There are several options when looking for ice skating rinks. It first depends on whether you own your own skates or need to rent. All indoor, plus a few outdoor rinks, have skate rentals available.
For outdoor ice rinks, Rochester needs 3-5 days of sub 32 degree daily high temperatures for the ice to form and set.
Ice skating, along with other snow sports, is a great way to stay active in wintertime.
Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks
With Skate Rentals Available
- Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square
- Town of Irondequoit (website not kept up to date)
- Town of Greece
Bring Your Own Skates
- Highland Park at the Lily Pond on South Ave near School #12
- Churchville Park
- Ellison Park
- Akron Falls Park
- Como Lake Park
Indoor Ice Skating Rinks
- Rochester Ice Center
- Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex, MCC
- Lakeshore Hockey Arena
- Scottsville Ice Arena
- Genesee Valley Park Sports Complex
- Dick’s House of Sport, Eastview Mall
- Village Sports
- Webster Ice Arena
- Falleti Ice Arena
- Tuttle North Ice Arena, College at Brockport
- Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena, RIT
A man learns to skate by staggering about and making a fool of himself. Indeed he progresses in all things by resolutely making a fool of himself.
― George Bernard Shaw
More information
Indoor
Indoor rinks are consistently maintained and shielded from the weather, making them a great place to go on a hot summer day!
Indoor rinks share ice with hockey practice, lessons, and games so public skate times may not work with your schedule.
Outdoor
Outdoor ice skating rinks tend to be free to access with your own skates, with typical park hours.
Outdoor rinks are open to nature and the elements—both blessing and curse—and can be more free-form without all of the crowds.
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Where are your favorite ice skating rinks?
Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.
I used to ive skate at a park next to No.11 school, where Webster Ave ended and Bay St. Continued. The city would flood an area of the park, after there was a solid ice we could skate there all day till 8:00pm. It was free and so much fun. The shack, as we called it, was where we could warm up and they would play music for us skaters. So much fun. I’m not sure if they have ice skating there anymore though. I could not find it in your ice skating places mentioned.
I lived on Rosewood Terrace growing up as a kid between 1966 and 1972. I attended the old #11 school and the new #11/#33 school that was built to replace to old #11 school. There was a rec center at that park back then that was basketball courts in the warm weather and an ice rink in the winter. Seem to recall it was 25 cents to skate after school until they closed. I was there quite often every week during the winter. Back then they put up boards like a hockey rink. Laid down refrigerated hoses and then flooded it to provide skating all winter long. There was a nice building I think we called “the shanty” but it was actually very modern and nice at the time. Its long gone now. But the memories will never go away.
Such wonderful memories, Cliff!
the shanty had a wood burning stove if I recall, Friday nights would be packed with neighborhood teens skating. I rented it for pickup hockey well into the late 80s’…
Thank you for sharing this, Jim.