Central Park is a big 843-acre playground with a multitude of activities for exercising! From yoga classes to baseball, bouldering, and bike riding, Central Park has it all.
The Most Popular Activities in Central Park
- Fitness Classes: Take in the sights and surrounding beauty of Central Park as you get fit, tone your body, and improve your health! From yoga and pilates classes to running and fitness tours, we have something for everyone.
- Biking: You’ll get a good workout in Central Park with the varying terrains. You can bike on the three drive loops around the park; however, bikers are not allowed on the pathways, so you can only go in designated zones. If you don't have a bike you can rent one! Rent a Bike
- Running & Walking Tours: The 58 miles of pathways in Central Park make it perfect for running and walking. We have guided tours that let you sightsee while you exercise, or you can explore the three routes on the park drives yourself. These loops are 6.1 miles (around the whole park), 5.2 miles (upper loop), and 1.7 miles (lower loop). An extremely popular route is to run around the Reservoir, which is 1.58 miles and a soft surface. There are also three bridle paths on which you can run or walk that are between 1.1 and 1.5 miles long.
- Baseball and Softball: There are 26 baseball and softball fields throughout the park. Eight are on the Great Lawn; 12 are in the North Meadow; and six are at Heckscher Ballfields at 63rd St. To play, your team must obtain a permit from the NYC Department of Parks/Recreation.
- Tennis: Central Park has 26 clay tennis courts and four asphalt courts. They are located at the Tennis Center, located on the west side from 94th to 96th St. The courts are open from April through November.
- Bouldering: This form of rock climbing, in which climbers forgo a rope and simply climb boulders with a crash pad underneath, is gaining popularity in Central Park. Popular spots for bouldering include Rat Rock (62nd St.), Worthless Boulder (Central Park North) and Cat Rock (64th St.).
- Basketball: There are two places to play hoops in Central Park. One is at the North Meadow Recreation Center; the other is at the Great Lawn. These courts are first-come, first-served. You can borrow basketballs at the North Meadow site, but you'll have to bring your own at the Great Lawn.
- Football: There's a short season for football in Central Park. Park-goers are allowed to play from mid-September through mid-November at North Meadow. Don't count on playing tackle football, though; only touch football and flag football are allowed.
- Volleyball: If you bring your own ball and net, you can play pickup volleyball games year-round in the park on a first-come, first-served basis. There are three volleyball courts in the park. All three are east of Sheep Meadow (one sand, two asphalt).
In addition, the North Meadow Recreation Center provides many opportunities for exercise. It has 12 handball courts available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can also borrow field day kits which have a variety of balls, bats, frisbees and jump ropes. It is located mid-park at 97th St.
There are also opportunities for fishing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and so much more. The possibilities are endless, so bring along whatever sports equipment you have and come enjoy all that the park has to offer!