Central Park Royal Grand Tour

125-Minute Daytime Ride Through the Park • Up to 4 adults • 125 minutes • Family-owned since 1999

About this tour

Two hours and five minutes inside Central Park, and not one minute of it on a city street. The Royal Grand Tour walks the same southern and western landmarks as our 65-minute Royal Tour, but at roughly half the speed — which is the entire point of it. You are not buying more map. You are buying the time to stop at four places properly, and the long stretches in between where nobody has to say anything.

The ride works north from the carriage stand and back again. Wollman Rink and the Carousel first, then the Chess & Checker House and The Dairy, the elms of The Mall, the Balto statue and SummerStage. The first pause comes at Bethesda Terrace; from there the route follows the Lake to Cherry Hill, then Bow Bridge, then Strawberry Fields — four pauses in all, spaced closely enough that nobody feels hurried back into the carriage. Past Strawberry Fields it passes the Dakota Building, crosses to Sheep Meadow and Tavern on the Green, and comes down to Columbus Circle before the return to 7th Avenue and Central Park South. This is a daylight tour: weekend departures open at 8:00 AM and weekday departures at 10:00 AM. It runs January 10 through November 20, pausing from November 21 to January 9 while our Christmas tours run.

What's included

  • Private carriage for up to 4 adults, all 125 minutes of it
  • Four pauses: Bethesda Terrace, Cherry Hill, Bow Bridge and Strawberry Fields
  • Narration throughout, at whatever depth you want it
  • Blankets when the weather calls for them
  • Licensed, experienced driver

Tour route & landmarks

  1. Depart 7th Ave & Central Park South (180 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019)
  2. Enter Central Park
  3. Wollman Rink
  4. Carousel
  5. Chess & Checker House
  6. The Dairy
  7. The Mall
  8. Balto Statue
  9. Summer Stage
  10. Bethesda Terrace (photo stop)
  11. The Lake
  12. Cherry Hill (photo stop)
  13. Bow Bridge (photo stop)
  14. Strawberry Fields (photo stop)
  15. Dakota Building
  16. Sheep Meadow
  17. Tavern On The Green
  18. Columbus Circle

Pricing

$414.99 for the carriage — one flat fare whether you are one guest or four. Each carriage takes up to 4 adults; with children 12 and under, that becomes 3 adults and 2 children, 2 adults and 4 children, or 1 adult and 6 children. Nothing on this route is priced per head.

Who this tour is for

Anniversaries, milestone birthdays, a first visit to New York you intend to do properly, and photographers who need more than a hurried minute at each stop. It is a poor fit for a quick look at the park before a matinee: two hours is a real commitment and there is no shortened version of this route. Restless toddlers, tight connections and anyone who only wants a taste of Central Park are better served by the 25-minute Mini Tour or the 45-minute Signature Tour.

Frequently asked questions

Is the route different from the 65-minute Royal Tour?

It covers the same Central Park landmarks with Bow Bridge added as a pause of its own. What really changes is the pace: 125 minutes instead of 65, so each stop gets real time rather than a quick photograph.

Does this tour ever leave Central Park?

No. The whole ride stays inside the park, from Wollman Rink up to Strawberry Fields and back down to Columbus Circle. For Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center, choose one of our evening routes instead.

What time of day does it run?

Daytime. Departures open at 8:00 AM at weekends and 10:00 AM on weekdays; the booking page shows the exact slots left for your date.