People of all ages love to ice skate, and when traveling it’s a perfect way to get moving while you explore a new location. In fact, some ice rinks are located in major international cities as well as on the world’s most beautiful lakes and bodies of water. Here are some of the best place to ice skate in the world.
Central Park and Rockefeller Center – New York, New York , USA
Starting off with a classic, New York is undoubtedly magical during the winter season. In Manhattan the most famous and picturesque places to ice skate are at Rockefeller Center, in the heart of the city surrounded by tall buildings and quintessential New York views, or in Central Park, where from the ice rink you can see trees and patches of the NYC skyline from below. Both are family-friendly and offer the perfect romantic setting for photos.
Lake Louise in Banff National Park – Canada
Canada is perhaps one of the most popular and scenic winter destinations, and it has many lakes, rivers and streams for skating. Lake Louise in the famous Banff National Park is just one of your options. Banff is famous for cascading mountains fading into teal blue waters. Here a true natural paradise awaits, and in the winter many cold weather activities are available to park visitors, including tubing, cross country skiing, snowboarding, sleigh riding and more.
Old Port Skating Rink – Montreal, Canada
If you’re less the mountain country type and more of a city dweller then you’ll find an equally good time at the Old Port Skating Rink in Montreal. It’s located near the old part of the city beneath the city’s famous ferris wheel on the St. Lawrence River. Go at night to see the rink light up along with the city around you. It’s a perfect way to get some fun exercise before or after dinner, and nearby are plenty of restaurants in the old part of town.
Lac de Joux in the Jura Mountains – Switzerland
Another popular winter paradise, Switzerland has many options for winter fun. One of the most scenic is Lake Joux which sits by the Jura Mountains on the Swiss border with France. This lake turned outdoor rink is the largest in Europe and is open for ice skaters when it freezes over. Around the rink vendors sell food and drink to those enjoying some fun on the ice.
Evergreen Lake – Colorado, USA
Hockey players, pro ice skaters, and fun-seekers alike are welcome at Evergreen Lake when it freezes over. Just west of Denver, Evergreen provides plenty of space to play a friendly or fierce game of hockey across more than 10 pond rinks, as well as a space specifically for recreational skiing. Views of the surrounding evergreen woods color the landscape even in the colder months, and with its proximity to Denver a hot meal and drinks are never far away.
Ice Dream (Wiener Eistraum) – Vienna, Austria
In Vienna, a whole icescape awaits visitors between January and March. In 2023, around 650,000 people visited Vienna’s Ice Dream. This property boasts four skating rinks and nearly 92 thousand square feet of ice. The space is also surrounded by a variety of gastronomy options for a pre- or post-skate meal. Try anything from traditional spaetzle and Vienna sausage to ice cream biscuits and hot drinks. This spot is the perfect place to spend the afternoon with some friends while exploring the city, and is also great for families looking to make memories!
Shichahai Lake in Beijing, China
This lake doubles as a history lesson: it used to be part of a 700-year old grand canal that has been converted into a winter paradise for skaters and winter vacationers. North of Beijing, three lakes are made colorful by tourists and locals skating and enjoying winter activities even in the dreary gray winter months. The spot got even more attention following the 2022 Winter Olympics.
