New York Aquarium launches 'Holiday Tides' Dec. 26–31: ice carving, sea lions and Rudolph in 4D
The Coney Island aquarium's first winter holiday event runs daily 11 a.m.–3 p.m. over winter break and is included with admission; tickets are date-specific.
Photo: Gedalya Lubman / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Holiday Tides, the New York Aquarium's first winter holiday event, runs daily Dec. 26–31 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Coney Island.
- Ice-carving demos (some sculptures go to penguins and sea lions), animal enrichment, a holiday sea lion show and a Rudolph 4D film.
- Kids' songs, stories and puppetry, ornament crafts and seasonal food like churros, zeppoles and caramel apples.
- Included with date-specific admission: adults $29.95–$32.95, seniors $27.95–$29.95, kids 3–12 $25.95–$27.95; free for WCS members.
- Winter hours through March 25: opens 10 a.m., last entry 3:30 p.m., closes 4:30 p.m. Non-members must reserve in advance.
The New York Aquarium in Coney Island is adding a winter holiday event for the first time. "Holiday Tides" runs daily from Saturday, Dec. 26, through Thursday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it's included with regular admission, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a news release. SILive also reported the new winter-break program.
What's planned
- Ice carving: artists will carve big blocks of ice, and some of the sculptures go to the animals as enrichment; the aquarium says penguins and sea lions will explore them.
- Animal "treats": fish, otters and other animals get special food and objects to explore, with staff explaining how enrichment supports natural behavior.
- Sea lion show: a holiday edition of the Aquatheater program featuring the sea lions and their trainers.
- Rudolph in 4D: the 4D theater shows a seasonal Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D film.
- For kids: songs, stories and puppetry from Wildlife Theater; kids can decorate an ornament to take home and a paper-chain link that's given to the penguins.
- Food: limited-time items including seasonal flatbreads, cinnamon buns, caramel apples, churros, zeppoles and caramel corn, per the event page.
Tickets, hours and getting there
- Price: Holiday Tides is included with admission. Date-specific tickets are required for every visitor, and admission includes one 4D theater visit, according to the ticket page. Prices vary by date; listed prices are $29.95 off-peak / $32.95 peak for adults (13+), $27.95 / $29.95 for seniors (65+) and $25.95 / $27.95 for children 3–12.
- Members: free for WCS members, who don't need a reservation; non-members must reserve in advance, WCS said.
- Winter hours: from Nov. 1 through March 25, the aquarium opens at 10 a.m., last entry is 3:30 p.m., and it closes at 4:30 p.m., per its hours page. The Holiday Tides activities run 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Where: the aquarium is on Surf Avenue in Coney Island, by the beach and boardwalk.
WCS says the aquarium is home to more than 4,500 animals and calls Holiday Tides its new signature winter event, joining seasonal programs such as Shark Party and Ascarium.
- Wildlife Conservation SocietyNew York Aquarium to Debut Inaugural Wintertime Celebration, Holiday Tides, from December 26-31
- New York AquariumHoliday Tides
- New York AquariumTickets
- New York AquariumHours & Rates
- SILiveSea lions, ice sculptures and Rudolph: New York Aquarium adds a holiday twist to winter outings
Every story links to the reporting and records it’s based on. Our editors write each piece from public reporting and official data, and check it against those sources before it’s published.
Comments
0NSynced with CommunityIn CommunityYour comment is also posted to Community with this story attached, so neighbors can find it and reply there too.
No comments yet
Start the conversation — your comment shows up here and in Community for neighbors nearby.