Pedicab tour vs a Carriage ride in Central Park? What’s a better value – pros and cons

Central Park has a lot to offer, be it as sights, places, attraction as well as ways to tour and transport. Bicycling is a park icon, and a lot of visitors enjoy walking the narrow path. Still, if you want to sit back, relax, and just enjoy the sights without much of a physical effort, or to add a romantic and untraditional vibe to your tour, then you can go for a pedicab tour or a carriage ride. Both have pros and cons, and it depends solely on you to decide which one to pick.

Pedicab tour

Also known as a cycle rickshaw is a small means of transportation. It’s like the regular rickshaws that we see in the Jackie Chan movies, but it is pulled by a man on a bike, instead of one on foot. They’re gaining immense popularity all over the world including Central Park. It is an exciting alternative and by far a different experience to anything provided in the park. It can be considered as a mix between a carriage and a bike ride – you are in an open vehicle, that allows you to sit back, enjoy the ride, the views and the company, but at the same time providing you a great level of comfort. They are very popular among couples that want to spend some time together. A minus can be considered the fact that they have only two seats, and you cannot bring a bigger company. Then again, that makes them perfect for more romantic occasions.

We at Central Park Tours pride ourselves in the excellent Pedicab tour that we provide to our clients. Our 2-hour long tour covers the area of the whole park. We provide you with a personal driver, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself. You can always stop for some walking or for some pictures at the most popular landmarks of the park like Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Terrace, Tavern on the Green and all of the rest!

For more information, please visit the following link

Carriage Rides

A Central Park classic, carriages were amongst the first vehicle to roam the Central Park alleys. A carriage can accommodate up to four people (while the pedicab – only two). Most of the rides are between 30 and 90 minutes, again providing you with the opportunity to see most of the major landmarks. Just imagine a carriage, waiting for you next to the Belvedere Castle. The rather high renting fee and the weather dependency can be considered as the minuses of this royal experience.

Carriages have a rich history in Central Park. One of the first ever major attractions was the daily "Carriage Parade". The carriage ride was a symbol of high status that was available only to the New York City’s elite. The mass introduction of cars managed to eliminate the carriages for a short while, but they were reintroduced to the park in the 1930’s.

In 2013, Mayor de Blasio pledged in his 2013 campaign against carriage rides, but has only managed to relocate the pick-up areas in 2018.

Like we mentioned at the beginning – Central Park has a lot to offer and can satisfy every taste. Carriages are perfect for bigger groups, while the rickshaw is favored by those with adventurous spirit that are seeking thrill in their tours!