Solve location-based riddles while exploring Central Park’s top sights at your own pace. This self-guided scavenger hunt uses the World City Trail app to lead you through monuments, terraces, and hidden corners without an entry fee.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
A group crowds around a phone beneath an elm as the World City Trail app pings the first clue. The park unwraps itself in stages: formal terraces, a castle crouching on a hill, and quieter paths where city noise thins to a distant hum. Each riddle points the way — Cleopatra’s Needle, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Terrace — and the route moves at a walker’s pace, inviting observation more than speed.
Difficulty
easy
Duration
2 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for all fitness levels — light walking for up to 2 hours with pauses
Wildlife
History
Central Park was laid out by Olmsted and Vaux in the 1850s as a planned green space—many of its features were sculpted from existing bedrock and glacial deposits.
Conservation
The Central Park Conservancy manages ecology and restoration efforts; visitors should stick to paths, avoid feeding wildlife, and carry out trash to protect habitats.
Reserve your spot on the Central Park Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Download and register the app ahead of time
Install the World City Trail app, copy your VIA- booking reference, and verify it becomes active 24 hours before your start time.
Start early to avoid peak crowds
Begin in the morning to enjoy quieter plazas like Bethesda Terrace and clearer photo opportunities at Belvedere Castle.
Carry a portable charger
Clues and navigation rely on your phone; a small power bank prevents an interrupted game mid-route.
Wear supportive walking shoes
The route covers paved and uneven rock areas — comfortable footwear reduces fatigue and prevents slips.
Smartphone with data
Needed to run the World City Trail app, view clues, and navigate between points.
Portable battery pack
Keeps your phone charged through photos and extended app use.
Comfortable walking shoes
Provides support on paved paths and exposed rock surfaces.
Reusable water bottle
Stay hydrated during warm-weather walks; refill at park fountains where available.
summer