The boathouse on the east bank of the Lake where rowboat rentals have been available since the park's earliest years — and the starting point for the most romantic thing you can do in Central Park: paddling out to Bow Bridge and looking back at the city from the water.
The boathouse on the east bank of the Lake offers rowboat rentals from spring through fall ($20 per hour plus deposit) — the classic way to see Bow Bridge, Cherry Hill, and the Upper West Side skyline from the water. The attached restaurant, a long-standing Central Park landmark known for weekend brunch, is currently closed for refurbishment; check the Central Park Conservancy website for reopening dates before planning a dining visit. A popular kayak launch point and a peaceful waterside stop even if you don't rent a boat. Seasonal hours.
Weekday mornings in May or September — rowboat rental queues are short, the water is calm, and the light on Bow Bridge from the water is at its best.
Paddle northwest from the dock and you'll reach Bow Bridge within 5 minutes. Stop underneath the bridge and look up — the cast iron detail work is completely different from water level than from shore, and you'll have the angle to yourself.
The boathouse on the east bank of the Lake offers rowboat rentals from spring through fall ($20 per hour plus deposit) — the classic way to see Bow Bridge, Cherry Hill, and the Upper West Side skyline from the water. The attached restaurant, a long-standing Central Park landmark known for weekend brunch, is currently closed for refurbishment; check the Central Park Conservancy website for reopening dates before planning a dining visit. A popular kayak launch point and a peaceful waterside stop even if you don't rent a boat. Seasonal hours.
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