Do you long to get back on the ice, or are you curious about trying ice skating for the first time? There are several great opportunities to go ice skating in Philadelphia. You just have to know where to look and when. Check out the options below, and don’t worry if you’re a beginner. Many of the rinks offer beginner’s courses and rentable skates at the door. Additionally, most are affordable family options.
Rothman Ice Rink
Need an ice skating spot close to the city center? From Nov. 11, 2016 to Feb. 26, 2017, Dilworth Park operates the Rothman Ice Rink. The park has hosted Rothman for the past two years, each time raising support for charitable sponsors. This ice rink is just outside the enormous, castle-like City Hall, and it’s best to go at night when you can enjoy the glowing skyline views.
Rizzo Ice Rink
Are you more interested in a casual ice rink with a restaurant menu and low prices? This rink is free to visit when renting skates, which only costs $4, and the place has a very casual vibe, ideal for preteens and teens. Rizzo Ice Rink has public skating sessions on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with different times. It also holds youth hockey games and skating camps.
Blue Cross RiverRink
From Nov. 25, 2016 to March 5, 2017, the Delaware River Waterfront offers a beautifully lit and decorated skating rink. There’s also a toasty lodge with arcade games for when you need to warm up. In the center of it all is a huge, adorned Christmas tree and firepits for toasting marshmallows. A picture of the amazing tree is reason enough to visit, as it has over 100,000 LED lights strung around its branches.
Wissahickon Skating Club
Since 1956, this skating club has held hockey games, figure skating events, synchronized skating, and all sorts of interesting activities that families will love. From toddler introductory courses to adult mastery lessons, this is the place to be if you want to learn to skate. Wissahickon is known as the high-end ice rink of Philadelphia, with a gigantic amount of space, snack bar, and pro shop where you can learn more about different kinds of skates and have yours sharpened to perfection.
Palace Roller Skating Center
Palace Roller Skating Center is a perfect family night out for fans of skating and video arcades. Though all ages are welcome, Palace has a reputation for being less crowded with kids. Their adult sessions held from night to the wee hours of the morning are perfect for relatively serious skaters. In daylight hours, Palace Roller is excellent for birthday parties, and like Wissahickon, they have a pro shop for buying and maintaining high-quality personal skates.
As you can see, Philadelphia is a great city for ice skating. Some of these choices are special events in case you only skate every so often, and others are establishments that offer public skating most or all of the year. Have a great time and remember that beginners are welcome!
Image by manfredrichter, used under CCO 1.0
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