name of the tree with purple flowers in your first pic? Thanks for joining #FarawayFiles
These are great photos. Calvert & Vaux intended for the park to be a place that you could step into and really feel you were in nature and apart from the surrounding city. And your photos capture that well. you definitely picked a good to go with all the flowers in bloom!
So beautiful! I loved Central Park. I visited NYC during a heat wave, and it just felt like a nice, cooler oasis. I’m a huge Beatles fan too, so seeing the John Lennon memorial in person meant a lot to me!
What a beautiful place. Thank you so much for the wonderful photographic tour. I would love to visit it one day.
-Soma
What an iconic visit! I think Paris and New York must be visited in springtime – all the flowers and atmosphere and life outside again! I did not know they clean the flowers away every night from the Imagine memorial. That is cool. Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles – always love your photos! Erin
Great post and lovely images. We went to NYC in high summer and only visited the park once. I’d love to see it in other seasons!
Spring seems so spectacular and breathtaking at this place! Loved the pictures!