New: Self Guided Version of Our Gluten Free Walking Tour
New York City is a unique and special destination for the gluten-free community. It’s one of the few places where your dietary needs can be completely met within a mile or two of Manhattan’s popular sights.
On this walking tour through Central Park, I’ll show you several iconic locations that have shaped New York’s history. I’ll also tell you about the history of celiac disease and my personal journey, and share recommendations for fantastic gluten-free eateries.
This walking tour starts outside TAP NYC, a 100% gluten-free sandwich and açaí bowl cafe. From there, I’ll guide you through Central Park and share insights into its remarkable design, as well as a few stories behind its most famous spots.
You’ll walk in the footsteps of John Lennon and see sites linked to the iconic Beatles musician including his former home (the Dakota building, where he was shot) and Strawberry Fields, a striking memorial to him. I’ll show you some of the park’s lesser-known spaces, from the large Whisper Bench where hushed words can be heard on the other side of the bench, to the meteorological marvel of Belvedere Castle. On your way to the oldest artifact in New York, the Egyptian obelisk called Cleopatra’s Needle, you’ll pass by Cherry Hill and see the fountain created for horses, now a bird bath. This tour of history, nature, and urban design ends in front of the Miners Gate on 5th Avenue.
Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:
• Take a moment to enjoy the peaceful Imagine memorial mosaic that was gifted by the city of Naples, Italy
• Explore Shakespeare Garden, a beautiful four-acre space filled with the trees and flowers mentioned in the renowned writer’s plays and poems
• Hear about the origins of two important features in the park, the Western Shore Boat Landing and the Ladies Pavilion
• See the famous Alice in Wonderland and Christian Anderson sculptures as you navigate the Central Park Model Boat Pond
• Walk across the iconic Bow Bridge
• Admire the Angel of Waters sculpture at Bethesda Fountain, one of the first public art installations that a female artist was commissioned to do
• Pass by the Swedish Cottage, now home to Marionette Theatre, and learn about its journey around the world
By the end of this two-hour tour, you’ll see Central Park through new eyes, and understand its role as both a natural sanctuary and a cultural landmark. I’ll guide you out of the park and give you options for finding several 100% gluten-free establishments to have lunch or a lavish treat, all within one mile of the tour’s end point.
