Bryant Park Winter Village Guide: Ice Skating + Holiday Shops & More

Each year Bryant Park is transformed into a winter wonderland, The Winter Village at Bryant Park. Bryant Park Winter Village includes all the elements needed to spend the holiday cheer including open-air market stalls, an ice rink, festive food stalls, and the Lodge Deck which serves up seasonal cocktails and food. This is the perfect place to enjoy the holiday season in New York City.

Bryant Park Winter Village Dates

The Bryant Park Winter Village opens on October 30th. The shops run until January 3rd, while the Lodge Deck and ice skating remain open through early March. Due to its early opening, visiting the Bryant Park Winter Village is the perfect way to begin the holiday season. And it is a great place to enjoy a winter day in the city after Christmas is over.

Holiday Shops

The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park Winter Village are perfect for browsing for gifts and decorations. The green and glass kiosks perfectly compliment the aesthetic of Bryant Park so much that they appear as if they are a permanent fixture of the park. The glass kiosks make it easy to window shop as you are walking through the Winter Village. I found myself enticed to take a closer look inside the shops more often than not as each shop is unique. The various artisan shops are a unique element of the Bryant Park Winter Village. You will not find repetitive shops selling the same items as you may in other Christmas markets. You will find everything from shops selling Christmas ornaments to sock shops and jewelry stalls.

Ice Skating

The ice skating rink at Bryant Park is the center element of the Winter Village. From anywhere in the park, you can see the ice skating rink. If you’re looking to experience a bit of holiday fun, I definitely recommend skating at Bryant Park. If you don’t have time in your schedule for ice skating, still be sure to grab a hot chocolate or a fun holiday cocktail from the Lodge Deck to drink as you enjoy the atmosphere of the ice skating rink. Nothing says holiday cheer like the sound of ice skates hitting the ice and people whizzing by on a brisk winter day.

The rink at the Bryant Park Winter Village is the only free rink in New York City. If you bring your own skates, you can skate free of charge. Your only cost is skate rentals. The price of skate rentals fluctuates depending on the time of day and day of the week. There are surge prices for more popular days and times. Additionally, you need to reserve a spot ahead of time if you plan to skate. You can reserve a spot and check rental prices here. With a Bank of America credit card, you get 10% off skate rentals.

The Lodge Deck

The Lodge Deck at Bryant Park Winter Village is the coziest rink-side spot to grab food and festive drinks. Here you can grab savory food perfect for a winter day, the menu includes artisans sausages, Bavarian pretzels, and hearty soups. You can also get a beer, wine, a hot toddy, or other seasonal beverages.

If you’re looking for a treat, be sure to get one of the chimney stacks from The Stakery located in The Lodge Deck. These are no standard chimney stacks. Try the Frosty’s Cocoa, an absolute winter treat of Ghiradelli Hot Cocoa in a Chimney Stack. If this is too extreme for you, you can also purchase regular hot cocoa at Bryant Park Winter Village.

The Experience at Bryant Park Winter Village

The experience at Bryant Park Winter Village is absolute winter cheer! This area certainly feels more wintery than Christmassy, so it is the perfect spot to enjoy before the Christmas season has officially begun and all throughout the winter. During an early November visit to NYC, visiting the Bryant Park Winter Village was the best way to get into the holiday spirit. There were only a few holiday decorations around the city at this time, so it was fantastic to be able to enjoy the holiday season before it officially begun after Thanksgiving in New York.