Ice skating rinks in New York City

Written by Jack on 06 December, 2010 in Travel.

New York is great for ice skating in November, December and April when temperatures typically range from 45 to 65 degrees but the rinks are already open. In January through March, it can get bitingly cold, but a day with blue skies and the sun shining is still fantastic for a day out. If you’re living in or visiting New York, take a few hours out and visit one of these places to ice skate (one for free) during your time in New York City.

Manhattan

The Pond at Bryant Park

Ice skating at The Pond in Bryant Park The free rink in Manhattan’s Bryant Park first opened in 2005. At 17,000 square feet, it is about half the size of the Wollman Rink in Central Park and twice as big as the rink at Rockefeller Center. Now, if only one could actually get into this rink. As Manhattan’s only free skating rink, and centrally located at that, it tends to be mobbed with waits up to 2 hours on weekend days. Go when school is in session or earlier in the day and you have a chance of a few hours of free skating. Ice skating at Bryant Park is a fun, affordable way to enjoy winter in New York City.

Bring a padlock if you're going to use the lockers, as theirs cost $9. Skate rentals are $13, so bring your own or the cost is the same as elsewhere.

Location: Between 40th and 42nd streets & 5th and 6th avenues, Manhattan
Phone: +1 866 221-5157
Website: The Pond at Bryant Park

Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers

Manhattan’s only year-round skating rink is a delight. Large, indoors, few lines, courteous staff. It’s also, amazingly, open 24 hours a day. The facility itself is well kept, as much as they’re able to do with a rink built on a pier. The rafters have a tendency to spit on you during the summer from the humidity. And in the winter it sometimes gets so cold that the ice cracks, but at least they fix it!

The facilities include two full-size rinks, an off-ice training room, two party rooms and your standard locker rooms and pizza stand, though this one is a Famiglia pizza stand so it’s actually good. It also has a great view of Hoboken.

$10.50–$13, skate rental $7.50.

Location: Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, Hudson River and 17th St, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 336 6100
Website: ChelseaPiers.com

Seaport Ice Rink

Amid the visual splendor of tall ships, skyscrapers, and New York Harbor, this 8,000 sq. ft. ice skating rink offers a unique skating the whole family can enjoy. Seaport Ice’s convenient location and variety of activities promise to provide a winter full of fun.

Location: Pier 17, South Street and Fulton Street, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 661 6640
Website: The New Seaport Ice Rink

The Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center ice skating Ice skating at Rockefeller Center is a truly unique New York experience. This Visitor’s Guide to the Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center will help you plan your visit. Since it first opened on Christmas Day, 1936, the Rink has attracted over a quarter million people each year. The Rink is open from October to April. The skating surface is 122 feet long and 59 feet wide and can accommodate only 150 skaters at one time.

$9.50–$19, skate rental $9.

Location: The Rockefeller Center Ice Rink is located in the center of the complex of buildings between 47th and 50th Streets and 5th and 7th Avenues, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 332 7654
Website: Rockefeller Center website

American Museum of Natural History ‘Ice’ Rink

American Museum of Natural History opened New York City’s first synthetic ice-skating facility, the Polar Rink, on its outdoor terrace in 2008.

The eco-friendly rink reminds visitors about the effects of global warming with a 17-foot glowing polar bear centerpiece. Its ‘ice’ is actually a plastic surface engineered to match the density of frozen water. Every morning, a light spray lubricates the surface for skaters. Thanks to the clever new material, the museum doesn’t devour enormous amounts of energy the way traditional ice skating rinks do. It also doesn’t need to spend money on Zamboni cleanings. The ‘ice’ isn’t biodegradable, but the museum can re-use the same sheets for several years, and then they recycle the plastic.

Location: Arthur Ross Terrace at the American Museum of Natural History, enter at 79th St. at Columbus Ave., Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 769 5100
Website: The Polar Rink

Trump-Lasker Rink and Pool

Bookending Wollman Rink, this one is at the very north end of the park at 110th Street. Quiet, tranquil, peaceful - how many other synonyms can we think of to describe the relative calm and ease of skating here? There is rarely a line, the ice is smoother (due to fewer skaters), and the attitude is just generally taken down a notch. On Tuesdays at 9pm, there are ice hockey games played here.

$2.25–$6, skate rental $5.25.

