NYC's Bumper Cars on Ice Is Back at Bryant Park — This Time With Late-night Rides

Here's one kind of traffic jam in New York City that actually doubles as a dose of winter fun: Bumper Cars on Ice at Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park. The fun returns this Friday, Jan. 14 and will run through Sunday, Feb. 27.

The colorful attraction, which first debuted in 2018, allows visitors to "bump, slide, and slip on ice" on the skating rink right in the heart of midtown Manhattan between 40th and 42nd streets on Sixth Avenue.

During the six-week period, the bumper cars will be open from 2 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. For the first time, late-night rides will also be available on select evenings, with specific dates to be announced.

The 10-minute rides are $20 to $25 per person, depending on the time and will take place during the hour-long time slot that can be booked at wintervillage.org.

Each vehicle is controlled by a joystick that can move in four directions — forward, backward, left, and right — while the rider sits atop the scooped seating area. While bumping other vehicles is part of the fun, riders shouldn't bump into the side of the walls.

To ride the attraction, visitors must be at least 7 years old, 42 inches tall, and weigh less than 300 pounds. Flat, closed-toed shoes and masks are also required — and cell phones and cameras are banned for the duration of the ride. Since only one person is allowed in each vehicle, waivers are required from a parent or guardian for drivers between 7 and 18 years old.

The Bumper Cars on Ice is just one of the attractions at Bryant Park's Winter Village, which also offers ice skating on The Rink and private heated spaces available for timed rentals. Its Cozy Igloos offers family packages with French fries, a carafe of hot chocolate or salted caramel apple cider, and a choice of chicken fingers, hot dogs, or Bavarian pretzels, as well as adults packages with fries, a mulled wine carafe or beer bucket, and choice of a charcuterie board, cheese plate, or Bavarian pretzels, while the Curling Café offers similar packages, along with 90-minutes of play time on a curling lane.