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 like skiing, sledding, and snow tubing, is a great way to stay active in wintertime.
Day Trips Around Rochester, New York
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Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks
Skate Rentals Available
City of Rochester
Monroe County
- Town of Irondequoit (look for seasonal announcements)
- Town of Greece
Indoor Ice Skating Rinks
City of Rochester
Monroe County
- Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena, RIT-Henrietta
- Lakeshore Hockey Arena, Greece
- Rochester Ice Center, Fairport
- Scottsville Ice Arena, Scottville
- Tim Horton’s Regional Iceplex, MCC-Brighton
- Tuttle North Ice Arena, SUNY Brockport
- Village Sports, Fairport
- Webster Ice Arena, Webster
Surrounding Counties
- Dick’s House of Sport, Eastview Mall-Victor
- Falleti Ice Arena, Batavia
Bring Your Own Skates
City of Rochester
- Ontario Beach Park. The rink is made of multi-polymer panels that feel like real ice. It’s located in the Sandpiper Shelter, offering protection from the elements so that it can be used in various weather conditions, including rain, sleet, snow, or warm temperatures.
- Highland Park. Located at the Lily Pond on South Ave near School #12.
Monroe County
Surrounding Counties
A person learns to skate by staggering about and making a fool of himself. Indeed they progress in all things by resolutely making a fool of themselves.
― George Bernard Shaw
Things to Consider
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 the ice with hockey practice, lessons, and games, so public skate times may not work with your schedule.
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 a blessing and curse—and can be more free-form without all of the crowds.
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The Best Sledding Hills Around Rochester
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Which is your favorite ice skating rink?
Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.
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The artificial rink described above was built in 1956, before that the city would flood the little league diamond and we would have an outdoor natural rink. They also did that at Norton Village, Carter Street, Malpewood park and probably more on the west side I’m not aware of. Interesting side note, in the early/mid 60’s they would leave the rink lights on all night. We (my hockey playing friends and I) would wait in the #11 parking lot as they clean the ice after the last skating session (10pm-midnight), than hop the fence and play hockey till 4am, the Cops never came. We only did this a couple times a year, on a Friday/Sat night. I lived on Pershing Dr.
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.