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Celebrate Balmy Christmas With These Outdoor Activities

By Rebecca Ngu | December 24, 2015 1:06pm
 New Yorkers enjoy a sunny winter day at Wollman Rink in the southern end of Central Park. Skaters can enjoy the surrounding nature as well as stunning views of New York's skyline.
New Yorkers enjoy a sunny winter day at Wollman Rink in the southern end of Central Park. Skaters can enjoy the surrounding nature as well as stunning views of New York's skyline.
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Flickr/Tomás Fano

On one of the warmest Christmases this city will have seen in a while, there's no reason to stay cooped up with relatives after all the gifts have been opened. Get out and enjoy these outdoor activities with your loved ones or to get a break from them.

► Heart of the Park Tour

Where: E. 72nd St. and Fifth Ave., in front of Samuel F. B. Morse Statue, Upper East Side
When: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
You can always take a walk in the park, but on this balmy Christmas Day, enjoy the beauty of Central Park with the expertise of Central Park Conservancy guides as you walk east-to-west through the heart of the park. If Central Park is too far away, try the one nearest you, as all of New York City's parks will be open on Christmas day.

► Prospect Park Zoo

Where: 450 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Park
When: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Spot red pandas climbing trees as you wander through the discovery trail or see the furry Pallas’s cats at the Prospect Park Zoo. Admission is $8 per adult, $5 per children (ages 3 to 12), $6 per senior, and free for children 2 and under.

► Dyker Heights Christmas Lights 

Where: Upper 80s between 11th and 13th Ave., Dyker Heights
When: All day
Marvel at New York's most extravagant Christmas lights house displays at Dyker Heights. This holiday season, residents once again compete to show off the brightest, most festive displays on their block. While there won’t be any tours happening on Christmas Day, you and the family can still travel to Dyker Heights via subway and wander through the streets for a magical night. 

► Queens Zoo

Where: 
52-51 111th St., Corona 
When: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Feed a sea lion or watch the zoo’s newest resident, an Andean female bear who belongs to the only bear species native to South America. The 3-year-old bear, Nicole, joins a male Andean bear named Bouba who arrived in the zoo in 2013. Admission is $8 per adult, $5 per children (3-12), $6 per senior, and free for children 2 and under.

Holiday Window Displays along Fifth Ave.

When: All day
Where: Fifth Ave. between 30's and low 60's, Midtown
If you’re willing to brave the Midtown crowds, the famous window displays at these high-end fashion houses are something else. Marvel at the Swarovski crystals display at Bergdorf Goodman, the fantastical displays at Saks Fifth Ave., and the classic 20th century magic of Tiffany & Co. To catch all of the displays, you can start at Macy’s at 34th St. and walk up Fifth Ave. to Bloomingdales at 59th St. For a walking map of the window shopping route provided by About Travel, click here. 

► Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks 

Skating Rink at Riverbank State Park 
Where:
679 Riverside Drive, Hamilton Heights 
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 
Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per children under 12; skate rental is $6.

WWII Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink
Where: Clove Lakes Park, Castleton Corners
When: Noon to 5 p.m., 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Admission is $10 for all; skate rental is $5.

LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Where: 171 E. Drive, Prospect Park
When: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Weekday admission is $6; skate rental is $6. Weekend admission, $9, begins on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. 

Lasker Rink
Where: Central Park, 110th St. between Lenox and Fifth Ave., Central Harlem
When: 11:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m.
Admission is $7.50 per adult, $4 per child; skate rental is $2.25.

Wollman Rink in Central Park
Where:
Central Park South, enter at 59th St. and Sixth Ave. entrance, Midtown
When: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Admission is $11.25 per adult, $6 per youth (11 and under), $5 per senior; skate rental is $8.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center
Where: Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave., Midtown
When: Sessions from 8:30 p.m. to midnight
Admission is $32 per adult, $15 per children (11 and under) and seniors; skate rental is $12.

Winter Village at Bryant Park
Where: Bryant Park, 40th St. between Fifth and Sixth Ave., Midtown
When: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Admission is free; skate rental is $19.

The Rink at Brookfield Place
Where:
Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St., Battery Park City
When: Sessions from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Admission is $15 per person; $5 skate rental.