The Best Ice Skating Rinks in NYC

One of my family’s favorite activities to do once winter arrives in New York City is go Ice Skating together. This is literally the perfect winter activity for anyone-friends, family and it’s very kid friendly! When it comes to finding a rink in the city, I truly do not have a favorite one. They all differ so much and have their own things that make them unique, whether it be location, size or price.

 

Do you know how to ice skate? If not, I would suggest going earlier in the day when the rinks are most clear to practice! It’s a fun thing to do and it’s great because it keeps you active. There are a ton of holiday markets that have ice skating rinks close by, but this is definitely a winter season activity that’s open for a few months- it just is a great thing to do around the holidays. We love to skate and see the Christmas decorations surrounding us. There’s nothing like being on the rink surrounded by Christmas trees and lights, it’s a feeling that never gets old. This is also a great birthday party idea or date night activity!

I am really excited to share all of the rinks my family and I love going to each winter! We tend to decide on which rink to go to based on what we feel like doing either before or after. If we’re looking to go to a certain restaurant or area of town, that’s usually a deciding factor, as these ice skating spots are all so good! Pretty much every place has skate rentals, it’s not very common to have your own skates here, especially since children’s feet grow so quickly and they only get a few months wear of ice skates. Take a look through and see if you’ve been to any!

 

Happy Skating!

The Rink at Brookfield Place

This is definitely a family favorite, as it’s so close to us! It’s easy to run over and get some skate time in last minute. But what’s great about this spot, is the location of it. There are some great restaurants and an entire mall, just steps away, so you can spend a whole day here. It’s not huge, but it is right in front of the water, so the views are immaculate. Imagine skating while watching the sunset Hudson River! They offer private lessons, have skate aids if you need them and it’s an adorable outdoor rink! They have hour long slots 7 days a week. It’s one of the best places during the holiday season!

Industry City

The Industry City rink is a great place to go ice skate for awhile and grab a hot cocoa after! The rink isn’t huge, so it’s a great place to learn, as it won’t be super crowded. They cover their courtyard with a rink in the winter. Something super fun they do is decorate so well for the holidays! So if you’re able to go this month, I highly recommend checking it out! It’s not too far from Manhattan, located in Brooklyn.

 

Bryant Park

The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is something everyone should experience. There are a ton of local vendors selling great gifts, exceptional food and drinks, like hot chocolate- and, of course, an ice skating rink. It’s a pretty decently sized rink and there’s so much to do over there. I prefer this location for a late afternoon or night skate, as I like to enjoy the nearby restaurants afterwards. Something that’s really cool about this rink, is that they have Opera Caroling around the holidays! It’s so nice to see!

LeFrak Center

Another fabulous Brooklyn Ice Skating spot is at the Lefrak Center in Prospect Park. It’s a pretty decently sized rink and it’s surrounded by fresh air and trees. Not to mention, it’s really quiet out there,  so if you’re looking for a peaceful skate, this is it! The ticket prices can’t be beat and they have a cafe to grab a hot drink! Something else that’s super fun is they have roller skating in the warmer months.

 

City Ice Pavilion

Located in Queens, this huge ice rink is one of the very best! It’s on a rooftop and is NHL size basically, which is enormous for NYC! What’s really cool about this one is that it’s under a weatherproof dome, so you can skate year round. You should register online before showing up to skate, as there area a lot of people practicing for hockey and learning how to ice skate here!

Chelsea Piers

This ice skating rink is actually open year round, as it is indoors, so you can go to this one whenever you’d like! So if you’re craving some ice skating in the summertime or it’s just a really cold day out in the winter, this is the spot for you! They also have lessons there, which is perfect for anyone who wants to learn-kids or adults! From basic beginner lessons to hockey to figure skating, this place does it all! It’s also a really great place to bring your kids to skate!

Rockefeller Center

Obviously, this location is iconic! Especially during the holidays, this is arguably the best ice skating rink, purely for views of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and holiday decorations. It was a roller rink during the summer, but it’s back to be an ice skating rink!During the rest of the winter, this is also a really great rink because of the cool attractions nearby- you can stop by the top of the Rock, see an SNL show, grab some great food, the possibilities are endless! Also, this rink is pretty big, so you don’t have to worry about there not being enough space. Plan a whole day around skating here!

 

Wollman

Here we have a rink that is super close to the one and only: Central Park! Talk about immaculate views, this is another skating rink that has views for days! What’s interesting about this rink this season, is that they are partnering with the Thompson Central Park New York Hotel with a great package- 2 ice skating tickets per room! If you can manage to get here during the time of year where the leaves have just started to change, but not fallen yet, it is beautiful! The rink is also huge, so you’ll have plenty of space.

World Ice Arena

This Queens ice skating rink is the perfect spot to learn how to master ice skating before jumping into the big leagues- Manhattan ice skating. It’s got so much more space and is way less crowded, so you’ll be more comfortable learning at this rink, if you can, but if not some of the other rinks will be just fine to learn! They have a place to grab food and drinks after skating and the prices are super cheap! This indoor rink is year round, so there’s plenty of time to get some practice in. Be sure to register before coming to skate, to make sure you get a spot on the rink!

Glide BK

This ice rink is opening under the Brooklyn Bridge! You can get bites and sips at the Cafè there after you skate. We love to try out new rinks, especially ones with cool views. We’re looking forward to skating here all winter long!

Manhattan West

I say this about every single ice skating rink, but this is another fantastic option! There’s so much to do at Manhattan West! There’s some shopping- they have an official NHL store, food, drinks, experiences and so much more. This is one of those rinks that you could plan an entire day around. It’s an intimate sized rink, so if there’s only a couple of you, this is the perfect one. I think this is a great idea for a date night- go skating and then grab dinner and drinks here!

 

This post was originally published December 15th, 2021*

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