Carriage rides in Campus Martius

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A horse-drawn carriage at Campus Martius. Photo by Piper Eschenburg ’18.

Piper Eschenburg '18, Staff writer

The best way to get into the Christmas spirit is spending time riding in a carriage that strolls through the streets of downtown Detroit.  

Campus Martius, known for its annual ice skating rink that opens in early November, is now hosting holiday carriage rides.

The rides are a fun and creative way to get friends together or share time with a loved one.
Lasting only 15 to 20 minutes, each ride circles Campus Martius completely, giving a clear view of the park, ice rink and other Detroit landmarks, such as the Detroit Public Library and the Renaissance Center.

Tickets, which must be purchased onsite, start at $10 for adults, $5 for children and $40 for a private ride.  The rides run Friday through Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight. Sunday rides are also available from noon to 6 p.m.

Although there is a long wait time of about 20 to 25 minutes and only two carriages available, the line is well worth it as it seems as though riders immediately are able to get into the holiday spirit.

The carriages are a beautiful bright white and the horses’ harnesses were made out of a red velvet that only added to the scene.  The seats were also covered in a plush red velvet and were very comfortable.

The coachmen obviously cared deeply about the horses and made it clear that they loved them and cared for them, assuring riders that the horses were well-handled.

And almost like it was scripted, the first snow of the year, however faint, fell as the carriages pulled out for the first rides of the night.  

The lap blankets that are offered in each ride were spread across every rider as the night wore on and the weather grew colder, only adding to the winter atmosphere.

Lights from the giant Christmas tree shined in the center of Campus Martius and riders held large cups of hot chocolate that were available for sale near the ice rink.

The whole experience felt like something out of a Christmas classic and was something that is definitely worth a repeat.  

The night felt almost magical and watching the ice skaters circle Campus Martius as Christmas favorites played aloud made the whole experience a memory that will always be kept close.