John

How safe is it for a pedestrian to be inside Central Park during the day and at dawn? If the park is a safe place to be then for a tourist would it be worth to take a walk inside the park? What are the best places to be seen inside the park?

Neal Sanders

John, I'm a little surprised to see a question like this any more, but I guess old legends die hard. For about fifteen years up until the mid-1980s, Central Park fell into a sad state, and tourists would have felt understandably uncomfortable with the trash, graffiti, and transients.

It has been very different for the past fifteen years, and especially so today. Central Park is New York's front yard, and it sparkles. It is also full of people at all hours of the day, including at dawn.

What to see? You're in a great urban park in the middle of a city, so start by gazing at the city from the perspective of the park. The buildings along Fifth Avenue and Central Park West look very different from inside the park. The southern end of the park (below 79th Street)is the most densely packed with fields, lakes, and buildings. A guidebook will give you the topology of the park and a history of its various buildings and monuments. Go. Enjoy.

howard

Just one caveat to Neal's excellent report on Central Park. There have been occasional situations of solo female joggers being attacked in the early morning hours (i.e., around dawn). No, it's not prevalent and doesn't happen often, but it happens. Not to sound sexist, but if I were a female, I'd think twice about going out by myself in Central Park at dawn.

TW

My favorite places in the Park are the Bethesda Fountain, the Central Park Zoo area, and the Conservancy Gardens. All are well populated areas at most times of the day, and there is great people watching in all of those areas, as well as on the Great Lawn and the Sheep's Meadow. You might also be interested in the Wolman Skating Rink area or the Boat Basin. A trip to the Park is definitely worth it; you will see every kind of New Yorker in the Park, especially on weekends with good weather. Check TimeOut NY and other sources for special events in the Park, which occur often in the summer months. If you're concerned about safety, you might want to avoid the more wooded areas, such as the Rambles. Activity in the Park is best during the day, but if you feel compelled to go in the early morning, stick to the lower end of the Park, near the Zoo. There are always a lot of people walking through the area on their way from home on the Upper West Side to there offices in midtown.

Steve

Also, if you have the inclination, boat rowing is great. I think the boathouse is around 72nd St. towards the east side.

howard

I hope I didn't scare anyone away from Central Park with my earlier posting. It's a great place in the daytime, with the previous posters telling a lot of the reasons why! Rent a bike or some roller blades on a weekend when some of the roads are closed to auto traffic and move with the crowd!

emily

Ive had the good luck to live next to the park for yr. & crossed it this morning! it has improved tremendously over the past yrs & is a "must see."
The area bear Bethesda fountain, esp on a sunny morning--try a wkday--& around noon on a Sunday (street performers) is great; go rowing in the lake, nearby; see the lovely zoo(s); visit Strawberry field; look downtown from the sheep meadow. Walk over to the Metropolitan Museum or the Natural History Museum via the park. Its certainly as safe as any other NYC location between 730am & 800pm. Actually has a very low crime rate v. rest of city.

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