Pulitzer-winning columnist Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune famously said, “Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.”
I’m fortunate to have lived in New York City for a year and I lived on the Upper East Side, just a few blocks from Central Park. Central Park, as it is for many, was my happy place, whether on a brisk spring morning under the cherry blossoms, a hot and sticky summer day, a crisp fall day boasting colorful foliage or a chilly winter’s day when Mother Nature had dusted the park with a blanket of snow. No matter the time of year, I love it there.
I don’t think many people realize just how large Central Park is. It’s about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from north to south and 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) from west to east. It covers 51 city blocks and is 843 acres in size.
Given its size, it can be confusing inside the park at times. Even when I lived in New York City and would visit the park frequently, I would get turned around every now and then, especially if I decided to take a new path.
Central Park lamp post codes
But I just learned an extremely helpful tip courtesy of Jon Barr, a travel and food host based in New York City. He shared a great tip that I had no idea about and I was a Central Park regular. So whether you’re an NYC native or are planning a visit, you’ll want to hear his tip about Central Park’s lamp post codes. Watch the video below:
View this post on Instagram
In the video, Barr says: “If you were walking in Central Park, there is a hidden gem on the 1600 lamp posts here. It’s these four digit codes. If you’re ever lost and you want to know exactly where you are in the park, find this code. Start at the top. These two numbers are what street we are closest to … 93rd. This next number is how close you are to the exit and you can see one, the exit on the west side right there. This number here, if it’s odd it means you’re on the west side; if it’s even, it means you’re on the east side. And these two digits here, 19, represent how close you are to the center with 40 being the exact center, so we’re about halfway there.”
I have never heard this tip before and in all my years visiting the park, I’ve never noticed the numbers on the lamp posts, or at least never paid attention to them.
This is a great tip to have in your back pocket the next time you visit Central Park and especially if your phone dies and you can’t pull up an online map. According to CentralPark.com, “As long as you’re not in The Ramble’s 36-acres of trees and trails (but no lamp posts), you should be able to find your way out of Central Park without the use of a phone.”
While most commenters on Barr’s post love the tip, some joked that they’d never remember it if they actually got lost in the park.
theimperatorroman: Pretty cool, can’t wait to forget this when I need it
meemsway: Sir I’m already lost and now I have to remember pole directions
crispy205: I think this is super interesting but also very confusing. My favorite part is when you say “then you know you’re halfway there” with such enthusiasm that I almost believed we could easily do this lol
If you feel the same and are concerned you’ll forget, the New York Post suggests, “one way to remember it is that both “east” and “even” start with E. Or think of it this way: “All the odd people live on the West Side!” says Sara Cedar Miller, a Central Park Conservancy historian.”
KEEP READING
–How to save money with a secret third carry-on
–How to use your wireless headphones to watch in-flight movies
–10 airport security hacks every traveler should know
–How to get the best coach seat on the plane
–The sleep hack every traveler needs to know
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
