Best Ice Skating in Brooklyn for Some Frozen FUN!
It’s winter, what better way to enjoy the joys of the season than by hitting up the best ice skating in Brooklyn! From holiday pop-up ice rinks to ice skating options that stay open until spring, this is your go-to guide for some frozen fun this winter in the city!
During the pandemic, I picked up ice skating as a way to get out and get my body moving. Now, it’s one of my favorite things to do in the city and one of the things I look forward to the most in the winter.
Better yet, the ice skating season in Brooklyn is a decent window, or at least I think so. Your ice skating in Brooklyn options and season start around mid-November through March (depending on the ice rink).
The seasonal Brooklyn ice rinks can vary season to season so it’s good to double-check before your visit if you’re visiting on the shoulder of peak skate season!
Here are the best Brooklyn ice rinks to check out during your winter in Brooklyn, and for more check out the best ice skating in NYC to skate your way around the city!
Ice Skating Brooklyn Tips
All Brooklyn ice rinks do not allow you to take bags or personal items onto the rinks while you’re ice skating. Almost every facility has lockers you can use. Most facilities make you rent lockers while others you need to just bring your own lock.
If you have a non-skater going with you, they can always watch your stuff to avoid paying for a locker rental.
Every single ice skating rink in Brooklyn mentioned in this guide with the exception of the open skating at Barclays Center offer ice skating rentals as well as rentals for helmets, other safety equipment, and skate aids. Although, ice skating rentals can add up. If you find this is going to be something you want to do on repeat all season long, consider investing in a pair of ice skates. Mine paid for themselves the first 3 times I went in rental costs.
And, most of the ice rinks in Brooklyn do have sharpening services so you can maintain your own skates too.
Also, if you get hungry from ice skating, the good news is that most of the places mentioned here for ice skating in Brooklyn have concessions.
Happy skating!
Ice Skating Rinks in Brooklyn
Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park
What was always an integral part of the original Brooklyn Bridge Park vision during construction in 2008, is finally coming to life. One of the latest additions of ice rinks in Brooklyn is Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park!
Located underneath one of the city’s most famous landmarks at the Brooklyn Bridge, this Brooklyn ice rink will be open mid-November through early March for New Yorkers and tourists alike to enjoy one of the most magical ice skating experiences the city has to offer. With expansive skyline views Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park is an exciting addition to winters in NYC.
After skating up an appetite, make sure to visit the Rinkside cafe! Stocked full of eats and beverages from local vendors. And you don’t even need to skate to enjoy the cafe that overlooks the rink.
Another fun feature of this Brooklyn ice skating option is that at night they illuminate a projection of the NYC skyline under the Brooklyn Bridge next to the rink!
Pricing for Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park
For a 50-minute session, tickets start at $15 for adults and $10 for children, but pricing may vary depending on peak hours, NYC residency, and whether you need to add on a skate rental. Skate rentals are $12, although I will say that these skates aren’t great, they were very loose and difficult to tighten and I wish I would have brought my own. Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance with your skates here.
For more information on pricing and planning your visit to Glide, visit their website!
This remarkable Brooklyn ice rink is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park
171 East Drive, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
My personal pick for the best ice skating in Brooklyn is Le Frak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park. This was my spot in the pandemic because of the space, price, and location!
It is one of the largest and most affordable ice skating rinks in Brooklyn! Located in one of the most popular Brooklyn parks, you can enjoy skating, broomball, hockey, and curling at these fun Brooklyn ice rinks!
The best part about the ice skating rink at Prospect Park is that there is not just one but two ice skating rinks, one that is completely open and one that is covered! Both are conveniently connected; this center has 32,000 square feet of skating surfaces open to the public.
This ice rink is also great if you’re looking for somewhere less crowded experience too and more space to practice! See our full guide to ice skating in Prospect Park for more information.
This Brooklyn ice skating rink is typically open from mid-November through March. They have concessions here too.
Admission for the Prospect Park ice skating rink:
Weekdays admission is $10.05 per person
Weekend admission is $14.70 per person
Skate rentals are $10.30 per person – they carry sizes starting at size 8 in youth all the way to size 15 in adults.
