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It's the Perfect Time of Year to Lace Up your Skates

posted by Teresa Farrell at 2025-02-02 12:05:00

Winter brings with it the opportunity to lace up some ice skates and enjoy the season, and both indoor and outdoor ice rinks can be found in many of the cities, towns and villages throughout every region of Upstate New York. Even if you haven’t tried it before, take advantage of the opportunity to experience ice skating at one of these iconic locations this winter.

 

Central and Western New York are known for their wintry weather, and have plenty of skating opportunities to enjoy. In Syracuse, the outdoor Clinton Square Ice Rink, which is also situated in the heart of the city’s downtown area and surrounded by historic architecture, offers public skating until March 1; or check out one of two indoor ice rinks for later-season skating.

 

In Rochester, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square is offers outdoor skating with a fireplace and warming hut to cozy up to between laps. Meanwhile, in downtown Buffalo, visit the Buffalo Waterfront and lace up your skates at Ice at Canalside for outdoor public ice skating throughout the winter; you can even rent your own personal igloo to warm up in after!


 
If you’re closer to the Capital Region, downtown Albany’s Empire State Plaza Ice Rink is the place to be; this rink is a reflecting pool during the warmer months, but is frozen and opened up for public skating as the snow flies. Or, go a bit further south and visit the Hudson Valley’s largest open-air ice rink at Bear Mountain Ice Rink in Tomkins Cove, where you can also rent skates or have a lesson, or just enjoy an open skate.   



The big cities aren’t the only places with ice skating available. In the Adirondacks, you can skate on Olympic ice at the Lake Placid’s James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, one of the sites that hosted competitors at the 1980 Winter Games, or check out one of the other indoor or outdoor rinks at the Olympic Center. Meanwhile, the town of Long Lake is home to the Geiger Arena and Mt. Sabbatis Sledding Hill, with outdoor skating and a sledding hill to enjoy.


 
Wherever you go, make sure to check ahead of time to find out hours and schedules, rates, safety regulations, or whether you need to reserve a spot or a pair of skates before you hit the ice. With those few tips in mind, you’ll be ready to lace up your skates and glide right through the rest of the winter months!
 

PHOTO CREDITS

Empire State Plaza ice rink photo credit Empire State Plaza Events
Clinton Square ice rink photo credit Gavin Schaefer
Rochester ice skating photo credit Roc Holiday Village
Buffalo ice rink photo credit Buffalo Waterfront
Speed skating oval photo credit Lake Placid Legacy Sites
 

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