Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Get your skate on!

New York City comes alive at Christmas time. The streets and shops go all out with decorations and lights, our parks put up huge, beautiful trees and there are tons of stalls and mini-stores at the many holiday markets round the island. The best part though? The ice-skating rinks!

It is the focal point in so many movies when the main characters go ice-skating in New York City and it tops so many '100 things' to do lists for NYC. But where are these rinks? And which are the best?


The main two would have to be Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center usually has an hour or so wait but it is probably the most iconic. It is one of the most expensive options and also one of the smallest rinks so you're mainly going there to say 'I've skated at Rockefeller'. Bryant Park is free to skate if you bring your own, otherwise it's $14 to rent. It is a much larger rink as you can see above and also has a holiday market around it so you can get your shopping done too!



Other rinks around Manhattan include Central Park, South Street Seaport, Brookfield Place and Chelsea Piers. There are actually two in Central Park, one at around 59th St and one at 90th. The one at 59th is the largest in the country and more confined in the park and is featured in many movies. It ranges in price between $11 and $17 depending on what time of day you go but it's fun to just walk through the park and watch too. South Street Seaport is smaller and I think less public accessed (it's more for lessons and learning to skate). The Brookfield Place rink is located near Battery Park/Financial District and is one of the larger ones too. It gives a more 'wintery' feel being near the river and has blustery breezes that will almost knock you over. Chelsea Piers isn't an ice rink built specifically for Christmas, it is where they have hockey games and all year round ice skating lessons. But it is one of the only ones to be indoors incase you get too chilly!

There are more rinks in the other suburbs of New York and to find out about them just get your Google on. Christmas is a great time to live here so take full advantage of the city this winter season. 

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