NYC’s best ice staking rinks: Where to glide into the holiday spirit
NEW YORK CITY - Gliding across an ice skating rink in New York City is more than just a pastime, it’s a cherished holiday ritual that captures the season’s charm.
While some rinks welcome skaters year-round, there’s a unique enchantment to skating during the colder months.
JUMP TO ROCKEFELLER CENTER RINK | WOLLMAN RINK | THE RINK AT BRYANT PARK | THE RINK AT BROOKFIELD PLACE | LEFRAK CENTER | ROEBLING RINK
Here are some of the best ice skating rinks in our area:
Rockefeller Center Ice Rink
People skate on the ice at Rockefeller Center in Midtown on October 19, 2024 in New York City. As temperature drops, several outdoor skating rinks in New York City have been announced to open this month gradually. (Photo by Wang Fan/China News Servic
Not only is Rockefeller Center known for the Christmas tree, but it also has an ice-skating rink!
Tickets start at $21 per person, with pricing varying based on the date, time, and age group.
Skate rentals are available for $12.
Frequent skaters can opt for a seasonal membership, offering unlimited access to the rink throughout the winter.
Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.
Location: Rockefeller Plaza between 50th and 49th Street
To purchase tickets for the rink, click here.
Wollman Rink at Central Park
People ice skate on the Wollman Rink in front of trees turning color in Central Park as the sun rises on October 28, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Located in the heart of Central Park, Wollman Rink provides a scenic setting for skaters of all ages and abilities to enjoy the ice, with stunning views of the iconic city skyline. Skating lessons are also available.
Tickets vary from $15 to $38 for adults, depending on the date, while tickets for children (ages 4-12) and seniors remain $10 throughout the season.
Skate rentals are available for $12, with great discount opportunities worth exploring.
Hours: Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.- 10 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Location: Located near the southeast corner of Central Park, New York City. The closest entrance is at 59th Street and 6th Avenue.
To purchase tickets for the rink, click here.
The Rink at Bryant Park
New York City's Bryant Park Winter Village has outdoor activities during the cold winter months such as a temporary ice skating rink, bumper cars on ice, a food market, and a bar called "The Lodge". (Photo by: Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Gro
After walking around the Winter Village and doing some holiday shopping, Bryant Park is also the perfect spot to go ice skating.
You can use their 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink for free (provided you bring your own skates).
The last day to skate at Bryant Park is on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Hours: Open daily from 8 a.m. -10 p.m.
Location: 42nd Street and 6th Avenue
To learn more about the rink, click here.
The Rink at Brookfield Place
People ice skate at the Brookfield Place skating rink in Lower Manhattan on November 28, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
The Rink is located on the plaza in front of the Brookfield Place Winter Garden in Lower Manhattan.
The rink is 7,350 square feet, which is bigger than the rink at Rockefeller Center!
Hours: Public ice skating hours are Monday-Friday: 2-3 p.m., 3:15-4:15 p.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m., 5:45-6:45 p.m., 7-8 p.m., and 8:15-9:15 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 9-10 a.m., 10:15-11:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., 12:45-1:45 p.m., 2-3 p.m., 3:15-4:15 p.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m., 5:45-6:45 p.m., 7-8 p.m., 8:15-9:15 p.m.
Location: Three World Financial Center, 230 Vesey St, New York, NY 10281
To purchase tickets for the rink, click here.
LeFrak Center
People enjoy a new ice rink at the Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center following on a sunny winter afternoon in Prospect Park January 17, 2014 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The rinks will be open until mid March after which they will be use
At the LeFrak Center in Prospect Park, there is a covered rink and an uncovered rink.
Weekday skating is priced at $10.60, while weekend sessions cost $15.25.
Ice bumper cars will return later in the 2024-2025 ice season, Lakeside Brooklyn said on their website.
Hours: Uncovered and covered rink open daily, click here to see the full hours
Location: 171 East Dr, Brooklyn, NY 11225
To purchase tickets for the rink, click here.
Roebling Rink at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Kaitlyn Weaver ice skates at the Season Opening of Glide at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, Brooklyn Bridge Park on November 16, 2023 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Glide)
At Roebling Rink in Brooklyn Bridge Park, you can glide across the ice while enjoying stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge towering above.
The rink runs now until Feb. 2, 2025.
Tickets cost $10 a person with skate rentals priced at $7.
Hours: Open daily Monday-Thursday, 2-9 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m. -10 p.m.
Location: Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NY 11201
To purchase tickets for the rink, click here.
The Source: This article includes reporting from Rockefeller Center, Wollman Rink NYC, Bryant Park, The Rink at Brookfield Place, Lakeside Brooklyn, and Roebling Rink.