Central Park Carousel, NYC: Visitor guide with prices, times & access

This guide explains how to visit the Central Park Carousel in Manhattan, including directions from nearby subway stations, ticket prices, opening hours, and what to expect on this historic hand-carved merry-go-round. You’ll find practical details on access, the best times to visit, and other attractions you can combine with the carousel in the same area of Central Park.

Quick visitor summary

What is the Central Park Carousel?

The Central Park Carousel is a covered merry-go-round located in the southern section of Central Park, featuring 57 hand-carved wooden horses and two ornate chariots that rotate to music from a mechanical organ. The current carousel, known as the Friedsam Memorial Carousel, was crafted in 1908 by artisans Solomon Stein and Harry Goldstein, though it was not installed in Central Park until 1951 after being discovered in an old Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit trolley terminal at Coney Island.

People visit for the nostalgic experience of riding a historic carousel, to photograph the detailed folk art carvings on the horses, and because the ride has become a traditional part of visiting Central Park, particularly for families with young children.

I first encountered the Central Park Carousel as part of a self-guided Central Park scavenger hunt, which was a surprisingly enjoyable experience.

How to get to the Central Park Carousel

The carousel is located mid-park at 65th Street, in an area known as the Children’s District near the southern end of Central Park. From the 59th Street Columbus Circle station, served by the A, B, C, D, and 1 trains, walk east along 59th Street and enter the park at the Sixth Avenue entrance. Follow the main path north for approximately 200 metres and the carousel building will be on your left.

From the Fifth Avenue and 59th Street entrance on the east side of the park, walk into the park and follow East Drive north until you reach the Dairy building. Turn left and continue through the underpass to reach the carousel area. The walk from either entrance takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes depending on your pace. The M5 and M7 bus routes stop along Central Park South, from where you can enter at the Sixth Avenue entrance.

Parking near the Central Park Carousel

There is no parking within Central Park itself. Commercial parking garages operate on streets surrounding the park, including facilities along Central Park South, Columbus Avenue, and Sixth Avenue. Parking rates in midtown Manhattan are high, typically starting around $35 for two hours and increasing for longer periods. Street parking near Central Park is metered, heavily restricted, and difficult to find.

Public transport or walking from nearby hotels is the most practical option for reaching the carousel.

Opening hours at the Central Park Carousel

The carousel operates daily from 10am until dusk, weather permitting. Closing time varies by season, ending around 4:30pm in winter and extending to 6pm or later during summer months. The carousel does not operate in heavy rain, snow, or when temperatures drop significantly.

Best time to visit the Central Park Carousel

Weekday mornings between 10am and 11:30am typically offer the shortest queues, particularly during the school term when local children are not visiting. I found arriving shortly after opening gave me a five-minute wait rather than the 20 to 30 minutes common during peak periods. Late afternoons after 4pm can also be quieter, though you risk arriving too close to closing time if dusk falls early.

Weekends and school holidays bring the longest queues, particularly between noon and 3pm. Summer months see the highest visitor numbers, while winter visits are less crowded but subject to more frequent closures due to cold weather.

What to expect when you arrive

The carousel is housed in a circular brick building with a red tile roof. You purchase tickets from a small booth outside the entrance, where cash and cards are accepted. The current price is $4 per person per ride, and everyone riding, including adults accompanying children, must purchase a ticket.

These ticket prices and opening hours were check and verified in February 2026.

Once inside, you queue along a railed pathway until the current ride finishes. Each ride lasts approximately three and a half minutes. When your turn comes, you choose one of the 57 horses or two chariots. All horses are fixed to the rotating platform and move up and down as the carousel turns, while the chariots remain stationary. Parents with very young children typically choose the chariots or inside row horses for easier supervision.

Facilities at the Central Park Carousel

There are no toilets or cafés at the carousel building itself. The nearest public toilets are located at the Dairy building, approximately 100 metres south along the park path. Several cafés and snack vendors operate in the surrounding area of Central Park, including near the Wollman Rink and along Central Park South.

The carousel building provides shelter from weather but has limited seating. Benches are available in the immediate area outside for those waiting. The carousel is accessible to wheelchair users, though transferring from a wheelchair to a horse or chariot may require assistance. Staff can help with boarding if notified in advance.

The horses and craftsmanship

The 57 horses are arranged in four concentric rows, each carved from wood and painted in bright colours with jewelled saddles and bridles. The detail work includes carved manes, bared teeth, and individual expressions on each horse. The outermost horses are the largest and most ornate. Two chariots, decorated with carved flourishes and painted scenes, provide seating for those who prefer not to ride a horse.

The mechanical organ plays traditional carousel music throughout each ride, powered by the same mechanism that turns the platform. The carousel is considered one of the finest examples of American folk art and carousel design from the early 20th century, representing the craftsmanship of the golden age of carousel building.

Cultural and literary connections

The Central Park Carousel appears in J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, in a scene where the protagonist Holden Caulfield watches his sister Phoebe ride the carousel in the rain. This literary connection has made the carousel a destination for readers visiting locations from the novel. The carousel has also appeared in numerous films and television programmes set in New York, though some productions have filmed at other carousels standing in for the Central Park location.

Nearby attractions in the Children’s District

The Dairy, a Victorian Gothic cottage that now serves as a visitor centre, is located 100 metres south of the carousel and provides maps, information, and historical displays about Central Park. The Chess and Checkers House sits on a small hill immediately west of the carousel, with outdoor playing tables available for public use when weather permits.

Several playgrounds are within walking distance, including the Heckscher Playground to the southwest and the Ancient Playground near Fifth Avenue at 85th Street. The Central Park Zoo is a 10-minute walk southeast at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street, and the Sheep Meadow, a large open lawn popular for picnicking, is five minutes south. Wollman Rink, used for ice skating in winter and other activities in summer, is approximately 10 minutes’ walk south. These attractions, and the Balto Statue, can all be visited in a half-day walk through the southern section of Central Park.

Historical context

A carousel has operated at this location since 1871, making it one of Central Park’s oldest continuous attractions, though the current structure is the fourth to occupy the site. The first carousel was powered by a horse or mule that walked in a concealed underground compartment, trained to start and stop at the sound of the operator’s foot tap from above. That carousel and its two successors were destroyed by fire in 1924 and 1950.

The current carousel was built in 1908 and spent four decades at Coney Island before being donated to Central Park by the Michael Friedsam Foundation in 1951. A ceremonial marker was placed on the exterior wall of the carousel building on the dedication day, 2 July 1951. The carousel operates year-round when weather permits and has become one of Central Park’s most visited attractions, serving generations of New York families and tourists alike.

Practical questions about visiting the Central Park Carousel

The carousel does not operate during inclement weather including rain and snow, so winter visits require checking operating status before travelling. Queue times can extend to 30 minutes or more during peak periods, and there is limited shelter in the queue area outside the building. Non-riders cannot enter the carousel building to watch or photograph without purchasing a ticket, and standing adults accompanying children must buy tickets even if not riding themselves. The carousel is a popular filming location, and access may occasionally be restricted for commercial shoots, though these closures are typically brief and announced in advance.

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• Plan your visit to the Top of the Rock observation deck and the Whitney Museum of American Art.