Tour guide

Slava Shpigel
Phone
+1 212 498 9524
Email
slava@ivisit.nyc
Tickets

Location

Central Park South
Map
https://goo.gl/maps/sCCXHk2TFSsW24BD7
  • Language: English

Date

2022-May-29
Expired!

Time

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Cost

$25.00

Secrets of Central Park, part 1 (in English)

10% of all profits go to support Ukrainian Armed Forces

This is a group walking tour of Central Park with a focus on “secret” locations, objects and stories. I don’t expect to cover all of them but I chose the most important ones and gathered them in 2 routes. This is part 1 – South Central Park, from 59th street to the 80s.

We will walk almost half of the park up to the Reservoir. It will take approximately 2 hours. We will talk about a nature sanctuary in Central Park, the remains of lost structures, the planning of Manhattan streets, walk the paths where I think you’ve never been before.

Have American Indians really lived on the park territory? Irish and Afro-Americans? Is there anything to be found from those times? Are there still markers created for planned but nonexistent crossroads to be found in the park? How have the animals lived before the zoo was constructed? Weather station, spies bench, remains of the old Croton Reservoir will tell us little known stories from the life of Central Park.

The route is about 2.5 miles long. Sometimes we will walk not on paths or trails but on stone and grass. We won’t go up a lot but expect some ascents. This is an adventure, almost like a hike, in the format of a tour.

Visual Portfolio, Posts & Image Gallery for WordPress

Women’s Rights Pioneers

Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Bow Bridge

The longest bridge in Central Park and only the second oldest cast-iron bridge in America

On Bow Bridge

The Bethesda Fountain

The central feature of Central park and one of the most visited spots in New York

1862 manhole cover

Not the very oldest manhole cover in New York but arguably the most pretty

Indian cave entrance

There still are remains of a so called indian cave in Central Park and the stairs are mostly intact.

Kinderberg

Unfortunately non existent any more but there is something else on this spot

The erection of the obelisk

The Cleopatra’s Needle being ceremoniously erected in Central Park

Cleopatra’s Needle in spring

Lasting only about a week each year the blossoming of magnolias next to the obelisk is the sight to experience

Southern Central Park map 1870

The Greensward plan for Central Park was reworked into this 1870 map

Red Hawk in the building

This red hawk family is splurging hard living on the top floor of a Fifth avenue building overlooking Central Park

Central park and the city

The view of Central Park and Manhattan from the Metropolitan museum roof garden

Belvedere Castle

  • The tour takes approximately 2 hours but often we go a little bit over that
  • This route is a about 2.5 miles long; it’s not flat, we will go off the paths a couple of times and climb just a little, will use stairs in the park
  • If your kids appreciate some history in their Sunday take them with you
  • Don’t forget to check the weather couple of days prior

Interactive route map

Clickable

a map of Central Park with a blue line showing the route
Click/tap on the map to explore the route of our tour

Want this same tour just for yourself?

Private 2 hour walking tour is $150 for you and up to 9 of your guests


Did you know?

Manhattan grid

Were there streets planned in place of the Park?

The Manhattan grid plan extended to 155th street and didn't include Central Park, so the future intersections were marked and markers had to be removed during park consturction.

Chess and Checkers

Can you play chess in the park?

In a place called Kinderberg or Children mountain you can borrow chess, checkers, board games and play for free inside or outside

Great Lawn

Have people really lived in Central Park?

There were whole villages here before the Park but even later in 1930s during the Depression people sometimes lived near and inside old drained reservoir, now the Great Lawn.


Slava Shpigel photo

Slava Shpigel

Your guide

Licensed New York Guide, leading tours since 2012.

I have never appreciated history before I moved to New York in 2010. Maybe it was an immigrant thing – to study up on the new city and country – but it quickly fascinated me. Now 4 shelves of USA and New York history books and 10 years guiding experience behind me I more than ever want to share the stories I learned.

Any questions or comments?

Ask me anything!

  • Language: English

The event is finished.