7 Amazing Carousels In New York City
If you are looking for a fun getaway for your family or just want to escape your busy schedules, then the carousels are something to go for! There are more than enough carousels in New York City to keep the whole family entertained, but here are the best of the best.
Jane’s Carousel
Take the kids or go for a ride yourself on a beautiful, antique carousel. Built in 1922 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the carousel was lovingly restored and donated to the park by Jane and David Walentas. Located in the Empire Fulton Ferry section of Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jane’s Carousel is housed in a gorgeous glass pavilion, designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel.
Beautiful views of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges while riding. Who says a $2.00 ride can’t make an adult feel like a kid again!
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: Jane’s Carousel
Sea Glass Carousel
SeaGlass is a magical, aquarium–themed carousel like no other. It is an immersive experience of movement, music, and light. Riders sit inside one of 30 monumental fish becoming both the performers and the audience. It is a spectacular convergence of art and entertainment.
With no center pole, riders move up and down and swirl around. Their interwoven movements simulate multiple swim patterns and give the rider the feeling of underwater weightlessness. Come to this extraordinary ride to the depths of the sea for excitement, wonder, and fintastic FUN.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: Sea Glass Carousel
Central Park Carousel
The Carousel has been a beloved Central Park tradition for nearly 150 years. Fifty-seven hand-carved and painted horses — plus two chariots — “gallop” along to Calliope music played by a mechanical organ. It’s one of the largest carousels in the country and with nearly 250,000 riders a year, also among the most popular.
A shining example of American Folk Art, this vintage gem was built by the Brooklyn firm Stein & Goldstein in 1908. It was brought to the Park along with the current mechanical organ, which has 86 keys, two drums, a tambourine, cymbals, and twenty paper roll records. This carousel has endured for decades — so while it’s Central Park’s fourth carousel, it’s far from the newest.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: Central Park Carousel
Prospect Park Carousel
Located in Prospect Park’s Children’s Corner, the Carousel is one of the park’s most popular attractions. Its 53 magnificent horses ride alongside a lion, a giraffe, a deer and two dragon-pulled chariots. Carved in 1912 by Charles Carmel, one of the foremost carousel designers of his time, the Carousel was restored by the Prospect Park Alliance in 1990. It is one of the only wheelchair accessible carousels in the nation. It remains a popular destination for birthday parties and other special events.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: Prospect Park Carousel
Bug Carousel
If you’ve ever had the urge to ride a giant firefly, the Bronx has you covered. Located right next to the butterfly exhibit at the Bronx Zoo is a wholly different kind of entomological exhibit: the kind that doubles as an amusement ride.
In lieu of horses and other mammalian and mythological beasts, the Bronx Zoo Bug Carousel features 64 different types of insects that you can mount — including fireflies, beetles, grasshoppers, and ladybugs. There are also two stationary chariots: a monarch butterfly and a dung beetle. Each figure is hand-carved from basswood and painted to look just like its real-life critter counterpart.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: Bug Carousel
The Pier 62 Carousel
Take a ride on Hudson River Park’s Pier 62 Carousel featuring custom-designed Hudson River Animals. Your child (or your inner child) will thank you.
This signature 36 ft carousel has been created using 33 hand-carved wood figures of Hudson River Valley animals and one chariot, allowing for up to 36 passengers, per ride. The carousel building has been designed with a green roof and opens out to a large sprawling lawn and tree-lined pathways.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: The Pier 62 Carousel
B&B Carousell
The B&B Carousell is a historic carousel at Coney Island in Brooklyn. It was built by Coney Island-based manufacturer William F. Mangels c., 1906–1909, with wooden horses carved by Marcus Illions. The carousel has been relocated and refurbished several times over its history. The B&B Carousell has been located in Luna Park since 2013.
The “Carousell” in the attraction’s name is derived from the way Mangels’s brochures spelled the word, while the “B&B” refers to two former owners. Charles Carmel crafted replacement horses for the B&B Carousell in 1927, and August Wolfinger painted murals on the carousel’s rounding boards in the 1940s. It is the last operating carousel in Coney Island, and in 2016, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 Amazing Carousels In New York City: B&B Carousell