Central Park: Private Pedicab Tour with Guide & Flexible Stops

4.77

(201 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Hands gripping the sides of the pedicab, I felt that first little jolt as we rolled off from the curb near Columbus Circle. Our driver—Jorge, born in Queens but he kept calling himself “a park regular”—tipped his cap and asked if we wanted to hear history or just people-watch. We said both. The wheels hummed over the path and suddenly there was this mix of distant saxophone (maybe from Bethesda Terrace?) and the faint smell of roasted peanuts drifting in from somewhere. I don’t know why but it made me grin.

We stopped by Strawberry Fields and Jorge pointed out the mosaic, telling us about Lennon fans who still show up every week. He let us hop out for photos—no rush at all—and even snapped a few for us (my hair was wild in the wind, but whatever). There were joggers weaving past, a couple arguing quietly in Spanish on a bench, and I remember thinking how alive it all felt. The Central Park pedicab tour really gives you time to notice those tiny things—the way sunlight flickers through sycamores or how kids’ laughter echoes under Bow Bridge.

I didn’t expect to actually learn so much—like why Sheep Meadow has its name or which movies filmed by the pond—but Jorge clearly loves this park. He laughed when I tried to pronounce “Naumburg Bandshell” (I definitely butchered it), then told us about concerts he’d seen as a kid. We rolled along at just the right pace—slow enough to catch details but never stuck behind crowds. Even when clouds threatened rain, he shrugged and said tours run rain or shine (he keeps ponchos stashed under the seat). It’s funny, I still think about that view from Cherry Hill looking back at the skyline—felt like all of New York was just sitting there waiting for us.