Knee pads or elbow pads are $4.35 per set per person
Skate Aids are $25
Helmet rentals $7.60 per person
Skate Sharpening $17.45
Hours vary by day so make sure you check out their website before you visit! And a reminder that weekend pricing begins Fridays at 4 pm!
Vale Rink at The William Vale
121 N. 12th Street, Brooklyn
One of the most exciting Brooklyn ice rinks is on top of the William Vale luxury hotel in Williamsburg! Offering sweeping views of the Manhattan city skyline and views of the Empire State Building from Vale Rink’s 23rd-floor location!
Their Brooklyn ice skating rink is a sustainable rink made of a synthetic material mastered by Swiss engineers using a material that does not require water or electricity to function. And because of this, guests and visitors can skate in any temperature with a backdrop of that stunning skyline!
If you need a break, there’s a heated enclosure you can take a rest!
Also, while you’re here make a reservation for Westlight, one of the best rooftop bars in Brooklyn and best rooftop bars in NYC for some post skating snacks and cocktails.
Prices for Vale Rink
50-minute timed sessions for adults are $20 and for children $12 which includes skate rentals!
Their sessions are limited to 10 guests at a time, so you will need to purchase your timed ticket in advance.
The rink is open Wednesday – Friday from 2 pm to 10 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm – 10 pm. (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Reservations can be made in advance through their website.
Rooftop Winterland Rink at Pier 17
89 South Street, Manhattan
If you want some of the best ice skating with Brooklyn views, Rooftop Winterland Rink at Pier 17 in the historic Seaport District is the perfect pick! While this actually isn’t in Brooklyn, it’s in the South Street Seaport District of Lower Manhattan just on the opposite side of the Brooklyn Bridge with views of Brooklyn!
This is not only one of the best ice skating rinks in the city, but in New York due to its location on a rooftop at Pier 17. Skate the skyline with panoramic views of the Brooklyn, East River, Brooklyn Bridge, and other famous NYC landmarks.
The Winterland Ice Rink is 5,400 square feet which is impressive considering its location. In addition to the ice rink there is also a skate shop, concessions for food and drink, a hut that you can warm up in that’s fully heated to protect you from the cold on an extra blustery winter day.
Besides ice skating at this rink you can also partake in curling, broomball, and even fitness classes! There are also skate lessons available for those who want to improve their skating skills or are just beginners!
Watch out as they often have weekly specials like happy hours, discounts, and themed nights each season!
They also offer special champagne packages for anyone looking for a little bubbly while they are enjoying the most amazing views of the city after their ice skating session. Their champagne experience and package includes a glass of champagne when you’re done skating, ice rink admission, and rentals!
The entrance for The Rooftop at Pier 17 Winterland is on the Southside opposite Brooklyn Bridge of the Pier 17 building in Seaport. There is an entrance for people who need special accessibility options using the elevators at the west entrance.
Prices for Rooftop Winterland Rink at Pier 17
Skate rental pricing is different each day, but they do offer a neighborhood discount on rentals! During the week (Monday – Thursday), skate rentals are $23 per person and $20 per person for neighborhood friends. On the weekends, regular skate rental is $26 and $22 for locals. On holidays, there is one set price at $35.
Just like so many of the other rinks in the city, the hours vary so make sure you check the website before you visit and be sure to book online in advance to secure a skating session as this is one of the most popular and high in demand ice skating rinks.
You can also choose to get a membership which includes discounts, guest passes, unlimited access to the rink, one locker rental included in your visit, skate rentals, and other extra perks. There are different levels of memberships starting as low as $50 up to $155 depending on which package you select.
*If you’re a local you might be able to get some extra special discounts for their neighborhood specials at this Brooklyn ice rink! If you live in the zip codes of 10002, 10004, 10005, 10006, 10007, 10038, or 10280 and can prove with an ID you get a 30% on all skating packages!
Aviator Sports & Events Center
3159 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn
Open 365 days a year, one of the best places on our ice skating Brooklyn guide if you’re looking to ice skate all year long is at Aviator Sports & Event Center! This facility won the best ice skating rink in Brooklyn and is one of the only ice rinks in New York City open all year long!
