Central Park

Central Park is 840 acres of deliberately designed urban nature in the middle of Manhattan, and for families with children, it's arguably the most versatile recreational resource in the city. The park is free to enter every day. It has 21 named playgrounds.

It has a carousel, two major ponds with wildlife, a castle with a nature center, a zoo, a formal garden, and miles of paths suited to strollers, bikes, scooters, and running children.

The playgrounds deserve special mention because each has a distinct character. The Heckscher Playground at 62nd Street is the largest and most comprehensive, with spray features that children use as an improvised splash pad from June through September. The Billy Johnson Playground at 67th Street on the east side has a granite slide — a long, curved stone chute that children line up to fly down repeatedly.

The Ancient Playground near 85th Street has an Egyptian-inspired design with obelisks and climbing structures. All 21 playgrounds are free.

The Central Park Carousel, operating near 65th Street on the west side, runs 57 of the largest hand-carved horses in the United States on a beautifully maintained antique carousel. Rides cost $4 per person — the kind of small, genuine pleasure that costs almost nothing and generates disproportionate joy in children under 10.

Turtle Pond, just south of Belvedere Castle, has a consistent population of red-eared slider turtles that climb onto logs to sunbathe in warm weather. The spot requires no infrastructure: children sit at the water's edge and watch turtles climb and slide in a reptilian ballet. It's one of those simple nature moments that city kids remember.

Conservatory Water (the boat pond near 74th Street) has remote-controlled model sailboat rentals on weekends from April through November. The boats are classic wooden models styled after racing yachts, and children can rent the controls for a set time period.

Bring a picnic. Food from park vendors is expensive for what it is. The surrounding neighborhood delis — on Columbus Avenue to the west, Madison Avenue to the east — sell sandwiches, salads, and snacks at normal city prices.