The Best $17 You’ll Spend with Kids in Central Park

Remote-control sailboats at Conservatory Water are charming, affordable, surprisingly relaxing, and one of our favorite NYC parenting wins.

After five years of parenting in New York City, I can confidently say this is one of the best family activities in Central Park: remote-control sailboats at Conservatory Water. It’s affordable, charming, wonderfully old-school, and somehow never feels as chaotic as you expect it to.

If you have kids between about 3 and 10 years old, put the remote control sailboats at Conservatory Water on your weekend list immediately.

Last weekend, we took our 3 and 5-year-old daughters, and they still haven’t stopped talking about it. (Bonus: our one-year-old was perfectly content watching the boats and ducks from the safety of her stroller.)

For $17, you get a 30-minute rental of a model sailboat. At first, I worried 30 minutes would feel too short, but it ended up being the absolute sweet spot. The girls each got multiple turns steering, caught on to the controls quickly, and stayed completely engaged the entire time without any mid-activity meltdowns.

The pond is large enough that the boats genuinely catch the wind and sail, but small enough that younger kids never lose track of their ship. My daughters got a total kick out of navigating around the other boats and trying to steer through the wakes.

The sailboat rental is really just one part of the experience.

There is almost always something happening around the water. During our visit, we caught a beautiful solo cellist at the start of our rental and a lively jazz band toward the end. Then there are the ducks. We spent almost as much time watching a family of tiny ducklings navigate the pond as we did sailing our own boat.

It is one of those places that feels like classic New York. 

Right beside the pond is Le Pain Quotidien.

Grab a coffee if you’re tackling the morning shift, or if you’re visiting later in the day, treat yourself to a glass of wine. There is something pretty magical about sitting on a park bench with a chilled glass of rosé while your kids are happily entertained by the boats, ducks, and general Central Park magic.

It is one of those rare kid activities where the adults genuinely get to relax and enjoy themselves, too. (Though, fair warning: my husband definitely tried to “help” a few times just so he could steal the remote).

The rentals are operated by Rocking the Boat, a fantastic non-profit that teaches boatbuilding and environmental science to youth in the Bronx!

Location: Conservatory Water in Central Park near East 74th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Cost: $17 for a 30-minute remote control sailboat rental.

Season: Typically April through November, weather permitting. Central Park’s current guide notes the boating season generally runs April to November, weather permitting, and that children under 12 need supervision.

Time of day: I recommend mornings if you want fewer people, but weekends are fun because there is usually more happening around the pond. We loved having musicians playing while we watched the boats.

Ages: I think ages 3+ is the sweet spot. My 3-year-old needed a little help with the controls, while my 5-year-old could mostly do it herself. Though be sure you use the neck strap so the control doesn’t go for a swim. 

What else is nearby:

• The Alice in Wonderland Statue: Located literally a one-minute walk from the pond, this is hands-down one of the best climbing statues in the city.
• Hans Christian Andersen Statue: Just across the way. Sometimes they host storytelling hours here in the summer.

• No Breadcrumbs! Feeding the ducks isn’t allowed, but they are plenty entertaining just to watch.
• Set Expectations: 30 minutes goes by fast. If you have multiple kids sharing a boat, let them know the game plan for taking turns before you launch.
• Pack a Blanket: We ended up staying long after our rental ended just lounging by the water, watching the serious model-boat club members race their giant yachts.

In a city where it’s terrifyingly easy to spend $100 before lunch, finding a magical afternoon activity that costs less than $20 feels like a massive parenting win.