Lasker Pool and Rink

Profile

Overlooking the Meer at the top of Central Park, this free, public pool can accommodate a whopping 1,824 people at a time in the summer, when neighborhood kids and tourists alike queue up along Central Park North to get in and cannonball. Then, once the lifeguards go off duty after Labor Day, Lasker transforms into a full-fledged ice-skating rink for the winter. (Unlike to swim, there’s a small fee to ice skate, but the crowds remain constant anyway.) Park programs, too, span the seasons, so the summer brings free swim lessons for kids, while adult pick-up ice-hockey leagues start up when the temperature drops. Operated by Donald Trump since 2001, Lasker is also available for private events, which run the gamut from small birthday parties to corporate seminars and product launches. — Randi Eichenbaum