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

Meeting point

Where

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

Departure

43 start times between 08:00 and 23:59 daily; scheduled through November 2027 (operator schedule, seats confirmed at checkout)

Return

This activity ends back at the meeting point

Pickup

No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point

Operator

Nyc Fancy Rides; booking and payment are completed on Viator

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.

   Pass by, no stop
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.

   Pass by, no stop
3. The 24 tables surrounding this rustic pagoda are blessed with ample shade, ideal for a checkers game any time of yearPass by, no stop
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.

   Pass by, no stop
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.

   Pass by, no stop
6. Balto Statue

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

   Pass by, no stop
7. 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, filmPass by, no stop
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.

   Pass by, no stop
9. 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.

   Pass by, no stop
10. 10
    NYC Central Park Horse Carriage Rides

    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.

    2 min
11. 11
    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.

    5 min
12. 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.

    Pass by, no stop
13. 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.

    Pass by, no stop
14. 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.

    Pass by, no stop
15. Columbus Circle

    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

    Pass by, no stop
16. Heckscher Playground

    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.

    Pass by, no stop
17. Ghostbusters Building

    Famous Ghostbusters Building and Marshmallow man church

    Pass by, no stop

About this tour, from the operator