Get us in your inbox

Search
The Roller Wave
Photograph: Courtesy Mike Schmidt

The best places to go roller-skating in NYC

Go roller-skating at NYC's best roller rinks and clubs.

Shaye Weaver
Written by
Shaye Weaver
Advertising

Now more than ever, New Yorkers are in the mood for the nostalgia and joy that roller-skating brings. The retro, wheeled activity has been around for some time, especially in the Black community, which has been heralding its return to the mainstream again. You can have a summer of skates with our roundup of roller rinks and skate parties. And be sure to suit up with some picks from our favorite vintage stores in NYC.

Roller skating in NYC

  • Things to do

Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace is back at The Rink at Rockefeller Center for the warmer months, bringing roller skating to the golden Prometheus once again. The roller rink straight from California will host DJ sets, live music performances, concerts, roller boogie nights and skating lessons through October. Before your one-hour rink time, you can use the locker room to store your things and put your skates on. Afterward, you can return your skates before checking out Flipper's at Rockefeller Center merch. (There's also a store at the Channel Gardens that sells gear and merch from Flipper's, including exclusive items made for this NYC stint.) Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance at flippers.world.

  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Prospect Park

When it's not a roller disco on Friday nights, Lakeside’s outdoor roller skating rink provides pop hits you can skate to while taking in views of Prospect Park Lake. Starting at 11am on weekdays and noon on weekends, admission is only $8 during the week and $12 on weekends and holidays. Rentals are $8 daily. Check out its website for programs you can join, including roller skating classes, roller dance lessons, and hockey leagues. 

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life

The Standard, High Line has its very own Roller Rink, open as of April 12. This particular activation by The Standard Plaza is inspired by all things 1960s (think a whole lot of white!) and it will also feature a nice seating area all around it, where you will be able to bask in the sun. Also on the docket: weekly programs and events catered to kids and adults alike, including silent skate nights, disco parties, burlesque and drag shows, plus age-specific skating hours. A delicious-sounding and very much on-theme rink-side menu will round out your skating experience but there will also be wearable drink pouches that skaters can wear around their necks in order to sip on some top-notch cocktails hands-free while cruising around the rink.

RollerJam USA
  • Attractions
  • Arcades and amusements
  • Staten Island

Superstorm Sandy nearly demolished this rink, but it’s back and stronger than ever. Take a whirl on the new bright-blue plywood floor and play a game of Skee-Ball in the arcade. The spot is popular with families, especially on Fridays when visitors can snag $2 pizza slices (7–9pm) and listen to chart hits. Avoid the rugrats by coming on Saturday nights (9pm-2am), when you’re more likely to see dudes doing body shots and girls skating on the bar, while the DJ spins a mix of ’70s and ’80s tunes. It's just $15 admission and $5 for rentals.

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • Brooklyn Heights

Head to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2 to skate with a beautiful view of the city. While the roller rink is used by a hockey league twice a week, it is open for public skates most days in the summertime for just $6. It's free on Mondays and Fridays between 3:30 and 6pm. Skate rentals are just $7-$11 depending on the day. If you're looking for some extra fun, the rink regularly hosts themed nights!

  • Things to do

Each week starting in April through October, dozens of in-line skaters cruise along different routes for two hours during this totally free hump-day social; the group has previously wheeled through Central Park, Queens, Brooklyn and even New Jersey. All skill levels are welcome as long as you can stop and turn, and because you’ll be rolling on the road, helmets and wrist guards are obligatory. The diverse club includes college kids and retirees, which makes for interesting postride conversation, usually taking place at an end-point bar. Meet at the South end of Union Square Park (14th St) near the stars at 7:45pm.

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • City Life

It seems like New Yorkers can't get enough of skating rinks these days, which is why we assume that the black-owned, Brooklyn-born The Roller Wave—a nostalgia-inducing destination at Atlantic Terminal Mall. The 9,000-square-foot pop-up rink will be accessible to folks of all ages through June 4 at the Boerum Hill mall at 625 Atlantic Avenue following runs across other cities and local neighborhoods. The groovy, massive new rink will also be home to an arcade and serve food and beverages by Buds 2 Roses Café and Union Square Hospitality Group. DJs and musicians will be on premise as well to provide entertainment.

  • Bars
  • Bedford-Stuyvesant

It's not a rink per say, but All Night Skate is a bar that encapsulates all the joy, attitude and ephemera of a roller rink and encourages patrons to wear their skates inside by giving them 10% off drinks. Speaking of which, cocktails are designed by co-owner Olivia Hu, who bartended at Sunrise/Sunset. Try the one with the Pop Rocks and chili rim called the "Poppin' Off."

Advertising
  • Things to do

The park’s roller-party scene burst into being in the late ’70s, but gatherings were often shut down due to excessive noise and allegations of substance abuse. In the ’90s, the Central Park Dance Skaters Association (cpdsa.org) was formed to help mend relationships with the city. The group continues to host weekend parties—like ice skating—which are established items on the park’s calendar. From April until October, old-schoolers and young enthusiasts rock flashy outfits and boogie down to R&B, dance and house music. Bring your own skates or just sit on the sidelines—regulars often show off tricks that make this party as entertaining to watch as it is to join.

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising