Trudy
This Summer has been full of family visits, guided tours yours truly, exceeding my daily step goals and daily caloric intake. And one of the places I was most excited about going with my nieces was the Seaglass Carousel in Battery Park. Everything about it is dreamy, from the location to the architecture, the huge colorful tropical fish, and the experience. It is tucked away in between all of the skyscrapers of Manhattan on its very edge, next to the Staten Island Ferry Station and staring out river at the Statue of Liberty.
It’s designed to look like a colorful aquarium and at night to light up like a child’s nightlight in bright colors. The carousel has officially been open a full year this month and I have been wanting to come here since opening day. The carousel commemorates one of the first public aquariums in the country, Castle Clinton, which closed in 1941.
I have to admit that I felt like I traveled back through time to my childhood, and I really liked it. I traveled to a time before electronics, a time before quick moving distractions, video games and indulged in something so innocent and wondrous. The colors were soothing and the music was calming and melodic. I have to come back again at night and see the full experience of the vibrant lights against the night sky.
The carousel is open every day, weather permitting, from 10 am to 10 pm and a ride is only $5. During the ride the fish light up and move up and down while the carousel spins inside choreographed to classical music. Here is video of the carousel in motion.
Even if you aren’t into coral reef fish like I am, you’ll love the step back into time to a wide-eyed child in a huge lit up life size fish spinning around for about five minutes. Everyone needs those moments of wonder every once in a while. Am I right? If you are in town, drop by the Seaglass Carousel is located at State street and Water street in lower Manhattan. You won’t regret your visit.
Do you enjoy carousels? Do you have one in your town that you enjoy riding or watching others ride? Let me know in the comments below, I want to know all about it.
UPDATE: I went back to experience the carousel at night and of course it was even better than the daytime and lucky me there was a four-piece live band playing for the carousel instead of the taped music. Just glorious!
Until our next rendezvous…
XOXO
Trudy
Hi Trudy! Your photos don’t show in this post. I’d love to see them! ? Please!
I’d love to, I have to do the post over. I think the WordPress app doesn’t like me. I’ve been trying to catch up with posting while on the train but it didn’t work out properly. So this post may disappear till tomorrow if I can’t make the pictures show properly..
New version is up!
Beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you for visiting me! I hope that you are back again soon.!
I love this, so cute! So jealous that you live in NYC, I’ve only ever been there once but fell in love with the city! Will definitely be visiting your blog frequently! Hope you’ll check out/follow my blog too 🙂 https://myhappycornerblog.wordpress.com
No need to be jealous. I’m sure that there are great things where you live as well. I do love living here and I’d be very happy if you did visit and hopefully subscribe.
My little girl would love this. We went on a traditional carousel recently and she had a whale of a time.
You would love it too, believe me!
This is one of the reasons I love NYC so much—–it’s like a little amusement park in the city!!
Jodie
Yes, it’s small and right in the middle of a community park, surrounded by commercial buildings, landmarks, and high rise apartments.
This is so cool! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been to NYC for business several times, but never to play. It’s on my list!!
There are a couple more that I want to visit and take pictures of, they are the more traditional kind. Maybe I’ll post about those too!
Definitely a good idea. I know I’d like to read about them!
I’ll get to it, I just have to available on good weather days to take decent pictures.
You’re making me long from home. I’m originally from Brooklyn…
You don’t visit, anymore? Come for a weekend or actually I would suggest a Monday and Tuesday that way everyone is at work and all sites are empty.
What a fun post! the photos were great! Like you said, magical and calming.
When my boys and I visit my mom we are always seeking evening activities. This one seems excellent. Thanks for the idea, images, and video.
I have never been to Battery Park. I need to go on one of my trips back to NYC.
The view of the water and of the Statue Of Liberty from the park is beautiful and I love the bike paths. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.
Aww, NY has always been that ‘never come true dream’ t me, simply because I couldn’t cope with these long flight hours and stop overs, but New York … the name already has got something magical. I would surely feel like Alice in Wonderland ? , I can’t even figure out the immense size of the city. And all so loud and hectic, don’t think I could live there, although I am fascinated by NY. I am so glad I found your blog ? now I can visit NY regularly ?
It’s definitely not all bright lights and big city, everywhere. If you plan your trip to New York with enough time you can travel to the vineyards, hike in the mountains, visit farms and fisheries on Long Island. You’ll see I visited orchard close to the city limits. I still want to blog about Winter in the Catskills and of course Niagara Falls. We have the full spectrum. I’m glad that you’ve made the virtual trip here with me. I’ll try to keep changing it up.
I love that! Especially how it glows at night. My kids would think it was amazing – they love carousels!