5.1/10Excellent Central Park West Hostel
Private NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Ride (Guided) Since 1965™
Historical Tours 40–45 min 4.7 · 32 reviews Offered in: English

Private NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Ride (Guided) Since 1965™

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Overview

Are you looking for a fun activity for yourself and kids in NYC, or romantic date ideas, or planning your visit to Central Park? Then Classic Central Park horse carriage ride is what you are looking for! This carefully planned tour includes the most popular attractions and beautiful scenic views.

You will see Wollman Rink, Carousel, Chess & Checker House, The Dairy, Literary Mall, Bethesda Fountain, The Lake, Boat Pond, Sheep Meadow, Tavern On The Green, Columbus Circle, Balto Statue, Summer Stage, The Boathouse Restaurant, Bandshell, and Cherry Hill.

You will hear plenty of interesting facts about Central Park and its attractions, and take memorable pictures at two photo stops at Bethesda Fountain and Cherry Hill (aka Friends Fountain).

  • Recommended by 98% of travelers
  • Badge of Excellence
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • Mobile ticket

What's included

Entertaining and informative tour (driver's story about the park and its attractions)

Treat for the horse

Capacity max 4 adults or 5 passengers (3 adults and 2 kids under 12)

All fees and/or taxes

Driver will gladly take memorable pictures of your group

Warm blankets in winter time

GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED. You can tip cash or card accepted. Thank you again!

Meeting and pickup

Travelers meet at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Our driver will call or text you with details about your carriage an hour before the ride.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What to expect

  1. Wollman Rink

    Wollman Rink is the largest public ice rink in NYC and also famous for scenes from movies such as Home Alone 2, Limitless, and Serendipity.

  2. Central Park Carousel

    Originally crafted in 1908, the current Carousel is one of the nation's largest merry-go-rounds, featuring 57 hand-carved horses and two decorative chariots.

  3. Chess & Checkers House Visitor Center

    The 24 tables surrounding this rustic pagoda are blessed with ample shade, ideal for a checkers game any time of year.

  4. The Dairy Visitor Center and Gift Shop

    Back in time, one of the critical needs of children was for fresh milk. Unfortunately, a series of scandals and cholera outbreaks placed the dairy production of the city under a cloud of suspicion. To lift suspicion and fulfill the Dairy needs of the people, the city provided a place where families could find a ready supply of fresh milk when traveling to the park. Thus, the dairy was built.
    Today, the Dairy serves as a general visitor center and provides the public with information on the design of Central Park, current park events and programs.

  5. Central Park's Literary Walk

    This quarter-mile promenade is flanked by towering American elm trees. A stroll along the Mall can be a transcendent experience, precisely what Olmsted and Vaux envisioned for the Park’s only formal promenade. The elegant path is surrounded by North America’s largest remaining stand of American elms, whose interlocking branches create a stained-glass effect as sunlight trickles to the ground.

  6. Balto Statue

    A heroic sled dog immortalized in bronze, Balto is a beloved fixture in the Park.

  7. SummerStage in Central Park

    A spacious outdoor entertainment venue just off the eastern edge of the Mall, Rumsey Playfield features all types of cultural delights—music, dance, spoken word, film.

  8. Conservatory Water

    This ornamental pond was originally constructed in 1858 as a reflecting pool for a glass conservatory, but the plan for the structure was abandoned. Instead, in the tradition of Parisian parks, it became a playground for model boats—and, consequently, one of the Park’s most beloved children’s attractions.

  9. Central Park Boathouse

    Loeb Boathouse is best known as the launch point for the rowboats dotting Central Park's iconic Lake.
    From Loeb Boathouse, visitors can also take a ride on an authentic Venetian gondola or enjoy a meal with a view at the Lakeside Restaurant. More casual fare can be found at the cafeteria-style Boathouse Express Cafe, where an inviting fireplace provides a cozy respite in winter.

