Visitors to New York City often ask what they can do as soon as they land. One great tip is to send them to Bryant Park at Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street where there are always great activities to explore and there’s always a place to sip and have a refreshment.
If they’re set to arrive between October 29 and March 6, they’ll have the chance to enjoy The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, which is home to a free-admission skating rink, holiday market and cozy, wintery food offerings.
The rink, a completely outdoor experience, is open daily. Skate time and rentals can be reserved in advance online with new skate reservation dates to be released on a rolling basis throughout the season. Face coverings are encouraged, and Bryant Park continues to implement additional cleaning protocols throughout the day to ensure shared rental equipment and high-touch surfaces are sanitized and safe for use.
The open-air holiday market will be open on a daily basis through January 2, 2022. The market will be home to more than 170 new and returning merchants.
Bank of America will also host a Small Business Spotlight, in which four of the city’s minority-owned small businesses with annual revenue of $1 million or less will be presented with the opportunity to showcase their merchandise in a rent-free booth, as part of this season’s Holiday Shops.
Last year’s featured small businesses included Tree Star, a sustainable candle and soap company; custom-designed hat shop, Harlem’s Heaven Hats; Brooklyn-based Annie Mae’s Bakery; and Tibet Tree of Life, a business selling shawls, incense and other products made in the Himalayan region.
This year’s featured small businesses will be announced soon.
Tip: The Lodge by Prime Video will offer a covered, outdoor après skate escape where visitors can enjoy a festive cocktail, tuck into delicacies or watch the ice skaters. For more information, visit www.bryantpark.org.
New Walking Tour Offered
Visitors often want to know about the best walking tour to take. If they’re focusing on Midtown, Like a Local Tours, a Brooklyn-based tour company has announced the launch of its new “Fifth Avenue Walking Tour.” Created in partnership with the Fifth Avenue Association, the tour will provide locals and tourists an opportunity to learn the historical stories and events behind the famed retail avenue.
Visitors taking the tour will learn about the history of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, take a walk inside Saks Fifth Avenue and participate in storytelling sessions about other landmarks such as Rockfeller Center, The Plaza Hotel, Tiffany’s, Cartier and more.
Guests will receive special access at The Pierre, including a guided visit to the historic photo gallery under the lobby, which features photos of famous guests and old menus.
The tour finishes with a stroll through Central Park and the option for a glass of wine or cocktail at Perrine, The Pierre’s newly reopened restaurant with outdoor dining. The Pierre opened in 1930 and has served as a cornerstone for fashion icons, business magnates and silver-screen superstars. The hotel’s ballrooms have been the site for noteworthy movies such as “Scent of a Woman," “Joe vs The Volcano,” “Arthur,” “Ocean’s 8,” among others.
The walking tour will run in the fall and winter, and on evenings during the holiday season to allow guests to experience the beauty of New York City including lights, window displays and, the main feature, the Christmas tree.
Tickets range from $26 (children aged four-10) to $36 (for people above 11), while children below three years can enjoy free admission. The tour lasts for two hours on average, and is limited to 10 persons per tour due to COVID protocol. The total walking distance of the tour is one and a half miles. For more information, visit www.likealocaltours.com.
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