Dine on the water's edge year-round, overlooking the 22-acre/9-hectare lake and its bird's-eye view of the Bethesda Fountain. This bucolic retreat offers a magical landscape of country charm set against the city's stunning skyline, as rowboats and an occasional gondola drift by. The food is as good as the view, and Sunday brunch is excellent. Less-expensive fare in Express Cafe right next door. To get there, hop on the complimentary red-and-green trolley at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue (call to see if the trolley is running) or, for the ultimate entrance, hire a horse-drawn carriage. Daily for lunch, Saturday and Sunday for brunch year-round. Dinner served daily April-November. Reservations required for lunch and dinner, not taken for brunch. $$$. Most major credit cards. Central Park Drive North, near East 72nd Street (subway line 6 to 68th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-517-2233. http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com.
