by Jon Espitia

Created on: August 15, 2011   Last Updated: August 17, 2011

Central park, one of the most famous landmarks of New York City, is so vast that many tourists (and even native New Yorkers) are unfamiliar with much of it. The majority of visitors are familiar with the southern part of the park; they have visited the sites such as the Central Park Zoo, Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields, The Met, the boathouse and maybe even the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Resevoir. But few venture farther north into the park and as a result miss many of the wonders of Central Park.

One of the great sites in Central Park is the Harlem Meer. Located in the northeast corner of the park (off of 110th street), the Meer is a great place to take a walk or go for a run. A New York City public pool is located next to the Meer and during the summer you will see flocks of children running happily towards the cool oasis. Bring your fishing pole and join the locals in spending a couple of hours relaxing and catching some fish; or just enjoy watching others fish! There is also a lot of history surrounding the area. Nutter’s battery site is a string of fortifications built along the Meer and offers passersby a stunning view of the Meer. Another military fortification that remains intact and offers great views of the park is the Fort Clinton Site. If you don’t mind walking a bit farther West, you should check out the blockhouse, which is Central Park’s oldest building. The blockhouse is the only remaining fortification built in 1814 to defend against the attacking British.

Just south of the Meer is the conservatory garden. The garden is enclosed by beautiful cast-iron gates and resembles a piece of a garden cut out of a monarch’s private garden and placed into Central Park. The conservatory garden is divided into three distinct styles: French, Italian, and English. Take a stroll through the maze of the garden and watch your children run up and down the rows, disappearing into beds of roses and reappearing near the Wisteria Pergola.

Right off of West 101st street, there is a section of the park called the Pool. The Pool is one of the most charming areas in Central Park. It is hidden by weeping willows and surrounded by grassy banks; it is a perfect place to take your date for a romantic walk in the park. Best of all, there is a waterfall that empties into the pool.

Next time you’re in Central Park, make sure to venture farther North, beyond the Resevoir, and discover the hidden beauties of the park. Don’t worry about being stranded so far North and having to walk all the way back, there are plenty of subways along the edge of the park (B,C,2,3) that will have you back in midtown in no time.

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