One of my earliest travel memories is spinning around in circles in Central Park, New York, New York.
I was in fifth grade and in the southern corner of the park riding its vintage carousel. Visited by most due to its history and roles in many a movie and show, to me it is special because my Grandma wanted to take me on it.
Most of my trips, both abroad and within the United States, were alongside my Grandma―She is someone you'll hear about frequently on this site, as my Grandma is the reason I love to travel and a role model. She visited 30 countries, some up to 12 times, before she passed away a few years ago―and most of the trips, if not all of them, have a carousel ride thrown in the mix.
Of course at the time I didn't realize how special this memory would become as I watched the leaves blur by. At the time I was just a fifth grader giggling and waving at my grandparents atop an ornate horse. I hadn't realized it when she paid for us to ride one in Paris, and I didn't realize it when she coaxed me onto one about seven years later in London, but carousels would become a way for me to be with her when she could no longer come along for the ride.
The spinning, the twinkling lights, the gentle rise and fall, the sway of the music, carousels have a magic that is entirely their own.
I first realized the significance when she took my entire extended family on a trip to the Gaylord in Maryland the winter before she passed―yeah, that's the kind of thing she did, without any warning I might add. She sent out an email with the details and booking confirmations, and said "see you all there!"
She was already tired from the weight of the cancer, so when we exited our Capital Wheel pod and walked past a carousel, lit up, empty and reflecting on the water, and she didn't ask if my sister and I wanted to hop on with her, I asked. This time it was me doing the coaxing and I'm glad I did. I'm glad I had the chance to ask her if she wanted to come along with me on an adventure rather than the other way around, and I'll always remember it.
I'm not really sure when her fascination with merry-go-rounds began, and I wish I had asked, but as I get older I understand it.
Many of the rides have a rich history attached, and hoping aboard is a fun and unique way to break up traipsing from chapel to museum to landmark.
The spinning, the twinkling lights, the gentle rise and fall, the sway of the music, carousels have a magic that is entirely their own.
I encourage you all, whether you're 15 or 75, to purchase a ticket and hop on the back of your animal of choice next time you pass a merry-go-round. I find a little light-hearted fun while on a trip is one of the best things in life. A seasoned traveler showed me that.
📍 New York, United States
📍 London, United Kingdom
