Ice Skating NYC: Where to Glide This Winter

Ice skating in New York is a tradition and one of those things you have to do in the city between October and April. That's right! You get plenty of months to skate or just have fun watching other people skate (or wipe out 😝)

There are several ice rinks in New York, but our goal is to help you get the most out of your budget, so let's start with the Citi Pond at Bryant Park, the only free ice rink in NYC.

1. Free Ice Rink in New York: Bryant Park

Open from 10/25/2024 through March 2, 2025

Hours: 8 am to 10 pm

To make it completely free you have to bring your own skates, which is honestly a tough thing to pack (depending on the day and time, rentals run between $18 and $33).

If you'd rather not take a tumble and just soak up the holiday atmosphere, Bryant Park is ideal.

Along with the ice skating rink, you'll find a carousel that kids and adults alike will love, food stalls, hot cider, and a holiday market with 100 vendors selling seasonal gifts (while you're at it, check out the other most traditional Christmas markets in NYC).

2. Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center

Open from 10/12/2024 through April 2025

Hours: 9 am to 12 am

The ice skate rink at Rockefeller Center is the best known in New York. A stop at Rockefeller Plaza is a must, it's a city icon, and it's also home to Manhattan's enormous Christmas tree decked out in more than 50,000 lights.

The downside is that it's always packed with tourists, and only 150 people are allowed on the ice at once.

If you want to skate here, brace yourself for very long lines and for paying between $40 and $50 to get in, plus skate rental. It's on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets.

It's a good idea to check the official page for the Rockefeller Center ice rink before your visit, since hours and prices change day to day.

3. Skating in Central Park: 2 Ice Rinks

Open from October 28 through March 12, 2025

Hours: 10 am – closing time depends on the day

Wollman Rink

The Wollman Rink (officially called Trump Rink after Donald Trump's group renovated it in the late '80s) sits at the southeast corner of Central Park near 59th Street. This is another of New York's most famous ice skating rinks.

You won't find as many tourists here. It's mostly locals, especially loads of kids and beginners taking their first ice skating lessons.

Keep in mind that the Wollman «Trump» Rink is home to the largest skating school in the United States, so hours for general public access are more limited and vary a lot. I'd recommend checking their website.

Monday through Thursday, admission is $12, and the rest of the week $19, plus $10 for skate rental. Kids under 11 get a discount ($6), as do visitors over 65 ($9).

Coming out here is worth it for the views over Central Park, though be aware they charge spectators $5.

Skating at Lasker Rink

The Lasker Rink (also run by the Trump organization) is another spot to ice skate in New York, located at the north end of Central Park around 110th Street. It's far less crowded and much less known to tourists, so if you actually want to skate it's a solid option.

Lasker Rink is the cheapest of them all (except The Pond if you have your own skates), since admission and skate rental together run just $15 (kids and visitors over 65 get discounts). This rink also offers skating lessons and hosts hockey games, in case you want to catch one.

Hours vary, so it's worth checking ahead on their official site.

4. The Rink at Brookfield Place

If you're in Downtown Manhattan, you can skate at the rink in the Brookfield Place mall (230 Vesey Street), steps from One World Trade Center.

While this isn't one of New York's most popular ice rinks, it is one of the most affordable: $15 for 90 minutes, plus $5 for skate rental.

The season starts in November and runs through March.

5. Winter Whirl: Skating at the Oculus

Open from 11/22/2024 through 1/05/2025

Hours:

• Wednesday and Thursday: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
• Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM.
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Also in Lower Manhattan (185 Greenwich Street), you can skate at Winter Whirl inside the Oculus at the World Trade Center. The twist is that it's a roller skating rink, not an ice rink.

Admission to the rink includes access to the Polar Pub, a holiday pop-up with seasonal snacks and drinks like hot cider.

General admission is $30. Kids under 13 pay $25.

6. Winterland Rink: Ice Skating Downtown

Another of the newer ice skating rinks is in Lower Manhattan, in the historic South Street Seaport district (which I absolutely recommend visiting).

On the roof of the modern Pier 17 mall (89 South Street), you'll find this rink with full-on views of the Brooklyn Bridge while you skate or watch others do it.

You can check hours and prices at the link.

7. Ice Skating Under the Brooklyn Bridge

Open from mid-November through March 2025

Hours: 9 am to 12 am

📍 Emily Warren Roebling Plaza in Brooklyn Bridge Park

You can also ice skate under the Brooklyn Bridge, on a rink set up at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza in Brooklyn Bridge Park, that wonderful park stretching between two bridges in DUMBO.

Glide is the name of the rink, and prices range from $15 to $25 depending on the time slot (minors pay less).

Skate rentals start at $12.

You can find more details on the official page for this new ice rink in Brooklyn.

8. Ice Skating in Williamsburg

Open from late November through March 1, 2025

Hours: 12 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays it opens at 9 am.

📍 Domino Park in Brooklyn

For the first time, an ice rink is opening at Domino Park, one of the newest parks in New York, built in Brooklyn along the East River.

From this rink you'll get stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, which makes it a perfect spot to enjoy winter.

Tickets start at $18 for 75 minutes. Prices vary depending on the date and time.

You can check prices and buy tickets on the official website of Domino Park.

9. Chelsea Piers: Sky Rink

There's no need to wait for winter to arrive in New York to go ice skating.

On the piers along the Hudson River (Pier 61) in Chelsea, you'll find this rink, part of a huge sports complex. Here you can skate year round, and if you're an experienced skater you can work on your figures or pick up speed without worrying about plowing into tourists or kids.

The Chelsea ice rink also hosts hockey games if you're interested in watching.

The Sky Rink is open to the general public at hours that change throughout the year, and you can check them on their website. Admission costs 13 dollars and skate rental is just 7.

As you'll see, it's as cheap as Bryant Park, but this spotless sports facility definitely doesn't buzz with Christmas spirit the way the other outdoor ice rinks in New York do.

Traveling to New York in winter?

Check out more ideas for what to do in New York in winter