It’s time to lace up and hit the freshly Zamboni-ed ice! Whether you can do a triple axel or need to hold the side rail to make it around the rink, all five boroughs offer the opportunity to skate outdoors with the crisp, cold air blowing through your hair, or indoors when baby-it’s-cold-outside becomes your mindset.
OUTDOOR RINKS
The Rink at Rockefeller Center
(Midtown)
The world-famous ice rink with Rockefeller Center’s renowned holiday tree as its backdrop has been a classic New York City experience for generations. This season offers a whole new array of programming with Breakfast with Santa, VIP Skate, all-new partnership packages with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, First Skate (think complimentary coffee and pastries at this 7am session), and SkySkate, which also lets you venture to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck.
Trump Rink
(Midtown)
The tradition of ice skating at this iconic rink (formerly known as Wollman rink) with skyline views is as old as the park itself. Holiday season VIP skating offers skate rental, private lockers, use of the heated tent, refreshments, and no wait times. Plus, Trump rink is so spectacular at what they do, that they actually boast the largest instructional skating program in the entire country!
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
(Midtown Manhattan)
The park’s transformation into a winter wonderland has the Rink as its centerpiece and features free admission ice skating, in addition to high-quality rental skates, skating shows, special events, and activities. The surrounding area offers more than 125 holiday shops, all semi-enclosed for a cozy feel. Factor in the holiday tree and adjacent options for dining, drinking, and warming up, and you’ve got one spectacular destination.
Lasker Rink in Central Park
(Harlem)
Located at the northern end of the park, this locale overlooks the beautiful Harlem Meer lake and boasts two oval rinks: one for high school hockey teams and one for skaters of all ages. It’s usually less crowded–and less expensive–than its better known counterpart, now known as Trump Rink, yet the former offers afterschool programs, lessons, and private parties.
Riverbank State Park
(Upper Manhattan)
Let’s call this the best-kept secret in the whole borough. This 28-acre multi-level landscaped recreational facility located on 145th Street and Riverside Drive–69 feet above the Hudson River–offers a covered outdoor ice-skating rink, as well as a wide variety of recreational, athletic, and arts experiences for all ages, interests, and abilities. You have to see it to believe it.
South Street Seaport Ice Rink
(Lower Manhattan)
This rink’s grand opening is November 29th, the night of the Seaport’s 30th annual tree lighting ceremony. Everyday admission is free, but there will be a skate rental fee. Check out their website for the latest details.
The Standard Ice Rink
(Meatpacking)
This 18-story hotel that arches over the Highline also offers a 3,000-square-foot ice rink. Stay tuned to the website for opening-day details. After skating, enjoy the Standard Plaza, the only public square of its kind in lower Manhattan; it sits in front of the hotel at the corner of 13th and Washington Streets and features large-scale art installations. Alpine Kaffeeklatsch, a rinkside cafe, serves up cold-weather favorites.
The Rink at Brookfield Place
(Battery Park City)
The city’s newest premiere ice skating destination is a family-friendly environment for beginners and advanced skaters. The 7,350-square-feet rink can accommodate 250 skaters at a time and offers skating lessons and ice hockey. Opening day information has yet to be announced.
WWII Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink
(Staten Island)
Located in the gorgeous and richly historical Clove Lakes Park, this is the only outdoor skating rink in the borough. It’s featured in what could be called the “active” part of the park, close to the other fields and courts, as well as the hiking trails.
Van Cortlandt Park Ice Skating Rink
(Bronx)
Open every day, the borough’s sole ice-skating rink, has begun its second season. Located in Riverdale, it features a Skating School and Future Rangers Hockey Prep. There’s also Open Hockey on Thursday and Friday nights with goalies on hand, and free hockey lessons are on offer December 1st (register at newyorkrangers.com). Expect children’s parties as well as group skating too.
McCarren Rink
(Brooklyn)
Williamsburg now has North Brooklyn’s first and only outdoor ice skating experience. The 7,200-square-foot rink sits beside the renovated McCarren Park pool and bathhouse. Also proposed: a holiday craft market.
Lakeside Rinks
(Brooklyn)
Set to open in mid-December in Prospect Park, this new facility will be home to two new rinks–one open-air, one covered. This 26-acre, 30,000-square-foot ice palace is set to reclaim “Brooklyn’s pastoral heart.” Watch the website for updates.
INDOOR RINKS
Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers
(Chelsea)
Sky Rink, with its expansive views of the Hudson River, is the year-round indoor skating spot in Manhattan. The twin-rink facility operates seven days a week, welcoming skaters of all ages and abilities for drop-in skating, figure skating lessons, skating school and youth hockey, as well as birthday parties.
City Ice Pavilion
(Queens)
A Long Island City rooftop with views of Manhattan is the new hot place to skate. This massive, world-class skating facility, with an NHL-sized ice rink, is open year-round for public skating times, youth hockey, private lessons and birthday parties.
World Ice Arena
(Queens)
This breathtaking arena located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park hosts it all: an abundance of public skating sessions, as well as skating lessons, parties and hockey leagues. Aside from the rink, the venue features the World Ice Cafe, a full-service restaurant with live music.
Aviator Sports and Events Center Ice Skating Rink
(Brooklyn)
This Marine Park sports center is open year-round and houses New York City’s only twin NHL-sized ice rinks for public skating. Plus it’s affiliated with U.S. Figure Skating. Their classes are for tots, youth, teens and adults, as well as skaters starting their competitive careers. In addition, there are hockey leagues, figure skating lessons with skate rentals, and free lockers (just bring a lock), as well as birthday parties.
Abe Stark Rink
(Coney Island)
Long after the theme parks have closed, people come to shore to enjoy this 40-year-old seaside rink. It’s open through March for weekend-only skating, with sessions lasting for three hours. The Greater New York City Ice Hockey League calls the rink home and offers free ice hockey lessons to kids aged five to seven. Ice skating classes are available through the Steeplechase Ice Skating Center at the rink.
Staten Island Skating Pavilion
(Staten Island)
This is the only rink on Staten Island to stay open year-round. It offers public skating only on weekends (Fri–Sun). Weekday sessions are for the hockey league and for instructional skating geared towards kids big and small. Birthday parties are also available.
