Strawberry Fields

Not much to say about this place but it is a special landmark at Central Park.

Since it was covered in snow, it is hard to say whether this area looks different during other times of the year. There is a section that has the word "Imagine" on the floor and it is usually a popular spot for pictures. The day we went there was a guitarist sitting at a nearby bench singing Beatles music and it created an indescribable vibe. It was truly a peaceful and calming place to visit and people took turns taking pictures by the Imagine plaque on the floor.

Definitely one of the places to visit inside Central Park! Highly recommend to stop by here, as it can take you 10 minutes to visit.

Because I l love The Beatles & John Lennon, I visit Strawberry Fields when i'm in NYC. It's always filled with visitors from different countries. And there are always flowers from visitors on the "imagine" mosaic. The memorial consists of a five-acre landscape near the West 72nd Street entrance and includes the Imagine mosaic, where many come to pay tribute to John Lennon.

I left John a dozen white roses :)

You don't have to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this part of Central Park. But I do love it when some musician is hanging around singing a John Lennon or a Beatles tune. Strawberry Fields is a five-acre landscape memorial dedicated to British rock musician John Lennon. "Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by the Beatles and what this memorial is named after. It includes the "Imagine" mosaic (a song by Lennon) where many come to pay tribute to him. John Lennon was murdered at the nearby Dakota building across the street.

There are plenty of benches around the "Imagine" mosaic that you can sit on and listen to musicians pay tribute to John Lennon. The mosaic is usually often covered with flowers. John's wife Yoko Ono had a big part in putting this area of Central Park together. Many of the plants in Strawberry Fields come from many different countries. I think it is a nice relaxing area to come to and pay homage to a music legend who stood for peace.

If you are a Beatles or John Lennon fan, I highly suggest walking through Strawberry Fields in Central Park, and stopping by the Imagine mosaic. It's a beautiful memorial dedicated to John Lennon. The way the location is set up, you can see The Dakota apartment building, which is a surreal feeling. This is a dedicated quiet zone in the park, and it can be very peaceful.

Depending on the time of day/day of the week/time of the year, you will likely have a different experience each time you visit. Sometimes it is quiet and peaceful, with hardly anyone else there. And other times, it is extremely busy and noisy. Often times, there are musicians playing Beatles tribute music and it's a neat experience.

"Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me
Let me take you down
'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields"
(Lennon & McCartney)

From childhood, I've always been a Beatles fan, and I was at their historic Shea Stadium concert in Queens, NY on October 15, 1965. You see, my father was a paint chemist in Newark, NJ and one of the salesmen that called on him offered him tickets, so our family went to the show. I still have my ticket stub which I've posted as a photo with this review.

I've wanted to visit the John Lennon memorial at Strawberry Fields ever since it opened on October 9, 1985. That day would have been his 45th birthday.  Strawberry Fields is in a section of Central Park across the street from the Dakota Building, where Lennon was assassinated on December 8, 1980.

John's widow Yoko Ono Lennon played a big role in the design of the memorial. The finished product is near the Park's West 72nd Street entrance and includes

The design of Strawberry Fields includes small landscaped meadows and a winding path that leads to a mosaic tile star built into the pavement with the word "Imagine" in the center, from the iconic song from John's solo career.

I've read that Strawberry Fields is always crowded, and when we visited on a beautiful Saturday afternoon it sure was. The mosaic was ringed with tourists awaiting their turn for a photograph standing in its center.

I ended up being disappointed with my visit, because John and the Beatles meant (and continue to mean) so much to me. Much of that disappointment came from an obnoxious guitarist who detracted from the spirit and atmosphere I expected .

He sat on a bench playing and singing Beatles songs between his harangues begging for donations. Hearing him say "I'm a serious artist, I'm on Spotify" and "if you clap and walk away you make me sad" really seemed inappropriate.

Had John been around, no doubt he would have told him to "bugger off".

" Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields Nothing is real And nothing to get hung about Strawberry Fields forever". An iconic spot to take pictures at (and right across the street from where John Lennon was murdered). If you're lucky, there'll be some musicians there playing some Beatles songs.

2023 #116

Strawberry Fields is a monument that pays tribute to John Lennon of Beatles fame. It's basically just a mosaic on the ground that says "Imagine" and tourists like to place flowers on it, stand on it, and take selfies on it. It's crowded and impossible to get a photo of the mosaic. Perhaps if I cared about the Beatles I would appreciate the monument, but I don't see what all the fuss is about.

It's also very noisy, with people blasting music, which is surprising, because Strawberry Fields is a designated "quiet zone", meaning there is no music allowed and you must use earphones if listening to music. Clearly the rule is not obeyed and enforced, and the whole area is chaotic. Don't go out of your way to see it -- it's not worth it.

[Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; NY Summer 2022; NY Central Park; Monuments, Memorials, and Historical Markers]

Got to scratch this gem off my bucket list! Central Park is absolutely gorgeous and amazing, and this tribute to John Lennon did not disappoint. Complete with a nice young gentleman dressed in a suit, playing Beatles songs on his guitar. I was moved to tears.

Experience the legacy of John Lennon and The Beatles at this extraordinary site, graciously donated by Yoko Ono for fans to cherish. The Dakota arch stands as a poignant reminder of John's untimely departure, yet his memory lives on through the enduring melodies of Strawberry Fields Forever.

"You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one," -John Lennon, "Imagine"

A few years ago, I came to New York with a group of friends and we visited the John Lennon memorial in Central Park (AKA Strawberry Fields). At the time, I had no idea that this memorial had a name other than "Imagine".

Strawberry Fields is actually a 2.5 acre section of Central Park shaped like a teardrop and across the street from where the famous musician lived and was murdered.

I was unaware of the larger scope of the memorial at the time of my visit. Our sole focus was on the famous centerpiece of the memorial which is a black and white, stone mosaic on the ground that says "Imagine". Flowers from visitors enhance the beauty of the artwork.

Both "Strawberry Fields" and "Imagine" are famous songs written by John Lennon. "Strawberry Fields" was written for The Beatles. "Imagine" is both a song and a solo album by Lennon and the best-selling single of his solo career. It has historically been an anthem for peace.

We were lucky enough to come to the park at an off time and have the memorial all to ourselves. It was a very peaceful experience. The mosaic is a very pretty piece of artwork and a fitting tribute. I definitely think it's a must-have photo op when you visit but don't get caught up in only taking a photo. It's also a nice place to just come and reflect. This spot is a must-visit for any Beatles fan.

I've had mixed feelings about Strawberry Fields for a while. I do love how beautiful the area is and I love that there's a memorial for John Lennon because he was a legend in the music industry, but it honestly is enough to make someone a little uneasy because of the way that there seems to be a line slightly crossed between admiration and idolization.

At times it can be very peaceful, and you can walk through and appreciate the memorial and the fields before entering the park but there are times when it's filled with people singing Beatles songs, leaving candles, smoking marijuana, selling merchandise, and circling around the memorial.

While I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, but it is enough to make some feel uncomfortable. I am a huge Beatles fan and I love the music, but sometimes it seems a little excessive and it's almost impossible to make your way through the massive crowds of people.