Even for grownups, FAO Schwarz can be a sort of void. It’s hard not to spend hours upon hours here, playing with deluxe toys like the giant piano from the Tom Hanks movie, “BIG,” perusing the massive Barbie room or contributing to what is likely the world’s largest Lego castle. The rest of the store is loaded with ultra fancy items, too, like a $50,000 kid-size Ferrari and full-size plush giraffes, pandas and a whole jungle of other fluffy creatures.

Because the iconic rink, located adjacent to the world's most famous Christmas tree, is limited to 150 skaters at a time, the lines can be rather long. However, that means the experience of skating on the rink is wonderfully intimate.