Location: Central Park between 106th and 108th Streets, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 534 7639
Website: Lasker Rink

Wollman Rink in Central Park

Wollman Ice Rink in Central Park Wollman Rink, the perennial as-seen-in-movies Central Park rink. There are always long long lines here on weekends, but you can usually skate right in during school days, especially earlier in the day. Wollman Rink is another popular skating choice and is apt to be crowded during peak times (especially weekends, though fewer kids around).

$4.75–$15, skate rental $6.25.

Location: Central Park at 63rd Street, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 439 6900
Website: Wollman Rink in Central Park

Riverbank Ice Skating Rink

Cafe at ice skating rink Quite possibly the most out of the way ice rink rewards with nice views of the Hudson a few steps away and very very few crowds. Located on the Hudson River at 145th Street, Riverbank Ice Skating Rink is a covered ice skating rink.

Location: Hudson River at 145th Street, Manhattan
Phone: +1 212 694 3642
Website: Riverbank State Park

Brooklyn

Kate Wollman Rink in Prospect Park

Located in the southern part of the park, near Parkside & Ocean Avenues, the Kate Wollman Rink is another great ice skating choice. Wollman Rink offers fun for all seasons, providing 26,600 square feet of ice for skaters in the winter and pedal boats on the Lake in the summer. Although not a part of the original plan for Prospect Park, the Rink, built in 1960, has added a big dose of winter fun for thousands of skaters, in addition to serving as home ice for local amateur men’s and women’s hockey teams.

Location: Parkside Avenue & Ocean Avenue entrance of the Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Phone: +1 718 287 6431
Website: ProspectPark.org

Abe Stark Rink

Night time ice skating Lace up your skates for a day on the ice at this 17,000 square-foot pavilion. This place gets a good crowd, but there is plenty of room for anyone who wants to practice their moves. The rink is open only on weekends, from October through April. Only open from 1pm to 4pm, and it fills up fast too. Cash only.

$8, skate rental $5.

Location: Coney Island Boardwalk and West 19th Street, Brooklyn
Phone: +1 718 946 6536
Website: Abe Stark Ice Skating Rink

Aviator Sports and Recreation

Two NHL sized ice rinks are Brooklyn's response to the Chelsea Piers. There are hockey leagues and figure skating here, but also plenty of open times for public ice skating. Fridays and Saturdays are popular with the teens, so avoid if you don't enjoy lots of hormones on ice skates.

Location: Floyd Bennett Field, Flatbush Ave south of the Belt Parkway, Brooklyn
Phone: +1 718 758 7500
Website: Aviator Sports

Staten Island

Staten Island War Memorial Ice Skating Rink

Founded in 1995, War Memorial Ice Skating Rink of Staten Island, NY is an outdoor rink and open seasonally from September 7th to March 15th. Avoid the fumbling tourists clogging the Rockefeller Center and Central Park rinks by hopping the ferry to Staten Island to get your (ice) skate on.

$8, skate rental $5.

Location: Clove Lakes Park, Victory Boulevard, west of Clove Road, Staten Island
Phone: +1 718 720 1010
Website: Staten Island War Memorial Ice Skating Rink

Queens

City Ice Pavilion

The only rooftop ice rink in NYC is a full NHL size 200 x 85 feet. Even better, there's a weatherproof air dome just like you'd find in Canada. Which means it can deal with New York winters just fine.

There are skating lessons, hockey practice, private rentals here, so check out the website's schedule before going.

Mon to Thu $5; Sat, Sun $8; skate rental $5.

Location: 47-23 32nd Pl between 47th and 48th Aves
Phone: +1 718 706 6667
Website: City Ice Pavilion

Flushing Meadows Park

The NHL-standard indoor ice hockey rink serves as a year-round facility for competitive leagues and individual skaters. The modernist, architecturally distinguished building’s cable-supported roof system will allow for potential future expansion.

Location: Avery Avenue and 131 Street, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing
Phone: +1 718 271 7572
Website: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Skate Rink

Important ice skating safety guidelines

Never go on frozen waters (unless clearly marked otherwise with official signs)
Parents and caregivers should make sure children are never unattended near ice
If you hear cracking, lie down immediately to try to distribute your weight
If you witness someone falling through ice, never attempt to make a rescue by yourself. Call 911 and notify the proper authorities. Be sure to give the exact location and an account of the incident