OCTOBER-APRIL

N.Y. ICE SKATING

We've all seen the movie scenes: Directors of films set in New York City just can't seem to resist the spectacle (and humor potential) of folks setting off on wobbly blades on the two ice skating rinks in Central Park, Lasker Rink (Park at 106th) and Wollman Rink (Park at 62nd). And no wonder — they are enchanting places amidst the green swath of the park. Open daily from late October to early April, the rinks offer an inexpensive (less than $10 per person) adventure. You can, of course, rent skates. And maybe an obliging New Yorker will offer some tips for avoiding a cast during your vacation! Wollman Rink offers a skating school and there's a cafe where you can sit and watch the skaters, if you prefer. Information: 212-439-6900; www.wollmanskatingrink.com.

NOV. 15-AUG. 30

TUT SHOW IN ENGLAND

Missed the King Tut exhibits in the U.S. earlier this year? Planning a trip to England in the next few months? You're in luck. "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" opens Nov. 15 in the eye-catching new O2 Bubble exhibition space (O2 is in the Greenwich Peninsula on the Thames in London). It stays through Aug. 30, 2008. The exhibit is a large-scale collection detailing the life of the child king, with more than 130 pieces from his tomb, or belonging to his ancestors (such as his grandmother's sarcophagus), and there is a section, unique to the British display, dedicated to the discoverer of the tomb, archaeologist Howard Carter. Admission is 15 pounds (roughly $30) Mondays-Thursdays, 20 pounds weekends; family tickets for four are 45 and 50 pounds. Information: www.kingtut.org/home or www.theo2.co.uk.