The Ride: Holiday Edition

If you've got family coming into New York City for the holidays, you're sure to want to hit all the city's hotspots, from Times Square to Columbus Circle to Bryant Park. But if your loved ones are anything like mine, they're not used to hoofing it around town and navigating bustling crowds to sightsee.

So do what I did, and take them to see all these iconic landmarks in style, in the comfort of a state-of-the-art bus ride that is "The Ride: Holiday Edition." Bring your family to the corner of 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue, where a huge private coach bus waits to transport them on a 4.2-mile trek through the city with two knowledgeable guides to point out things they'd otherwise miss.

The Ride's patented $1.5M traveling theater features stadium seating, so you're all sitting in one direction, with no need to strain your neck. It's got floor-to-ceiling glass windows, even on the roof, to make your picture-taking a breeze.

In addition, The Ride is packed with technology, from lights to TV screen to speakers to an interactive Ride 'persona' that banters with guests. As you pass landmarks, you'll see videos, hear seasonal music (sometimes even with sing-a-longs) and even get some unexpected special effects.

On the evening that we rode, guides Noel and Julie kept the crowd laughing by asking where they were from and whether they'd been to New York City before. They peppered the group with questions about the city, and gave prizes to those who got the most answers correct.

But perhaps the best part of The Ride -- the part that no other bus tour comes close to -- are the performances rendered by talented young actors, singers, musicians and dancers waiting in the streets for The Ride to pass, to give their 'impromptu' show.

Among the top picks were the talented freestyle rapper who billed himself as the grown-up Tiny Tim, "Big T." Backed by a boisterous crowd on the red steps at Times Square, one busker led the bus through the countdown, saying, "Now you can tell your friends you celebrated New Year's Eve in Times Square!" At Columbus Circle, a ballerina teamed up with a male cohort for some lovely twirls and lifts. And outside of Carnegie Hall, an excellent saxophone player was joined by a honey-throated singer for some Christmas carols.

The Ride: Holiday Edition goes past Bryant Park Winter Market and ice skating rink, as well as other seasonal delights, but does not pass the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Routes are subject to change due to traffic.

Having just picked up his sixth TripAdvisor� Certificate of Excellence Award, Drama Desk-nominated CEO/CCO and Ride creator Richard Humphrey has scheduled over 700 Holiday Rides in anticipation of a repeat of last year's incredible award-winning, sold-out success and unqualified critical acclaim.

So if you love your family enough to know that they hate to walk anywhere, show them around town in style with a seat on The Ride, the bus tour that turns the streets of New York City into a holiday show, custom made for you.

The Ride: Holiday Edition runs through January 7, 2018, meeting in front of Chevy's at the corner of 42nd Street and Eight Avenue. For information or tickets, visit https://experiencetheride.com/sightseeing-attractions/the-ride-holiday-edition/