Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2021

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. Read More
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • BookTandL.com
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals and Events
    • Bus and Trains
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels and Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines and Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Travel Guides
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. Home
  2. Attractions
  3. Sports
  4. World's Coolest Skating Rinks

World's Coolest Skating Rinks

By Jessica Adamiak
December 30, 2011
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Courtesy of The Depot Minneapolis
Imagine skating hand-in-hand on a crisp winter night. A few stars may be visible above, but the really breathtaking view is of Paris’s twinkling lights—188 feet below your skates.

You don’t need to be on the Eiffel Tower’s observation deck, one of the world’s coolest rinks, to appreciate the romantic appeal of skating. It’s a fun, invigorating way to experience a destination in winter and to, yes, break the ice, whether you’re doing figure eights together or taking in the view with a cup of hot cocoa on the sidelines.

After all, skating rinks typically place you in a picture-perfect location. It could be a pristine wonderland like the Canadian Rockies or the center of a major city decked out for the season. Some of the coolest can be found where you’d least expect them—say, in the desert. The Venetian Hotel debuted a rink in 2011, complete with a holiday-theme light show. It now touts a package deal that combines a skating session with an outdoor gondola ride—only in Vegas, indeed.

It’s more fitting that the world’s largest ice-skating surface is found in Canada, where Ontario’s 4.8-mile–long Rideau Canal freezes over each winter. You can skate the entire length, connecting the cities of Ottawa and Kingston, and break at snack stands and an outdoor art gallery along the way.

Some locals even use the Rideau Canal to commute to work or school, much like the earliest skaters, who simply needed a way to get around. According to a study at the University of Oxford, ice skating got its start in present-day Finland, with blades fashioned from animal bones.

Steel blades, introduced in the 13th century, aren’t the only subsequent improvement. Synthetic ice allows for year-round gliding by palm trees in southern California, while other rinks keep skaters toasty with bonfires or stands that sell mulled wine. (A few glasses can do wonders for any frustration with the likely crowds or aching muscles.)

Whether you’re looking for a little romance, some thrills and spills with kids, or a kitschy night out with friends, you can find it on ice. Start here, with our picks for the 13 coolest skating rinks.
Start Slideshow

1 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Ice Skating on the Strip, The Venetian, Las Vegas

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Ice Skating on the Strip
Credit: Courtesy of The Venetian

At the Venetian hotel’s brand-new rink, skaters are surrounded by rink-side bar kiosks and appropriately flashy decorations like 30 giant sparkly snowflakes. A holiday-theme light show takes place nightly, and there’s a package available that combines a skating session with an outdoor gondola ride. Only in Vegas.

Admission is $24, including skate rental. Through January 8, 2012. venetian.com

1 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Curry Village Ice Rink, Yosemite National Park, CA

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Yosemite National Park
Credit: Courtesy of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite

The Yosemite Winter Club flooded an unused parking lot to create a makeshift skating rink back in 1928, and it’s since become a cherished park tradition. Half Dome and Glacier Point loom above, while an outdoor fire pit and warming hut keep skaters going. And ice skating is just the warm-up; Yosemite also offers downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as snowshoeing, ice climbing, sledding, sleigh rides, and even fishing.

Admission is $9.50 for adults, $8.50 for children, not including skate rental. Through early March 2012. yosemitepark.com

2 of 13

3 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Rideau Canal Skateway, Ottawa, Canada

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Rideau Canal Skateway
Credit: Courtesy of National Capital Commission

Is it any surprise the world’s largest ice-skating surface is in Canada? Ontario’s Rideau Canal bobs with boats in summer, but once the temperature drops, the 4.8-mile–long waterway—the size of 90 hockey rinks lined up end-to-end—teems with tourists and with locals skating to work or school. North America’s oldest functioning canal goes through Ottawa, Canada’s capital, all the way to Kingston. If you skate the entire frozen canal (and many do), there are plenty of snack stands along the way, and even an outdoor art gallery.

Admission is free, not including skate rental. Through February 2012. canadascapital.gc.ca

3 of 13

Advertisement

4 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Hotel del Coronado, San Diego

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Hotel del Coronado
Credit: Courtesy of The Hotel Del Coronado

Swimming, surfing, and volleyball come to mind when you think of beachside activities. But if you happen to be in San Diego, you can add ice skating to that list. The city’s Hotel del Coronado hosts a 10,000-square-foot skating rink that overlooks the Pacific. As you spin around the synthetic ice, gaze up at the palm trees and listen to the soothing sound of the waves.

Admission is $25, including skate rental, a portion of which goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Through January 8, 2012. hoteldel.com

4 of 13

5 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Sun Valley Outdoor Rink, Idaho

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Sun Valley Outdoor Rink
Credit: Courtesy of Sun Valley

Ice skating in July? Yes, please! This Sun Valley public outdoor ice rink is one of the few spots in North America where you can skate any time of the year. Even Olympic figure skaters congregate here to perform their mind-blowing stunts at the Sun Valley Summer Ice Shows. And because Sun Valley is a premier resort town, you can opt to ski, hike, play tennis, or even hunt for celebrities when you’ve spent enough time twirling around the ice.

