Take a horse-drawn carriage ride

A horse drawn carriage ride is slow on purpose. You sit side by side, wrapped in a blanket, and watch a town or a park go by at the speed of a walking horse. It’s one of the few winter things that is mostly about sitting still, which makes it an easy yes after a long week.

When and where

Go after dark, when the lights are on. Early evening, once it’s properly dark but before it gets late, is the sweet spot: the streets are lit and you can still get home at a sensible hour.

Rides tend to run in downtowns, parks and farms, often through the holidays. To find one:

• Search for carriage or sleigh rides near you, and look at the operator’s own page for how to book.
• Check what the ride covers. A lit-up main street is a different evening from a loop through a park or a farm.
• Ask about the length, how many people ride together and whether you can have the carriage to yourselves. Some rides are private and some are shared.
• Ask what happens in bad weather. Rain, strong wind or ice can cancel a ride, and a good operator will tell you how they handle it.

This is a small treat rather than a free one, so it helps to know the price before you go. Rides are often charged per carriage rather than per person, so going with a friend can make it easier to split.

What to wear and bring

You will be sitting still outside, and that is colder than walking.

• A warm coat, a hat that covers your ears, gloves and a scarf
• Thick socks and boots with room for your toes
• A blanket for your lap, if the operator doesn’t provide one
• Some cash, in case you’d like to tip the driver. Check what’s usual where you are.
• A thermos of something hot, only if the operator allows it. Ask first.

How to do it

1. Book a ride, or find where the carriages wait. Confirm the time, the meeting point and the length.
2. Arrive a few minutes early. Horses and drivers run on a schedule, and the driver will explain how to get on.
3. Step up carefully. Use the step, go slowly, and wait for the driver’s instruction if they give one.
4. Pull the blanket over both of you and sit close.
5. Let the ride be the whole plan. Look at the lights, the rooftops and the horse’s ears. Put your phone away after a photo or two.
6. Say thank you to the driver when you get off. If you’d like to meet the horse, ask first, as they are working animals.

Around horses

Horses are large and can be startled. Don’t walk behind one, don’t feed it unless the driver says you can, and keep loose scarves and bags tucked in. Follow the driver’s instructions, since they know the horse.

What goes wrong

• It’s too cold. Layers are the fix: a second pair of socks, hand warmers in your gloves and the blanket right up to your chest. If it’s bitterly cold, pick a shorter ride.
• It’s fully booked. Try a weekday evening, or an earlier time slot. Booking a few days ahead usually avoids this.
• There’s no snow, so no sleigh. A carriage on wheels works just as well. It’s the lights that make the evening.
• The ride is shorter than you hoped. Plan something after it. A hot drink nearby turns a short ride into a whole evening.
• The weather turns. Ask what the operator does, and keep the evening flexible.

After the ride

Keep it simple. Walk a little to get your feet going again, then go somewhere warm. If you took a photo of the lights from the carriage, that is your keepsake, and it’s what you can add to your passport.

Make it a winter evening

Pair the ride with a drink somewhere warm and you have a whole evening for very little effort. Pick a night when Christmas lights are on in your town, then finish with hot chocolate.