Where to go ice skating in Queens

As the freezing temperatures approach, we’re ready for that quintessential urban winter sport: ice skating. Whether you do it for exercise, to show off your double axels, for a date night, to get the kids out of the house, or to people-watch… here are the best spots for ice skating in Queens.

Image source: City ice Pavilion

Long Island City has the City Ice Pavilion (GMAP), a rooftop bubble that you can spot from the 7 train, just west of the 33rd Street station. This indoor rink hosts birthday parties, skating lessons for all levels, skating camp programs, youth and adult hockey, and public skating. There are public skating sessions every afternoon, usually starting at 12:00 or 1:30pm. Admission prices are reasonable, at $5 on weekdays and $8 on weekends, holidays and school vacations. The rink even hosts open hockey sessions for adults, four days a week during lunchtime, so you can take out your workplace frustration on the hockey puck.

Image source: Paul Lowry on Flickr

In Flushing Meadows Park, you can skate at the World Ice Arena (GMAP), a modern building that’s in the northeastern corner of the park – take a left at the circle at the bottom of the ramp from the 7 train at Willets Point. This indoor rink offers plenty of programs including adult open hockey on Friday and Saturday nights, private skating lessons, synchronized skating clinics, hockey skills clinics, and birthday parties. Public skating sessions are usually from about 9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays, plus weekend afternoons and nights. Admission is $5 on weekdays and $8 on weekends and holidays.

The New York City Building, home of the Queens Museum of Art on the other side of Flushing Meadows Park, was the site of an ice skating rink during and after the World’s Fair, but the facility closed in 2008.