{"id":815,"date":"2008-12-17T09:42:45","date_gmt":"2008-12-17T13:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/?p=815"},"modified":"2012-12-24T15:57:54","modified_gmt":"2012-12-24T19:57:54","slug":"winter-wonders-in-london-the-ice-skating-rink-at-the-natural-history-museum-kensington-chelsea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2008\/12\/17\/winter-wonders-in-london-the-ice-skating-rink-at-the-natural-history-museum-kensington-chelsea\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Wonders in London: The Ice Skating Rink at the Natural History Museum, Kensington-Chelsea"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"img size-medium wp-image-6808  alignright\" style='width:300px;'>\n\t<img src=\"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/london-natural-history-museum-ice-skating-rink2-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of the Natural History Museum's ice rink in London\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" \/>\n\t<div>Photo of the Natural History Museum's ice rink in London<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Winter is a wonderful time of year in <a title=\"London Travel Guide\" href=\"\/blog\/category\/london\/\">London<\/a>!<\/strong> If you picture it as cold, gray and dreary, it\u2019s time to put down the Dickens book and experience\u00a0the real thing for yourself. <strong>W<\/strong><strong>hile it may be chilly, the atmosphere is festive, the city is splendidly lit up, locals and tourists alike are full of good cheer and there are plenty of activities to make the season even more spectacular. <\/strong>That\u2019s why, as our special gift, New York Habitat is bringing you a list of can\u2019t-miss, must-do events to make your winter trip the crowning highlight of your year\u2014and perfectly located <a title=\"London Vacation Rentals\" href=\"\/london-apartment\/vacation\">London accommodations<\/a> to keep you cozy, comfortable and warm.<\/p>\n<p>One recommendation that no visitor should skip is the <strong>ice skating rink set up outside the London Natural History Museum<\/strong> on Cromwell Road in <a title=\"Travel tips about Kensington and Holland Park, London\" href=\"\/blog\/category\/london\/london-travel-guide\/london-neighborhoods\/kensington-holland-park\/\">Kensington<\/a>&#8211;<a title=\"Travel Guide to Chelsea, London\" href=\"\/blog\/category\/london\/london-travel-guide\/london-neighborhoods\/chelsea-london-neighborhoods-london-travel-guide-london\/\">Chelsea<\/a>. This 1,000-square meter open-air rink, open through January 18, has the breathtaking Victorian building as its backdrop, which is even more dramatic during evening skating sessions (until 10 p.m.), when the museum is bathed in light. The ice-side Caf\u00e9 Bar is on hand to help you warm up with traditional cold weather treats like mulled wine and hot chocolate.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>If you want to make the most of the sunlight, book a morning skate session (from 8:45 a.m.) then spend the rest of the day exploring the museum\u2019s excellent exhibits (the admission itself is free) and browsing through the Christmas Fair: twenty-five chalets set up with different weekly vendors selling everything from homemade jewelry, ceramics and handcrafted toys to beloved British snacks, seasonal ornaments and souvenirs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"img size-full wp-image-816 alignleft\" style='width:300px;'>\n\t<img src=\"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/london_accommodation_2bedroom_rental_kensington_chelsea_ln644.jpg\" alt=\"London Accommodation: 2-bedroom rental in Kensington, Chelsea (LN-644) Pict\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\n\t<div>London Accommodation: 2-bedroom rental in Kensington, Chelsea (LN-644)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Because the Natural History Museum is such a perfect place for children, it boasts its own adjacent junior rink for younger skaters. There are also wheelchair sessions on specific dates and a special viewing platform for those who want to watch the action on the ice but aren\u2019t exactly eager to lace up and fall down themselves.<\/p>\n<p>The Natural History Museum is a central sight in Kensington-Chelsea, which is one of the most renowned and well-visited areas in London\u2014and for good reason. In addition to the neighboring <a title=\"Read our blog to learn more about the Victoria and Albert Museum of Art\" href=\"\/blog\/2008\/06\/13\/londons-victoria-albert-museum-the-crowning-jewel-of-cromwell-road\/\">Victoria and Albert Museum of Art<\/a>, the kid-tastic Science Museum and the beautiful Bromptom Oratory, <strong>t<\/strong><strong>he neighborhood has everything the holiday shopper could hope for in the form of Harrod\u2019s world-famous department store, the five-story, fashion-packed Harvey Nichol\u2019s and the internationally esteemed designer shops dotted along Sloane Avenue.<\/strong> Everyone on your list will be ecstatic\u2014and you\u2019ll be done in one afternoon!<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the best place to drop off your bags and shake off the cold is in an\u00a0<a title=\"Vacation Rentals in Kensington and Holland Park, London\" href=\"\/london-apartment\/vacation\/kensington-holland-park\">accommodation in Kensington<\/a> or a <a title=\"Flat Rentals in Chelsea, London\" href=\"\/blog\/category\/london\/london-travel-guide\/london-neighborhoods\/chelsea-london-neighborhoods-london-travel-guide-london\/\">flat rental in Chelsea<\/a>, such as:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A contemporary and colorful <a title=\"London furnished apartment: 1-bedroom retnal in Kensington Chelsea (LN-642)\" href=\"\/london-apartment\/furnished\/642\">1-bedroom rental in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-642)<\/a> in Stanhope Gardens, within easy walking distance of all the area attractions. This deluxe apartment comes with a balcony and access to a 2.5-acre private garden square and courtyard.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A spacious and spectacular <a title=\"London Apartment: 2-bedroom vacation rental in Kensington - Chelsea (LN-644)\" href=\"\/london-apartment\/furnished\/644\">2-bedroom vacation rental in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-644)<\/a> near the neighborhood\u2019s royal parks and museums and Knightsbridge\u2019s high street shopping. This apartment comes with access to a gym\/sauna, and has its own laundry and parking space.<\/p>\n<div class=\"img size-full wp-image-817 alignright\" style='width:300px;'>\n\t<img src=\"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/12\/london_3bedroom_accommodation_kensington_chelsea_ln646.jpg\" alt=\"London 3-bedroom accommodation: in Kensington - Chelsea (LN-646) Picture\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/>\n\t<div>London 3-bedroom accommodation: in Kensington - Chelsea (LN-646)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A glamorous and gorgeously designed <a title=\"London Furnished Apartment: 3-bedroom apartment in Kensington - Chelsea (LN-646)\" href=\"\/london-apartment\/furnished\/646\">3-bedroom duplex in Kensington-Chelsea (LN-646)<\/a>, minutes from both the South Kensington and Gloucester Road central underground stations. This rental comes complete with a private terrace, three separate showers\/WCs and two bathtubs.<\/p>\n<p>For some heartwarming winter fun, head to the ice skating rink at London\u2019s Natural History Museum\u2014and to truly make your season bright, stay at a New York Habitat vacation rental in Kensington-Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure you check back for the city\u2019s other winter wonders\u2014and comment below about your favorite part of London\u2019s holiday season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Winter is a wonderful time of year in London! If you picture it as cold, gray and dreary, it\u2019s time to put down the Dickens&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[36],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/815"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=815"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12413,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/815\/revisions\/12413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}