Admission is $11 for adults, $9 for children, not including skate rental. Year-round. sunvalley.com

5 of 13

6 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Eiffel Tower Ice Rink, Paris

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Eiffel Tower Ice Rink
Credit: Christy Grantham

Skating doesn’t get much more dreamy than in Paris, where you can glide hand-in-hand 188 feet above the twinkling city—on the first-level observation deck of its most iconic landmark. The view includes the famous golden dome of Invalides, Napoleon’s final resting place. Linger over a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine with cinnamon at the bar next to the skating rink.

Admission is free, not including skate rental or the general ticket to the Eiffel Tower. Through January 31, 2012. eiffel-tower.com

6 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Red Square Rink, Moscow

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Red Square Rink
Credit: © RIA Novosti / Alamy

Last winter, 56,000 people descended on Moscow’s Red Square—not to protest, but to skate. The rink spans 32,000 square feet and covers one quarter of the historic square, shared with St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin. It stays open until midnight, so you’ll have ample time to take in the beautiful lights.

Admission is about 30 cents to $3, depending on the date. Through March 11, 2012. gum.ru/katok/

7 of 13

8 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Japan

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Fuji-Q Highland
Credit: © Mark Bassett / Alamy

Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland is known for scary roller coasters like The Dodonpa. But you can still get your kicks in winter, when the amusement park unleashes the largest outdoor ice-skating rink in Japan at 165,750 square feet (3.8 acres). It’s a prime spot for viewing snowcapped Mount Fuji—and for skating newbies: staff are on hand daily for free lessons.

Admission is about $15 for adults, $8 for children, not including skate rental. Through March 20, 2012. fuji-q.com

8 of 13

9 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Vienna Ice Dream, Austria

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Vienna Ice Dream
Credit: © Stadt Wien Marketing

In time for Christmas, Vienna transforms the front of its imposing Rathaus (City Hall) into a 75,000-square-foot rink. They call it Wiener Eistraum, literally, Vienna Ice Dream, and skating here can feel downright magical. Listen to music from live DJs as you whiz past the elaborate light displays, and refuel at one of the glühwein (mulled wine) bars.

Admission is about $8, not including skate rental. Through April 3, 2012.

9 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Tower of London Ice Rink, London

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Tower of London Ice Rink
Credit: Courtesy of PWR Events Ltd.

This London rink gets its cool factor from allowing you to skate on a centuries-old moat. As you practice your figure eights in full view of the castle’s fortress battlements, alongside the River Thames, consider that you’re right by the world-famous Crown Jewels and—legend has it—the ghost of Anne Boleyn, beheaded in 1536 for treason against King Henry.

Admission is $16-$19 for adults and $12-$13 for children, including skate rental. Through January 8, 2012. toweroflondonicerink.com

10 of 13

11 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Lake Louise
Credit: Courtesy of The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Winter’s drama is on display here within Banff National Park, where skaters take in views of the Canadian Rockies and Victoria Glacier. Cooler still is the ice castle carved by the Fairmont Chateau chefs as a centerpiece for the lake’s rink.(If hockey is more your speed, there’s an additional rink nearby.) When you’re ready to warm up, enjoy free hot chocolate while huddling around a big bonfire.

Admission is free to the public, not including skate rental. Through mid-April.

11 of 13

12 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wollman Skating Rink, New York City

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: Wollman Skating Rink
Credit: Courtesy of Trump Wollman Rink

There’s no shortage of cool city rinks, from Bryant Park’s free rink to grand Rockefeller Center, still the go-to skating destination for many tourists. But our pick is Wollman Rink, which is more than three times the size of Rockefeller’s and has better views from the ice—a forest of skyscrapers and Central Park’s trees. Just keep an eye out for teetering kids as it’s a popular family spot; the Central Park Zoo is nearby.

Admission is $10.75 to $16, depending on the day of the week, not including skate rental. Through March 2012. wollmanskatingrink.com/

12 of 13

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 13

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Depot Rink, Minneapolis

World's Coolest Skating Rinks: The Depot Rink
Credit: Courtesy of The Depot Minneapolis

The lone indoor rink on our list, the Depot Rink is located in a historic downtown Minneapolis train> station. At its peak in 1920, it operated 29 trains a day before closing for good in 1971. Now the rink’s floor-to-ceiling glass windows let you keep nice and toasty as you skate past a spectacular view of the Minneapolis skyline.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children, not including skate rental. Through March 18, 2012. thedepotminneapolis.com

13 of 13

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Jessica Adamiak

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 13 Ice Skating on the Strip, The Venetian, Las Vegas
    2 of 13 Curry Village Ice Rink, Yosemite National Park, CA
    3 of 13 Rideau Canal Skateway, Ottawa, Canada
    4 of 13 Hotel del Coronado, San Diego
    5 of 13 Sun Valley Outdoor Rink, Idaho
    6 of 13 Eiffel Tower Ice Rink, Paris
    7 of 13 Red Square Rink, Moscow
    8 of 13 Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Japan
    9 of 13 Vienna Ice Dream, Austria
    10 of 13 Tower of London Ice Rink, London
    11 of 13 Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
    12 of 13 Wollman Skating Rink, New York City
    13 of 13 The Depot Rink, Minneapolis

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
    Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap
    • Travel Guide Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Travel + Leisure Group
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithTravel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

    View image

    World's Coolest Skating Rinks
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.