As the weather shifts towards the winter season, I find this to be my favorite time of year to visit New York City. The illuminated skyscrapers and holiday decorations create an enchanting backdrop, and several iconic locations open their doors to the public. On November 15, my friend Aaron and I attended the opening of the Bank of America Winter Village at New York’s famous Bryant Park. The Winter Village features nearly 200 vendors and a 17,000-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink. It is open now through January 2, 2024, full of unique activities and events.
I have visited Bryant Park a few times. When I was in high school one summer, I rode my bike with some friends over the George Washington Bridge to get to Bryant Park where we hung out, grabbed food, and faced off against some chess hustlers in the park. (I am decent at chess, but these players were very fast and generally highly rated.) Once a week, throughout the summer, there is a free movie night under the stars on a giant screen that is great entertainment for families. While the park is beautiful and enjoyable to visit in the summer, winter is truly the best time of year to explore this exemplary location due to its Winter Village and ice skating rink.
When Aaron and I arrived at the park, we first made our way to the ice skating rink. Skating is free for visitors, but if you don’t have your own skates, you can rent a pair for $18. Closer to the peak holiday season, however, the rental fee can go up to as much as $55. I am not much of an ice skater; I think I’ve attempted to skate twice in Camp Moshava with very minimal success. Perhaps I was able to go around the rink once or twice on my own, but I never learned how to skate properly. I hoped that after years of not skating, I would magically be able to skate.
That was wishful thinking.
Skating at Bryant Park was unlike any skating rink I’ve ever experienced. There were hundreds of people, most of whom were skilled skaters, gliding around the ice at seemingly breakneck speeds (at least from my perspective). It’s a truly fantastic spot because it’s surrounded by several renowned New York buildings. Directly behind the rink is the newly built One Vanderbilt, illuminated in a stunning purple glow. The building’s glass-and-steel structure gleamed like a shimmering purple crystal. To the right, the Empire State Building towered majestically over the surrounding skyscrapers. All of the other ice skating rinks I’ve visited have been indoors, so visiting an outdoor rink, especially in New York at night, was really quite appealing.
Before we could skate, Bryant Park conveniently had a bag check right next to the skate rental store, costing $5 for small items, and $15 for anything larger. I checked my bag, and we each got a pair of skates, then headed towards the rink. Tip: When ice skating, it’s important to tie your skates as tightly as possible so that they’ll be secure on your feet, and you won’t accidentally trip over the laces, which tend to be very long. There was only one entrance into the rink, and that night, there was an attendant by the rope who ushered us in.
As soon as I stepped onto the ice, my legs immediately began to shake from nerves as I worried about slipping. I quickly clung to the wall to regain my composure. Aaron tried showing me the proper technique and how to maintain my balance, but I am a slow learner. After a few minutes, Aaron skated off without me and had fun doing a few laps. There were a few skating experts on staff wearing yellow staff jackets. Whenever someone fell over, they would swoop over to help. I was too scared to try and skate on my own since there were so many people around me, afraid that if I slipped, one of them might accidentally bump into me. The experience was unlike those with my camp when we went to a private indoor rink with so many fewer people, and there was plenty of room to experiment without worrying about being hit if I fell. Eventually, Aaron found me, and he held my arm to help me keep my balance. We were able to do a lap around the huge rink, and I only fell once.
After skating, we headed over to a heated area called The Lodge, which was a mini atrium with a bar in the center. We were shown a special roped-off area for media staff where they were giving out churros and glasses of wine (which we, unfortunately, couldn’t have since they weren’t kosher to our knowledge). It was a cool bar with couches and TVs all around, definitely an underrated spot in the park. We relaxed there for a few minutes and rested our legs, which were sore from skating.
Once we were refreshed, we headed over to the Winter Village, a collection of pop-up shops scattered throughout the park. There were some unique and interesting stores unlike any I had ever seen. One shop, located closer to Fifth Avenue, had a Canadian theme and sold winter sock hats and other strange yet cozy-looking winter apparel. They even gave me a special glove that was incredibly warm and had a cup holder at the end, perfect for carrying cold drinks in the winter. Another interesting store, also situated near Fifth Avenue, was run by a frum Jew who sold a variety of kosher exotic teas. We strolled past many other vendors selling intriguing art pieces and unique souvenirs.
Coming up at the Bryant Park ice rink on Tuesday, November 28 at 6 p.m., will be a special skating event featuring prominent Olympic skaters, including Mariah Bell (2022 U.S. Olympian), Karen Chen (U.S. Team Silver Medalist and three-time U.S. National Bronze Medalist), and Alex Knierim with Brandon Fraizer (2022 U.S. Olympic Team Silver Medalists). The event is open to the public, free of charge, with limited capacity available on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition to the Winter Village festival, Bryant Park offers Bumper Cars on Ice after the festival concludes in early January. I’ve always enjoyed bumper cars, but I’ve never tried them on ice (only the traditional carnival version and the ones on water). I hope to give it a try this winter when they open. To participate, riders must be at least 7 years old, 42 inches tall, and weigh under 300 pounds. Bumper cars can be booked online in advance, up to the morning of your chosen date, and cost between $20 and $25 depending on the day.
Wintertime in New York City is truly magical, and a visit to the Winter Village should definitely be on your agenda if you’re looking for unique and charming experiences. While I wouldn’t recommend Bryant Park as the ideal spot for your first ice skating adventure due to the large crowds of experienced skaters, it’s certainly a delightful and affordable option for those who are already comfortable on the ice. I’m planning to revisit this winter (especially to try out bumper carting) and highly recommend checking it out for yourself.
Admission: Free to skate if you have your own skates; Winter Village is also free.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11a.m.-8pm; Saturday-Sunday opens earlier at 10 a.m.
Address: Bryant Park is situated on 42nd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue.
Unique Feature: Outdoor ice skating rink and offbeat shops in the heart of New York
Zachary Greenberg is a consultant at Semler Brossy and the TABC track coach. In 2015 and 2016 while attending TABC, Zack competed in the Yeshiva League Poetry Slam competition. He also recently watched the latest installment in the MCU “The Marvels.” If you have any recommendations of fun places for him to cover, email [email protected].
