There are several different ways to explore the 843 acres of Central Park, and pedicab tours are one of the best opportunities in the area.
This post covers the best tour companies in the park, including information about prices, availability, and other important details.
- Scheduled Tours
- Walk-Up Tours
- How to Avoid Scams
- Central Park Bike Tours
- Walking Tours
- Things to Do in Central Park
How Much Does a Central Park Pedicab Cost?
Scheduled Tours
- Average Adult Price - $60
- Average Child Price - $50
Walk-up Tours
- Average Adult Price - $103
- Average Child Price - $90
There are a variety of pedicabs on offer to roam around Central Park. The price of basic tours starts from $59 per person, but that goes up to $160 for VIP pedicab tours.
Also, scheduled tours are much cheaper than the walk-up tours because you end up paying per minute in the walk-up tour.
Per minute price of walk-up tours are $3-$5 per minute which makes it $180-$300 per hour.
There are also a very high chance of being scammed if you opt for walk up tours.
If you want to avoid being scammed, the important thing to remember is that you should never be asked to pay more than $100 per person for an hour-long pedicab ride or tour.
Scheduled Central Park Tours
While we don't recommend trying to see the entirety of Central Park in one day, pedicabs would be one option for doing so.
If you want to take a pedicab tour in Central Park, scheduling your trip ahead of time is usually a good idea.
Not only will you ensure that you can take the tour when you want, but you’ll also be able to avoid any potential scams.
This section will cover some of the best scheduled Central Park pedicab tours, which can also be used as bike taxis.
We include prices, how many people can fit on a pedicab, and some of the subjects or locations you can expect to visit.
Here are a few of the more notable stops included on most Central Park pedicab tours:
- Bethesda Fountain
- John Lennon's Strawberry Fields
- Sheep Meadow
- Dakota Building
- Shakespeare Garden
- Cherry Hill Fountain (often referred to as the Friends Fountain)
- Central Park Carousel
- Imagine Mosaic
- Columbus Circle
- Belvedere Castle
- Wollman Rink
- Bow Bridge
- And more!
In addition to all of the major attractions above, you can also expect to learn about the highlights, scenery, fun facts, and history of the park.
You will also get up close and personal with some of the great architecture inside and surrounding the park.
Most pedicabs have a canopy, and drivers will offer passengers blankets for comfort on colder days.
If you’re interested in visiting any of these locations, the green lungs of New York City, consider one of the following services.
NOTE: Please keep in mind that most pedicabs can comfortably carry 2-3 people. If you have a larger group, you might want to hire two or more drivers to make sure everyone can participate.
Official Central Park Pedicab Tours
As the name implies, this is one of the more reputable companies offering pedicab tours in Central Park.
They currently offer scheduled tours on a daily basis every 30 minutes from 8 am - 5:30 pm.
There are stops throughout the tour at popular sites including the Bethesda Terrace and Strawberry Field.
They currently offer the following three tours:
- $59 per person
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 1 hour
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- $90/Adults | $80/Children
- Availability: Tuesday - Sunday
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
- $160/Adults | $130/Children
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 2 hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Reviews
This company currently has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
Most guests appreciate the opportunity to discover Central Park with the help of a guide who can take them to the most notable sites.
Many customers report that their tour guides are very friendly and helpful, providing a variety of information about the area and offering to take pictures at some of the more notable locations in the park.
Experience NYC
This is one of the most affordable pedicab tours in Central Park, and it covers a lot of ground over the course of the outing.
They are currently offering either a 1 or 2-hour tour, and you can obviously expect to see more if you choose the lengthier outing.
You can take this Central Park pedicab tour daily from 9 am - 6 pm, and their tours depart on the hour.
Some of the more notable stops include the Central Park Zoo, the Plaza Hotel, and the Natural History Museum.
1-Hour Pedicab Tour
- $55 per person
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 1 hour
2-Hour Pedicab Tour
- $109 per person
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 2 hours
Purchase tickets for one of these tours.
Reviews
This company currently enjoys a full 5 out of 5-star rating (read reviews here).
Most guests suggest that their guides are helpful and informative, and there are many reports that they include music on the tour to make the experience even more enjoyable.
Many customers indicate that this tour covers more entertainment topics, pointing out filming locations for popular shows such as Gossip Girls and Friends.
NYC Central Park Pedicab Tours
Much like its competitors, this company also offers pedicab tours in Central Park which cover a variety of notable sites and details about the area.
One of the nicest things about this service is that they will customize your experience.
If there are any specific sites or attractions you want to see in the park, make sure to tell your guide, and they’ll make sure to include it on the tour!
If you’re looking for an earlier start with your Central Park pedicab tours, this outing is offered daily from 7 am - 6 pm.
You can choose between a 1-hour public tour or a 2-hour private tour.
