A Walk Around Central Park

Yesterday was such a nice, warm day that I decided to do something I've always wanted to do: I walked the entire perimeter of Central Park. The park runs from 59th to 110th Street north to south and from Central Park West to 5th Ave (a total of three avenue lengths) west to east, for a grand total of 6 miles! And I did it in three hours; of course I stopped along the way to take pictures and eat a sandwich.








I started at the northwest corner entrance at 110th and Central Park West and walked along 11oth (Central Park North), just enjoying the beautiful day and scenery. The top of the park is a hidden gem, I think. I wasn't even aware of the "lake" up there and the Harlem Meer and the spot where a battle in the Revolutionary War was fought. I can only imagine how beautiful it looks in Spring, Summer and Fall when there's leaves on the trees. This is where Harlem officially starts--above the park.







Then I got tot the corner of Central Park North (110th St) and 5th Avenue, which I guess could be called Central Park East, but it's not. It is sometimes called Museum Mile, though, because there are museums all along 5th avenue, ranging from the Guggenheim and Metropolitan Museum of Art, to smaller museums housing specific works. It's a pretty street, and has a very distinct feel about it. This is the Upper East Side, with Madison and Park Avenues just one and two streets over. It's very posh and rich feeling, much different than the vibe on Central Park North. See that building behind the 5th Ave sign? I have a friend who lives there. They have a great view.







And then it was to Central Park South, which is where Midtown begins, or ends, I guess, depending on how you look at it. Central Park South is mainly hotels on one side and horse carriages on the other. The Plaza Hotel sits at the corner of CPS and 5th Ave, and is stunning in its beauty and grandeur. The Plaza has been a location for movies ranging from Crocodile Dundee to Home Alone 2 and tv shows like Sex and the City. By now the sun was starting to set and the temperature was going down with it. I had to put on my gloves before reaching the next corner!







The last leg of my journey was finally reached--the intersection of Central Park South and Central Park West. This is Columbus Circle, and it's also the intersection of Columbus Ave and 8th Avenue, creating a large roundabout. All I have left now is the walk up Central Park West from 59th to 110 Street. I was feeling pretty tired at this point, and getting colder by the minute. I really wanted to just stop and sit on a bench, but knew that if I sat down it would take a lot to get me back up. So I kept right on, taking less pictures because of the cold. I did stop, however, to take a picture of some squirrels running
around in the trees and leaves.




















When I finally made it back to 110th and Central Park West, the sunny and warm day had was now dark and cold. I hopped right on the M4 bus and tried to get warm as I rode it home.