When I, Shawn Barton, moved to the Miami Area 10 years back, I thought I had already seen NYC’s attractions and explored my former “backyard” quite thoroughly. But I had never gone on a bike tour of Central Park.
Last spring, I returned to Brooklyn to visit friends and relatives and see my old home again; and I went with an old friend on a bike tour in Central Park. I never knew how much I had missed. It was like seeing the park again for the first time.
To learn more about how to book your own Central Park bike tour, visit bikerentalscentralpark.com – tours of the park for great price points. Read on to learn about what a bike tour has to offer!
My Central Park Bike Tour
It was simple, fast, and affordable to rent our bikes, along with helmets, locks, and all accompanying equipment. And just peddling over the grassy, rolling hills and past the blooming cherry blossom trees was exhilarating. The gorgeous nature with skyscrapers looming in the background is a truly unique sight.
One of the first stops we made was at The Strawberry Fields, where we both appreciated this rustic preserve of the original park’s looks and the Beatles
John Lennon to whom these acres are dedicated.
But this was only one among numerous stops full of natural beauty. We stopped to stroll at Central Park Mall where we got panoramic views and a chance to watch artists and singers perform. We explored the Conservatory Garden, where European flowers and artistic fountains with winding paths continually draw newly weds for photo ops.
And I especially appreciated the view from Belvedere Castle, playing with the free to use binoculars from the discovery kit. The kit’s map then led me down to Ramble Woods for unparalleled bird watching opportunities (over 230 species of birds can be viewed in Central Park.)
I couldn’t resist to stop by at Central Park Zoo, and since my niece came along, we visited the next door Tisch Children’s Zoo as well – and the pot-bellied pigs, penguins, and leaping snow monkeys were very entertaining to adults too.
After the official bike tour ended, we doubled back to Loeb Boathouse for a Venetian gondola ride, and finished up with crab cakes and wine at the Central Park Boathouse Restaurant. All in all, it was truly an unforgettable experience.
Information for Bike Tourists
Anyone planning on a Central Park bike tour should be aware of some basic information.
First, you can choose between short and long routes (1.7 or 5.2 or 6.1 mile stints.) Second, you can book online ahead of time to secure your place, and many tours are only around $15. Third, know you can rent your bike and create your own personal route if you wish as well.
You should also be aware of a few basic bike tour rules:
- Kids under 14 must by law wear a helmet (a good idea for everyone, though.)
- You must bike on designated biking paths and ride in a counter-clockwise direction.
- Pedestrians always have the right of way.
- It’s best to bike during hours when the park is closed to car-traffic, but this isn’t required.
- Bikes must use the outer half of recreation lanes, cars get the rest.
There aren’t really a lot of rules to remember, and your bike tour guide will acquaint you with them. And they’re all about safety.
But let me just close by saying that an organized bike tour assures you that you will see all the most important sights of Central Park in a single visit. You can always go back for more later.
Shawn Barton, has been working as a freelance copywriter over the last four years. His passion for working with clients in all aspects of online marketing flows through in his writing work. In addition to copywriting, Shawn also provides ghostwriting and guest blogging services for businesses of all sizes.
