Central Park

Location

New York
United States
40° 46' 53.2236" N, 73° 58' 0.5772" W
US
General info: 

A perfect getaway from the New york city crowds, traffic and noise. If NY gets too intense, get reloaded here and continue with batteries full. Actually this is exactly what it was originally planned for when it was opened in 1857 and it still serves it´s purpose perfectly.

The central park is the place for many different kinds of sports from Birding to Boating and from volleyball to tennis and rock climbing. Most common sight are the joggers and runners who populate the 6 miles (9.7 km) long Park Drive. Central Park has two ice skating rinks, Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink, which converts to an outdoor swimming pool in summer. The great lawn must be one the most famous lawns in the world. This green pasture of 55-acres is a wonderful place to have a picnic on a spring afternoon or to catch some rays in the summer sun.

There is also a zoo in central park that is home to an indoor rainforest, a leafcutter ant colony, a chilled penguin house, and a Polar Bear pool. It is much smaller however than the massive Bronx Zoo.
The lake in the middle of the park is named the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. This favorite jogging spot of Jackie O, Bill Clinton, and a number of other influential people was originally providing clean water for the city. This function is not carried out today, but the Reservoir does offer runners one of the best views of the city skyline.

The park receives approximately thirty-five million visitors annually, making it the most visited urban park in the United States. The area of the park is 843 acres (3.41 km2; 1.317 sq mi) and the real estate value of Central Park was estimated to be and unbelievable $528,783,552,000 in December 2005.

Getting there: 

Easiest is to use the subway. There are numerous subway stops in the Central Park area:
N, R, W Trains:
Located at 59th street
2, 3 Trains:
Located at Central Park North/110th street
B, C Trains:
Located at 110th street, 103rd street, 96th street, 86th street, 81st street, and 72nd street
A, B, C, D, 1 Trains:
Located at 59th street/Columbus Circle

Costs: 

The park is free of charge. It is not allowed to overnight in the park.

Interesting places nearby

Saddleback Ski Area opened in 1960. Saddleback features the most extensive beginner terrain in the northeast, with four miles of gentle sloping trails that are found below the base lodge and away from the rest of the mountain.

Today, Ragged offers 200+ acres of trails, 98 percent state-of-the-art snowmaking coverage, five lifts -- including New Hampshire's only high speed six-pack -- and two New England colonial-style lodges that provide all the amenities a fa

With 10 lifts and 23 trails, Pat's Peak in Henniker (a short drive fom Keene, NH) is a favorite in southern New Hampshire and has been serving the community for many years.

Peek’n Peak’s terrain is spread out over 105 acres of skiable terrain, with 52 percent considered intermediate runs. Beginner or advanced skiers and snowboarders are encouraged to come test their skills on our 27 slopes and trails.

Thanksgiving Day, 2012, marks 75 years of making turns at Pico Mountain. In 1937 on Thanksgiving morning, Pico Mountain Ski Resort came to life with only a 1,200 foot rope tow powered by a Hudson motor car engine and a lot of love.

Pine Knob Ski Resort, located in Clarkston, MI, offers 300 feet of vertical skiing on 17 runs. The resort has made a commitment to the environment, with low energy lightin, vapor barriers and low E Glass in their cafeterias and lounge.