1-Hour Pedicab Tour
- $60/Adults | $55/Children
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 1 hour
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
2-Hour Private Pedicab Tour
- $120 per person
- Availability: Daily
- Duration: 2 hours
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Reviews
This company currently has an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
A majority of customers were very pleased with the experience, indicating their tour guides were humorous and informative.
Some guests even report that their guides made several stops for photo opportunities at notable and popular sites throughout the park.
Central Park Rides
If you’ve only got a limited amount of time to explore Central Park, this company offers a pedicab tour that runs for 45 minutes.
As you might expect, prices are also more reasonable than most of the other scheduled tours on this list.
One of the only drawbacks is that they don’t offer tours on the weekend.
That said, if you’re visiting on a weekday, they have outings available every half hour from 9 am - 6 pm.
- $59/Adults | $35/Youth (10-14) | $25/Children (3-9)
- Children under 3 are free
- Availability: Monday - Friday
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Reviews
This company currently has a 4 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor (read reviews here).
That said, guests were overall pleased with their experience and appreciated the chance to see some of the more notable sites in Central Park.
Walk-Up Pedicab Tours in Central Park
While there are a lot of pedicab tours and ride services in Central Park, not all of them are offered by reliable or trustworthy companies.
As a matter of fact, it’s possible you could even get scammed if you’re not careful!
We recommend scheduling a pedicab tour beforehand to prevent the possibility of either being overcharged or receiving poor service from an inexperienced pedicab driver.
That said, if you’re the spontaneous type, it will be important to keep in mind how much pedicab drivers typically charge for walk-up service.
If you decide to request a pedicab ride upon arriving at the park, you can expect them to charge $3 - $5 per minute.
This can get very pricey in no time, so it’s best to take a tour instead.
Here are a few of the most popular walk-up Central Park pedicab tour companies that you might want to consider:
- Go Hybrid NYC
- Ask for Frankie Legs, Prince Chouaib, or Josh
- Walk-up tour prices from $59 - $95
- Central Park Attractions
- Ask for Barrie
- Walk-up tour prices start at $30
- Central Park Airline
- Ask for Makan
- Walk-up tour prices start at $35
Are Prices Negotiable?
Depending on a number of factors (the number of pedicab drivers in the area, the time of day, etc.), you might be able to negotiate a lower price than usual.
That said, if you schedule a tour ahead of time, your price will not vary or change based on extraneous details.
TIP: If you know about specific locations you want to visit in Central Park, ask how much they will charge to take you to those attractions. They may quote you a lower price than usual if you cut the tour down to a few distinct stops.
Avoiding Central Park Pedicab Scams
If you want to avoid being scammed, the important thing to remember is that you should never be asked to pay more than $100 per person for an hour-long pedicab ride or tour.
There might be a few companies offering a more exclusive service, but for the most part, this activity should not put a big dent in your wallet.
Most of the tours we list are well under $100 per hour, and that’s about what you can expect, with average prices around $50 - $60 per outing.
Every few years a tourist will end up getting swindled out of $500 or more for a short pedicab ride, and that’s why we want to make sure that you understand the typical rate for this type of service.
The best way to avoid this problem entirely is by simply purchasing tickets ahead of time and scheduling Central Park pedicab tours before you head out.
Alternatively, you may also want to keep an eye out for the walk-up pedicabs that fellow tourists recommend on our NYC Travel Tips Facebook Group.
Can You See Central Park in One Day?
The perimeter of Central Park is six miles and it covers an area of 843 acres (341 hectares).
It takes almost an hour to walk the central park from top to bottom, and that's when you don't do sightseeing!
With a bike tour of Central Park, you can cover over six miles (10 km) of it without being too worn out.
Most of the central park bike tours starts from 8AM in the morning and the full day rental will cost you around $40-50.
The bike tours last from 2 hours to 6 hours depending upon the ticket you buy and time you want to spend.
And if you don't want to pedal by yourself, then the central park pedicab tours are the best option.
There are plenty of spots in Central park which you must visit if you are visiting the park and taking a bike or pedicab will ensure you get to see all of them in just one day.
Pedicab tours last for 1 hour for public tours and 2 hours for private tours. Most of the tours cover all the notable sites such as John Lennon's Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle, Wollman Rink, Cherry Hill Fountain and much more.
This makes pedicabs tours one of the best ways to cover most of Central Park spots in 2 hours of time.
But if you want to spend more time on each spots of the Central Park, then taking a rental bike is best option.
Various companies offer rental bikes for 2 hours to 24 hours and you can take the bike anywhere in central park without any time restriction.
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- Central Park Zoo
- Central Park Picnic
- Central Park Bicycle Tours & Bike Rentals
- Central Park Horse Carriage Ride
- Central Park Walking Tours
- Central Park Movies & TV Tour
- Things to Do in Central Park
- How Safe is Central Park?
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- Rockefeller Center
- NYC bike tours
