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New York City Walking #3- Times Square-Central Park-United Nations

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NYC Walking Tour #3- 7 miles

Walking Tour #3 of New York City takes us around mid-town Manhattan from Times Square through Central Park and back down to the East Side stopping at Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building and the United Nations.  We played tourist here.

The Dakota Central Park NYC

Actually the only reason we started in the Times Square area was because I wanted to check out a vegetarian fast food restaurant called Crisp.  A vegetarian fast food restaurant!!  Hand held falafel and mint lemonade.  Heavenly.

Falafel- Crisp New York City

Mint Lemonade Crisp New York City

We headed through Times Square on our way to spend a few hours strolling through Central Park.  Our first stop in the park was at the famous Strawberry Fields.  A neat place if you are a Beatles fan.  Just off the western edge of the park is the famous Dakota apartment building where John Lennon lived and was later shot.  The Dakota has also been home to many famous celebs including Lauren Becall and Judy Garland.

The Dakota Central Park

The Dakota NYC

We then walked a little further north and over the Bow Bridge– a cast iron bridge built in 1862 that spans across one of the many lakes in the park.

Bow Bridge- Central Park

Central Park (2)

Making our way towards an area called The Ramble we found ourselves at a series of walking paths, twisting and turning up hills and across the lake.  This is where we truly felt that we were no longer in the middle of New York City.

The Bramble Central Park

On the northern end of the Ramble sits Belvedere Castle which was built in 1869 and since used as the official weather station of Central Park.

Belvedere Castle Central Park NYC

The view from Belvedere Castle Central Park

We then headed south towards the Loeb Central Boathouse and the Bethesda Fountain.

Bethesda Fountain Central Park

Bethesda Terrace

The terrace at Bethesda Fountain is where we found a small gathering of opera street singers filling the air with their magical voices.  I felt like I was in a movie at that point.

Bethesda Fountain Opera Crowd

Central Park Bethesda Fountain

We finished our walk in the park strolling through part of the Central Park Zoo.  Though the zoo charges admission to actually enter its gates, there is a path that takes you alongside some of the exhibits.

Central Park Zoo

Now from the zoo you can walk straight down 5th Avenue towards Grand Central Station.  Grand Central is quite a majestic site in its own right- it is a train depot, food court and marketplace.  A major hub spot among New Yorkers.  We strolled through the marketplace checking out the many merchants with their teas, baked goods and seafood just to name a few.

Grand Central Station

Grand Central Market

Grand Central Market pics

Exiting on Lexington Avenue we did stop at Crumb’s Bake Shop to pick up some of those famous croissant-doughnut pastries New Yorkers have been swooning over (at Crumbs they call them Crumb-nuts.)

Crumbs Bakery Crumbnuts

They were OK- I bet they would be delicious fresh and hot out of the oven.  We deserved them after all that walking we had done so far.

Crumbs Bakery Crumb Nuts

Next we found ourselves walking towards the Chrysler Building and called it a day once we reached the United Nations complex.

The Chrysler Building New York City

United Nations Building

We walked over 7 miles on this journey and hit a bunch of some major tourist spots in the city.  Check out these other ideas for your own walking tours-

Upper West Side

The High Line to The Brooklyn Bridge (and One World Trade Center)

Hoboken, New Jersey and Jersey City

Helen Corbin

Monday 28th of October 2013

Even though I live in NYC, I just love reading your “Walking Tours.” You have a fantastic way of putting things and, I am sure, making people want to do these tours when they come to the City. Fantastic :-)