There is an awful lot to see and do in the park. You could spend an afternoon just looking for some of the famous landmarks, such as the statues and fountains. Alice in Wonderland The giant Alice in Wonderland statue, featuring huge bronze figures of Sir John Tenniel's classic illustrations of the Lewis Carroll tale, is one of the all-time kid favorites. It can be found north of the model boathouse on East Seventy-fourth Street. Most New Yorkers have at least one snapshot of themselves as kids crawling up the mushroom stalk. The philanthropist George Delacorte commissioned this statue from sculptor José de Creeft in memory of his first wife, Margarita. It was dedicated in 1959.

The Arsenal

The Arsenal was built in 1851, prior to the construction of the park. Today the historic structure, located on Fifth Avenue just inside the Sixty-fourth Street entrance, serves mostly as office space for the Parks and Recreation Department. It housed Civil War troops back in 1864 and 1865, and in 1869 it served briefly as the first home of the American Museum of Natural History. Visitors can view the original plans for Central Park, murals, and building design features. Open Mondays to Fridays, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Admission is free.

Balto, the Alaskan Sled Dog

The famous Balto statue commemorates the Alaskan sled dog that saved a town by bringing medicine through the tundra to its sick inhabitants. The story is told in the animated children's movie, Balto, which you should rent before visiting Central Park. The statue is east of the Mall on Sixty-seventh Street and is a great place to take a picture. The plaque on the statue reads: “Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxins 660 miles across rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the Winter of 1925.” See him on the main path leading toward the zoo.

Bethesda Terrace

Bethesda Terrace is home to the multilevel Bethesda Fountain, dedicated in 1873 and named for a pool in Jerusalem. It was designed to be the heart of the park. One of the most photographed fountains in the world, the Angel of the Waters sculpture sits high atop overlooking the European-style terrace. A stone staircase leads down to the three-tier fountain that sits near the Mall with a backdrop on the lake.

The view is spectacular from the top of the stairs, with rowboats in the background below lush trees with their branches and green leaves hanging over the waters. The boathouse can be seen to the right. The terrace surrounding the fountain is a busy stopping point for the numerous visitors who stroll by and stop to enjoy the beauty of the scene. Street performers, including jugglers, magicians, and musicians, delight the kids — and their parents too, for that matter. Bethesda Terrace is by Seventy-second Street, toward the east side (or Fifth Avenue side) of the park.

Belvedere Castle

Midpark at 79th Street

212-772-0210

This is the only castle on park grounds, and the massive stone structure was originally built in 1872. The highest point in the park, the castle is the place to go to get a great view of the acreage around it, including the Great Lawn and the Delacorte Theater, home to Shakespeare in the Park, a free first-come, first-serve season of Shakespearean plays performed during the summer months. Inside the castle you'll find the Henry Luce Nature Observatory (which encourages visitors to explore the natural world through microscopes and telescopes), various displays, programs for the kids, and workshops. The castle is also home to the instruments of the U.S. Weather Bureau. For more than eighty years, meteorological instruments here have provided New Yorkers with the temperature in Central Park. Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

The Dairy

Midpark at 65th Street

212-794-6564

The Dairy was originally the park's first fast-food restaurant. Today the small Victorian building is a visitor center and gift shop, housing books and information about the park. You can also purchase souvenirs such as T-shirts, mugs, and framed photographs. Just north of the Wollman Rink, the Dairy is a place to get maps, buy books about the park, and find out about park events and park history. The Dairy is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., and admission is free.

Hans Christian Andersen Statue

75th Street, near 5th Avenue

This larger-than-life statue of the children's author of such classics as The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling was made to be climbed on! Another great photo op for the little ones, it can be found west of Conservatory Water. The statue depicts Andersen reading from The Ugly Duckling as a bronze duck approaches.

The Harlem Meer

212-860-1370

East side from 106th to 110th streets

www.centralparknyc.org

The Meer is an eleven-acre lake (or meer, in Dutch) that sits on the northeast corner of the park by Fifth Avenue at the foot of Harlem. It was restored and reopened in 1993 and features numerous plants, shrubs, trees, and winding paths around the lake. There are walking tours for those who want to look more closely at and learn about the plant life. You can also find a newly created island.

The Harlem Meer is one of the few places in Manhattan where you can actually go fishing. Bamboo poles and bait are available free of charge at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, adjacent to the Meer. Fish must be thrown back to maintain the careful ecological balance of life. Poles are available with a photo ID on a first-come basis Tuesday through Sunday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.; Sundays to 3 P.M. Groups of up to fifteen can reserve poles by calling 212-860-1370. An adult with photo ID must accompany the group. There is a $20 charge for the group, payable up front (in effect, the deposit). Go online at www.centralparknyc.org for more information.

The Reservoir

The Reservoir is a 106-acre body of water, built in 1862 smack in the middle of the northern part of the park above Eighty-sixth Street. It was renamed the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in 1995. The path surrounding the reservoir, just more than 1.5 miles in length, is now the park's most popular jogging track, home to thousands of runners in training for races. Although the reservoir is no longer used for the city's drinking water, it still remains the largest body of water in the park. The view across the reservoir is stunning, and the trees, including cherry trees, and numerous birds make for great scenery. A reconstruction of the original fence has recently been erected.