Central Park: Pedicab Tour with Photo Stops & Local Guide

4.91

(23 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest — we almost missed our Central Park pedicab tour because I got distracted by a pretzel cart outside the park entrance (the smell just gets you). Our guide, Samir, waved us over with a grin and didn’t seem to mind. He even joked that he’d seen people try to sneak pretzels onto the pedicab before. So we settled in, still laughing, and rolled out past the Balto Statue while Samir started telling us about sled dogs and New York winters — I had no idea that statue was based on a real dog.

The pace felt just right — not rushed but not slow either. At Bethesda Fountain, Samir hopped off first and pointed out the angel’s wings glinting in the sun. There were buskers playing cello under the terrace arches; their music echoed up through the stone and mixed with snippets of Spanish from a family nearby. We took way too many photos (Samir’s got skills with an iPhone), but honestly it was hard not to — the light on the water was kind of perfect. My partner tried to pronounce “Onassis” at the reservoir stop; Samir corrected him gently, then told us Jackie Kennedy used to run here every morning. I liked that detail.

We stopped at Strawberry Fields and walked quietly for a bit. Someone had left fresh flowers on the “Imagine” mosaic — it smelled faintly sweet even with all the city air around us. I didn’t expect to feel much there but it hit me anyway, seeing people just standing together in silence. Later we coasted up toward Belvedere Castle; wind picked up so Samir pulled out these plaid blankets from under his seat (I guess they think of everything). The view from up there is bigger than you’d expect — you can see treetops all tangled together and little flashes of runners down below.

Honestly, I thought a Central Park pedicab tour might feel cheesy or too touristy, but it wasn’t like that at all. It felt easygoing and kind of personal — maybe because Samir grew up nearby and kept pointing out things he remembered as a kid (like which fountain freezes first in winter). I still think about that cello music echoing under those arches. If you’re looking for something relaxed but full of small surprises, this is probably it.