North Meadow

The North Meadow is the largest of Central Park’s open meadows.

It hosts 12 fields for baseball, softball, and soccer in the spring and summer, and soccer and touch football in the fall. It’s one of three areas in Central Park with sports fields—the others being the Great Lawn and Heckscher Ballfields. All games require a permit from NYC Parks. The meadow also includes ample space for relaxing, picnicking, and strolling.

The North Meadow was originally envisioned as an open area for games such as baseball or cricket, known in the 19th century as a playground. Only one such playground was built in the Park, and instead this area was designed as an open meadow, a pastoral landscape intended to evoke the countryside and to provide a respite from the confined conditions of urban life. During the early 20th century, the growth in popularity of organized sports led to the meadow being used for baseball and soccer. In the 1930s, this use was made official with the addition of diamonds and backstops. In the 1990s, the Central Park Conservancy restored the landscape to balance its use for sports while accommodating other activities and return some of its original scenic beauty.

How the Conservancy Cares for Ballfields

Learn how the Conservancy cares for the North Meadow’s fields to ensure they’re ready for your next sports game.

View with audio description

Things you can do here

  • Activities

    Kite Flying

    Looking to take advantage of a breezy day? Kite flying is allowed in Central Park on the large, open landscapes.

    Tags: Kids and Families

  • Activities

    Football

    Park visitors can play touch football and flag football at the North Meadow during the fall.

    Tags: For Groups / Health & Fitness

  • Guides

    Meet the Trees of Central Park

    Your support can help keep the Park’s trees healthy.

    Tags: Kids and Families / Wildlife / Plants and Trees

  • Self-Guided Tours

    Admiring the Open Landscapes

    Find serenity in the north end of the Park as you pass by wide, bucolic meadows.

    Tags: History / Art & Architecture

  • Activities

    Baseball & Softball

    Head to one of Central Park’s 26 ballfields for a great game of baseball or softball with your friends, family, or colleagues.

    Tags: For Groups / Kids and Families / Health & Fitness

  • Activities

    Soccer

    Players of all ages gather each fall at the North Meadow to enjoy soccer games in the Park.

    Tags: Kids and Families / Health & Fitness

  • Guides

    Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Central Park

    Whether you’re just stopping by for a visit, heading to a concert, or consider Central Park your backyard, we have you covered for your perfect weekend in the Park.

    Tags: Kids and Families / Health & Fitness / Art & Architecture / Wildlife

  • Guides

    Guide to Fall Foliage in Central Park

    Each fall, many of Central Park’s roughly 18,000 trees transform into golden shades of yellow, orange, red, and more.

    Tags: Plants and Trees

    • Also in the area

    Read more

  • Park Information

    Sculpted Nature: Landscape Architecture in Central Park

    Every acre of the Park was meticulously designed and built as part of a larger composition, created through the practice that would come to be known as "landscape architecture."

    Tags: Park Design

  • Park Information

    10 New Year’s Resolutions for a Central Park-Lover

    Here are 10 ways to combine a desire for a new you in the new year with the joy of spending time in Central Park.

  • About the Conservancy

    People of the Park: Martha & Serena

    Central Park is integral to many people’s lives, and we're talking to some of them to get to know the people behind the people’s Park. Meet Martha and Serena, whose relationship is deeply entwined with this vibrant greenspace.

    Tags: Conservancy Staff / Tips for Visiting / About the Conservancy / Nature Lovers / Park Experts / First-Time Visitors

  • Plants and Trees

    What Are Central Park’s Most Colorful Fall Trees?

    In appreciation of this photogenic time of year, we asked a Conservancy arborist what trees you should look for this autumn and where to find them.

    Tags: Fall / Trees

  • Park History

    Concerts of Note: Central Park’s Musical Highlights

    Central Park has a storied history as a concert venue, welcoming musicians of all genres to its iconic lawns. Large or small, under clear or cloudy skies, music-making has been an essential part of the Park from the beginning.

    Tags: History / Art Lovers

  • Park History

    From the Archives: Fall Foliage in Central Park Over the Years

    The colorful spectacle of fall foliage in Central Park never loses its appeal. We turned to our archives to see how the Park has evolved from one fall to the next.

    Tags: Fall / Highlights / Staff Picks / Nature Lovers / Plants and Trees / Landscapes