They offer two NHL-sized indoor ice rinks with all the ice sport activities available at their facility as well as the exciting ice bumper cars for some extra fun activities on the weekends!
Aviator Ice Academy is big on their Winter Learn to Skate classes offering 11-class packages for all ages!
You can also come here for free skating, hockey, curling, and broomball. There’s also a restaurant on-site if you or your family get hungry, or you want to plan around a whole day of activities here.
Aviator Sports is in the process of revamping their event/party options, but in the future, this is also a great venue for parties – you can rent out an entire ice rink for birthday parties or any other private event you’d like to host.
Admission for the Aviator Sports & Event Center ice skating rinks
Daily freestyle drop-in sessions start at $22 while monthly subscription packages are also available!
Industry City Ice Rink
51 35th Street, Brooklyn
Another amazing open-air ice rink is located at Industry City in Sunset Park! If you haven’t been to Industry City yet, this is a great excuse! Besides having an amazing ice rink, Industry City has tons of great restaurants, food halls, independent shops, artist studios, co-working spaces, tons of colorful murals, and more set in a former industrial block, hence the name.
This ice skating rink in Brooklyn is located in the courtyard 5/6 (typically open from November through March) and if you’re new to Industry City then you’ll be blown away by all the seasonal decor by local artists. This space is known for getting decked out for every holiday of the year with different decor each year from Valentine’s Day to Oktoberfest, which is one of the many reasons this is one of our favorite things to do in Brooklyn.
At night, there is even a lovely fire pit for the ice skaters with string lights and hot cider.
This is one of the best ice rinks in Brooklyn to visit if you want to do other activities, such as playing arcade games or shopping. It’s also a great place to walk around since so many string lights and Christmas decorations are put up near the rink.
Industry City is great for heated outdoor dining as they have the largest heated outdoor setup in the city at Sahadi’s! PS don’t miss the hot cocktails from Sahadi’s too, they will warm you up even on the chilliest of days.
Here at this outdoor, open air Brooklyn ice rink you can find public ice skating sessions with ice skate rentals, helmet rentals, skate aid rentals, and even lockers for rent to hold your items while you skate away!
Just be sure to dress for the weather!
Admission for IC Ice Rink:
This Industry City rink is open Thursday – Sunday, Thursday and Friday from 4:00 – 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm.
Admission for all ages is $15
Ice Skate Rentals are $10
Skate Aid Rentals are $10
Helmet Rentals are $5
Bag Check is $5
Rudolph’s Rink at Luna Park
Another fun and NEW ice rink in Brooklyn located at Luna Park in Coney Island. For the first time in history, Luna Park is open in the winter! That is, from mid-November to early-January for a seasonal holiday experience they call Frost Fest!
There are a few rides open, sadly not all of them, as well as seasonal treats and games along with the Rudolph Rink just below the historic Cyclone rollercoaster!
This ice skating in Brooklyn option is only available during the winter holidays and is actually not ice! This rink is made of Glice USA ice, a newish technology and alternative to real “ice” for skating! This technology uses polymer panels that simulate the gliding feeling on ice and better yet, the surface is impact-absorbent!
While you’re here, check out all the fun things to do in Coney Island in winter too!
Admission for Rudolph’s Rink:
Admission for all ages is $24.99 and includes their special skate rentals for Glice and $10 to use towards games or rides in Luna Park.
Open Skate at Barclays Center
Probably the most unique pick for our ice skating Brooklyn guide is getting to skate around where the New York Islanders NHL hockey team once played their games before moving to UBS Arena in Queens on the open skate days at Barclays Center!
This is not a regular occurrence, so you’ll want to check before your visit or check in when the Barclays Center announces any public open skate sessions!
Be sure to keep a close eye as passes for this experience is always limited and you’ll need to secure a reservation online.
You must have your own skates and there are no storage lockers on the premises so you don’t want to bring valuables as they will not be allowed on this famous Brooklyn ice rink.
You’ll also need a parent or guardian with you if you are under the age of 18 years old.
The cost of this experience is usually $5 which is used as a donation benefiting the Barclays Event Center Foundation.
Enjoyed this guide to the best ice skating in Brooklyn? Let us know your favorite Brooklyn ice rink in the comments below!
