Offbeat New York: Wildness in the Urban Jungle

You've been rocking the poor college student status for a while and then your friends tell you they're coming to visit. "Great," you think, "this is going to put the Big Hurt on my wallet." They're going to want to visit all those great New York City landmarks that cost a pretty penny like the Empire State Building, the Circle Line tours to Liberty and Ellis Island, the Museum of Modern Art or Broadway shows. If only you could show them the city that never sleeps without taking out another college loan.

Everyone does it. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about: Central Park. A trip to the city just isn't a trip to the city until you've explored the 843-acre jungle nestled between the skyscrapers in what is arguably the busiest city on Earth. Safe to say, we've all done that random trip to Central Park, seen it from far away, or just gotten lost along one of those annoying, winding paths. But what does it take to really plan and enjoy a day at the park?

Many of us New Yorkers, let alone our tourist friends and family, have probably never experienced or even know of some of the exhibits and locations that exist in Central Park. Sprinkled throughout the 51 blocks there are over 20 different attractions to find and explore.

Located on 64th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Central Park Zoo, officially established in 1864, is the first must-see stop. All the animals that were previously roaming about Manhattan were rounded up and now live quite comfortably at the bottom of Central Park. (We've all heard the stories about the alligators living in the sewers...) Anywhere that can house a multitude of animals in the middle of New York City is probably worth your consideration.

If you prefer your day outing not to include the fresh smell of the barnyard, you better stick to quieter animals of the park and head over to the plastic horses of the Carousel. Built in 1871 it was first powered by a blind horse and mule. These new hand carved horses are fun for everyone and an added bonus: They don't bite.

Next, walk uptown to the Ancient Playground on East 81st Street, just north of the Met, and romp around in the pyramids, sand dunes and tire-swings. You definitely do not need a companion under 10 to have a grand old time playing on the monkey bars.

After your rumble in the park, head over to something a touch more classy at Belvedere Castle. You can always get some good pictures atop the rock formation the castle sits upon, peering over Turtle Pond, the Great Lawn and Delacorte Theater. The theater is also the site for the summer's annual Shakespeare in the Park series, which is sponsored by the Public Theater. Over the past years, the theater has showcased shows like Much Ado About Nothing and Henry IV.

Finishing up your invigorating stroll through Central Park, head west and you'll come upon the Imagine mosaic and the area known as Strawberry Fields. This tribute to John Lennon's memory can be heard before you even reach it, as there is almost always a die-hard Beatles fan or two armed with their trusty acoustic guitar. Strawberry Fields is located right across from the Dakota Apartments and Hotel, where Lennon was shot in 1980.

Besides this long but lovely tour there are still numerous, famous attractions to go visit in the park, such as the Croquet Green, Rumsey Playfield, Wollman Rink and the Ravine to name a few. Central Park is also littered with numerous sculptures and fountains, the most famous among them being Cleopatra's Needle, Alice in Wonderland and Romeo and Juliet.

The park gives poor college students endless amount of trips and adventurous excursions to enjoy that don't cost a dime. Whether you're into the picnic scene, checking out a specific attraction or just taking a nice walk around the wooded area, Central Park is a wonderful place to take friends, family and significant others and get away from the roar of the city for a while.