Winter holidays are here and that means cozying up by the fire, wrapping in a puffy coat and warm mugs filled with hot chocolate. It is also the season of family and giving. Spending time with loved ones is a huge theme of winter holidays and one of the best seasonal ways to celebrate is with a carriage ride!

A horse-drawn carriage may seem a bit like a childish fairytale, but it is worth the money and time. Going for a carriage ride is great because the driver takes specific paths around Highland Park and University Park in order to look at the prettiest Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

“The lights are always so pretty, that’s the best part of the ride,” senior Kiki Culpepper said. “It’s great to be with family. It’s a really fun thing to do during the holidays.”

Touring the holiday lights is a tradition for some. The quaint pace of the horses, the glowing shimmer of the winter lights and the warmth from the comfy quilts in the carriage ride are hard to pass up. Many families and couples come back every year to enjoy the stunning sights.  

“My family tries to go every year,” Culpepper said. “My mom loves it the most out of the four of us though. She brings cookies so we can munch on snacks during the ride.”  

A big company that does the carriage rides through Highland Park is Brazos Carriage. The lowest price for one carriage ride for an hour is around $225, but it’s worth the money since their service is really great. Their pick-up location is at  4510 Buena Vista St, Dallas in front of the Weirs Clearance Center. One block from the old pick up location at Cafe Madrid. Their average carriage holds about 4 to 6 adults and each carriage provides some lovely holiday music!

“The music is another great addition to the ride,” Culpepper said. “It’s honestly the most festive Christmas thing to do at this time of year. I would recommend this to anyone.”

The carriage rides are at the height of excitement, but the ride can be made even better by bringing snacks. In order to keep warm, bring some hot chocolate or order some coffee from Starbucks or a local cafe before the ride. One can also bring some holiday sweets like chocolate or ginger snaps. Make the ride as fun for you as you want.  

“This carriage ride really makes my holiday special,” Culpepper said. “It’s the best”