Maneuvering your way around Central Park can be tricky for visitors...and native New Yorkers too! We can only tell east from west solely by what side of Fifth Avenue we're on, so needed a way to navigate Central Parklike the locals that we are.

So when we read this little tip in Mental Floss, (a really fun magazine, by the way) our geek side joined forces with our always-hopelessly-lost side and we let out a big fat yelp!

If you're in Central Park and want to find out where you are, here's how to do it:

Head to a lamp post
Each lamp post has four numbers at its base
The first 2 will tell you the nearest street
The second 2 point out if you're nearer the east side or the west
Even numbers = east. Odd numbers = west.

Got it? So if you're stumbling around the park searching for the boat pond to show to the kids, and you know it's by 72nd St. and Fifth Ave. but good God you have no earthly idea where you currently are, just stop at a lamp post. There are 1600 of them.

Decipher the code and you'll know instantly whether you're heading in the right direction. No more getting lost!

I know, I know...you can use your phone. But isn't this little bit of detective work a lot more fun?

Image via johnandersonphoto/iStock