Jynx

Is there a way through the park? 2 adults and daughter. maybe have lunch somewhere as well. We want to do these two things one day while we are there. Does anyone have a recommendation. We will be coming from SoHo in the am and can do either first with lunch in the middle?

tchoiniere

Walk out from the AMNH and then take a right at the opposite side of the park and you will hit the zoo. The path about 3/4 across the park from AMNH is the one we took. But I would get a map and figure out which sites in the Park you want to see and zig zag. Just watch your directions/

http://www.centralparknyc.org/maps/

Fra_Diavolo

I'd say the total distance between the museum and zoo is about 1 1/2 miles. I'd suggest after leaving the museum you head for Belvedere Castle, then the Loeb Boathouse, were you can have a casual lunch. Continue east and south as indicated above to the zoo.

The zoo is quite small, but also quite good. I thought the rain forest pavilion particularly interesting. Your daughter will probably also enjoy the penguins and sea lions. The snow leopards are usually sleeping. The polar bear Gus swims his laps. Sadly, his consort Ida was recently euthanized due to a medical condition. There is also a cafe in the zoo which seems popular with families.

If you use the link above you can trace out how to do this on a map.

Jynx

Sounds good! So, I take it to walk isn't too bad? Are there any rickshaws(bike carts) in case we get tired? I think I have been to Boathouse....do we need a reservation?

doug_stallings

You are walking from 82nd Street to about 62nd street and across the park. It's a long walk, especially if the weather is hot, as it is right now, but it's doable even with a child if you take it slowly and stop several times along the way. Without stopping, it's a 30-minute walk. Unless you are going at an odd time (like for a 3pm lunch), you should make a reservation if you can at the Boathouse.

I'm not sure if the bicycle rickshaws pick up passengers within the park, but if they are anywhere, it will be by the park entrances and the Boathouse. But most of them pick up passengers at the park's southern end, especially around the Columbus Circle entrance.

nytraveler

Vehicles aren;t allowed in the Park except at rush hours - and then limited to the two main roads. Other than that everything is on foot (or you can bike - but again - only on the roads, not the pedestrian paths).

For a complete map of the paths in the park go to the web site of the Central Park Conservancy.

You will be able to see only a small part of the Museum if you want to have lunch at the boathouse - which is quite pleasant. The zoo is further south - and is quite small (the real zoo is in the Bronx).

If it were me I would do the zoo first (which will be much quicker), then lunch, then the Museum.

doug_stallings

nytraveler has made a very good point here, particularly since you're coming from downtown. See the zoo first (especially since it will be cooler in the morning). Have lunch, and then stroll in the air-conditioned museum in the afternoon. I'm liking that idea. Two hours is enough (for me) in any museum, no matter how good, and the zoo can be done in 2 hours as well.