Ride a Painted Horse

Europe

England

Jubilee Steam Gallopers Carousel in London, England is part of Carter's Steam Fair that offers antique rides. The horses on this carousel have been given names which are displayed on their necks. These wooden horses were named for the members of the Carter Family and for the workers who travel with the fair. What is unique about this carousel is that at almost 125 years this is the oldest ride at the fair. The horses are "gallopers' because they turn clockwise not like other carousels that turn counterclockwise.

France

Les Manèges d'Andréa in Toulouse, France is also called Andrea's Merry-Go-Round and was built in 1999. It was created by La Machine, an art installation team led by Francois Delarozier. The creators used materials like wood, feathers, glass and copper to make the carousel. For an interactive experience, the ride has active steering wheels and levers.

The Netherlands

Stoomcarrousel in Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands is a 124-year-old merry-go-round that is housed in its own palace of fantasy at the Efteling Amusement Park. This carousel features classic painted horses drawing coaches as well as pigs ridden by carved clowns. Music is provided by one of the only remaining Gavioli organs in the world.

Hungary

Carousel At The Budapest Zoo in Budapest, Hungary is a real joy for animal lovers with camels, lions, hippos and other animals. The carousel dates back to 1906. The painted galloping white horses face toward onlookers. Originally it was moved by real horses in the basement beneath the carousel. Riders can choose to ride on the wooden chariot, rocking boat, spinning tubs or horses.

The USA

California

San Francisco Carousel in San Francisco, California is located on Pier 39. It has hand-painted depictions of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Coit Tower, and Chinatown. People love riding the sea lions, dolphins, panda bears, and spinning tubs. You can have a ride in a chariot watching people on the pier.

1911 Looff Carousel in Santa Cruz, California is the oldest ride on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The highlights are two Roman chariots and 73 expressive horses. It is a very colorful carousel with flower garlands around the necks of the horses that are made of authentic horsehair. Music is provided by the original 342 pipes Ruth & Sohn band organ. There are two other music machines installed in the 2000s. The carousel has a working dispenser. You have to grab one of the shiny brass rings and toss it into the clown's mouth for a surprise.

Colorado

Carousel Of Happiness in Nederland, Colorado was created by renowned carousel maker Charles I. D. Looff. This carousel originated in Saltair near Salt Lake City, Utah. When the park closed the carousel was moved to a state school and students with disabilities restored the animals in 1976. Then ten years later the wooden animals were sole to a buyer. It was Nederland resident Scott Harrison who decided to restore the ride. He worked on it over the next 26 years and carved a menagerie of animals among them exotic ones like an alpaca, a cheetah, a peacock and a panda. The ride reopened as the Carousel of Happiness on Memorial Day 2010 since Harrison was a Vietnam War veteran.

Illinois

Columbia Carousel in Gurnee is located in the Six Flags Great America amusement park. It was built in 1976 and is the world's tallest carousel and features a pond that is surrounded by American flags.

Indiana

Endangered Species Carousel in Fort Wayne, Indiana has an endangered species theme. It opened in 1994 at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. The carousel is designed to educate riders about the endangerment and the possibility of animal extinction.

Maryland

Trimper’s Rides in Ocean City, Maryland amusement park has two antique carousels. The Herschell Spillman Carousel is one of the country's oldest carousels and was powered by a steam engine, It has 45 animals including a cat, a dog, and an ostrich, three chariots, and a rocking chair. It is now powered by electricity. There is also a smaller carousel.

Massachusetts

The Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts located on Martha's Vineyard. It is the country's oldest platform carousel and dates from 1876. For eight years it was in Coney Island in New York City then moved to Oak Bluff. This carousel is on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.

Montana

A Carousel for Missoula in Missoula, Montana was created by a local cabinet maker Chuck Kaparich and Missoula volunteers. It opened in 1995 and is an 11 MPH ride. The hand-carved carousel is located by Clark Fork River in downtown Caras Park.

New York

Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn New York is in a glass enclosure with great views of the Manhattan skyline. It has 48 grandly carved horses with two chariots one with a bald eagle and one with cherubs in the clouds. It dates from 1922.

Ohio

Cedar Downs Racing Derby in Sandusky, Ohio has 64 horses and is located in Cedar Point Amusement Park along the shore of Lake Erie. The carousel has racehorses that gallop along at 15 MPH. It makes you experience the rush of a horse race and is one of only two racing carousels in the US.

Rhode Island

Crescent Park Looff Carousel in Providence, Rhode Island is one of the world's oldest carousels dating back to 1895. It was built for Crescent Park Amusement Park. The carousel features 61 horses, two double coaches, two single coaches, and a camel. Once the amusement park closed in the late 1970s the carousel became a National Historic Landmark and continues to be open for rides.

Washington D.C.

Smithsonian Carousel in Washington, D.C. is located on the D.C. Mall. Originally the carousel was in Baltimore, Maryland and became a symbol of the civil rights movement in that city when an African American family rode it the day the park became desegregated. It was moved to Washington D.C. in 1981 and is located near the spot where the 1963 Washington D.C. Civil Rights March took place.

Wisconsin

The carousel at House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin offers you big thrills with hundreds of angels suspended in the air and thousands of flashing lights. It might be the world's largest indoor carousel located in the Wyoming Valley. The carousel features 269 animals, 182 chandeliers, and more than 20,000 lights. This carousel has no horses.

Australia

Melbourne Zoo Carousel in Melbourne, Australia dates back to the late 1800s when it was run by a steam engine. It was restored in 1997 and today 20 of the original 30 horses are still in use after 130 years.

Canberra Carousel in Canberra, Australia is an antique carousel in Petrie Plaza. It is 105 years old and has an imported organ, 52 hand-carved horses and two elephants from Germany with twisted brass upright poles from Scotland. Each of the horses has its own name on its neck and tails made of horsehair.