Ever wanted to play tourist for the day and go to one of New York City’s most popular sites? Are you struggling to find a balance between being a busy college student and also wanting to work on your health? If you answered yes to both, or either, of these questions then you are in luck! Central Park is one of the most famous spots in New York City to visit and, since it can be overwhelmingly large, I have found the best spots in the park to go for a run in! The Stephanie and Fred Shuman running trail, located near the upper right part of Central Park offers a clear running path, views of the city skyline, views of a body of water, and tons of fun activities to do around the city after!
Even though Central Park is one of the most famous places in New York City, it is quite large, and it can be difficult to decide which part of it you should go into. The whole park is undoubtedly a New York City essential, but if you are looking for a spot to run/walk, this running track offers a clear path with beautiful views of the city and the reservoir. Here, you’ll find people catching up with friends, walking their dogs, or getting a workout in. Even if you aren’t looking to do an intense workout, here you will find other New Yorkers doing all kinds of activities and just enjoying the nice Spring weather ahead of us.
Speaking of the springtime…. Cherry blossom season is upon us! Parks around the city will soon be blooming with these picturesque trees that are bound to make any New Yorker smile after a long, cold winter. The Yoshino cherry tree blossoms tend to appear around early April, so now is the perfect time to get outside and go for a run alongside this view! The Stephanie and Fred Shuman Running Trail has these trees lined around the path and, once the trees blossom, will be a surreal sight that you can’t miss!
Another aspect of this running path that makes it ideal for Pace students is the fact that there is so much to do around the park! I personally took advantage of the nice day out and brought a friend to come visit the trail with me. We made a fun day out of it by starting out with lunch at Green Kitchen near the park, walking a loop along the trail, and ending the trip with a coffee and pastry from a local bakery. If you like to look at art, there is also the Met right next to the trail – another New York City essential!
If I have managed to convince you to go to visit this running trail, here is one of the ways to get there. Since Central Park is uptown from Pace, this is a longer journey to get there, but it is well worth it! From campus area, you can take the 4 or the 5 uptown from Fulton St Station and ride the train for about 5 stops until you get to 86th Street Station. From there, you can walk about 3 blocks towards the trail and you are there! Once you arrive, you will find that there appears to be 2 loops. One is meant to be more for cyclers but the innermost loop around the reservoir is where you want to go if you’re looking to run/walk. There are clear entries to the trail once you arrive, making the path very hard to miss. If you’re looking for a perfect day out for running, then Stephanie and Fred Shuman Running Trail is the place to be!