  10. Bethesda Fountain

    2 min

    At 26 feet high and 96 feet in diameter, this fountain is one of the largest in the City. Created by sculptor Emma Stebbins, it commemorates the 1842 opening of the Croton Aqueduct, which brought fresh water from Westchester County into New York City and ended the cholera epidemic. Angel of the Waters—the City’s first major piece of public art commissioned from a woman—references the gospel of John, which describes an angel blessing the Pool of Bethesda and giving it healing powers. The lily in her left hand represents purity, and the four figures surrounding the pedestal below signify peace, health, purity, and temperance.
    The carriage will stop by the Bethesda Fountain, you will be able to have a short walk to the fountain and take pictures.

  11. Cherry Hill

    5 min

    The carriage will stop at the Cherry Hill (aka Friends Fountain) to have a short walk and take memorable pictures. Offering plenty of benches and shade, it is a popular spot to picnic, relax, and take in the views of rowboats and nearby Bow Bridge.

  12. The Lake

    5 min

    Central Park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux imagined the Lake as a place for ice skating in the winter—a pastime not available to New Yorkers at the time—and boating in the summer. On December 19, 1858, some 300 ice skaters took to the Lake at an unofficial “opening” of Central Park. The activity was an instant hit and soon skyrocketed in popularity; on Christmas morning the following year, nearly 8,000 skaters showed up. Though ice skating on the Lake is a thing of the past, the warm-weather tradition of rowboats and gondolas has endured for over 150 years.

  13. Sheep Meadow

    5 min

    Sheep Meadow was by far the most expensive part of Central Park’s original construction. Transforming the rocky swampland into a lush lawn was not easy. To build it, designers blasted out rock and put in several feet of soil in its place. From 1864 to 1934, the meadow had a dedicated team of somewhat unusual caretakers: a flock of grazing pedigree sheep. The sheep tended the meadow during the day and spent their evenings in the Sheepfold, in what is now Tavern on the Green.

  14. Pinebank Arch

    5 min

    Pinebank Arch is one of the five remaining original cast-iron bridges in Central Park. It looks over the bridle path 11 feet below, a peaceful and scenic sight. In the winter when the trees are bare, look instead for views of the grand midtown skyline. The bridge is also famous for the movie "Elf" was filmed.

  15. Columbus Circle

    5 min

    Columbus Circle is remarkable not only for its central monument but also for the subways beneath it and the collection of buildings clustered around it

  16. Heckscher Playground

    5 min

    Heckscher Playground is not only the oldest playground in Central Park, it is also the largest at almost two acres. In addition to the typical park attractions, such as a variety of slides, swings, and seesaws, Heckscher Playground features both a water fixture and giant rocks for climbing.

  17. Ghostbusters Building

    5 min

    Famous Ghostbusters Building and Marshmallow man church

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.

Times are local to the experience (America/New York).

Additional Information

  • Not recommended for travelers with serious Horse Allergy
  • Mobile or paper ticket accepted
  • Up to 4 travelers per booking

FAQs about Private NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Ride (Guided) Since 1965™

Can I cancel Private NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Ride (Guided) Since 1965™ for free?

Yes. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.

How long does it take?

It takes about 40–45 min.

What's included?

  • Entertaining and informative tour (driver's story about the park and its attractions)
  • Treat for the horse
  • Capacity max 4 adults or 5 passengers (3 adults and 2 kids under 12)
  • Driver will gladly take memorable pictures of your group
  • Warm blankets in winter time

What's not included?

  • GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED. You can tip cash or card accepted. Thank you again!

Which places does it visit?

It visits Wollman Rink, Central Park Carousel, Chess & Checkers House Visitor Center, The Dairy Visitor Center and Gift Shop, Central Park's Literary Walk, Balto Statue, SummerStage in Central Park, Conservatory Water.

Which languages is it offered in?

It is offered in English.

Operated by NYC Fancy Rides

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