Central Park

One of the largest urban parks, Central Park is an oasis of natural beauty smack in the middle of the city. Its diverse landscape offers the lakes and ponds (great places for rowing and bird watching), rocky hills, the great lawn, the wooded ramble, and gardens. Favorite nooks include the Angel Fountain, Belvedere Castle, and the gazebos along the lake. Central Park is also a great spot for people watching since it attracts all walks of life, everyone from rich upper eastsiders going for a jog in the park to artsy university students studying on the rocks to the less fortunate taking shelter in a lakeside hut. It also offers a wide selection of street musicians, some extremely talented. The "guitar man in the park" plays on the Upper West side by the lake, singing witty political commentary folk songs. Some great jazz musicians play throughout the park. In the summer, the park hosts a series of free events, including New York Philharmonic concerts, Improv shows, Opera nights, very cool for night picnics in the park.