There’s nothing like winter in New York, and even when the weather is cold, nothing beats a night at the rink beneath the city’s most iconic holiday symbol: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The Rink at Rockefeller Center is perhaps the most famous skating rink in the world, visited by an estimated 250,000 people each year. The place is so special, in fact, The Rink offers engagement packages if you’re looking to get down on one knee... on the ice! Admission: $20-$54
Before the best ice skating rinks in the USA even existed, skaters would carefully monitor the conditions on their frozen-over family ponds (read: not cool). The whole practice was as safe as it sounds (read: not at all), but these days there’s less to worry about. When it comes to lacing up and going for a twirl on a sheet of ice, you’ll find charming ice rinks all across the country — naturally, some are just a cut above the rest.
Each modern ice rink has something unique to offer. In California, Siskiyou Ice Rink frames mesmerizing views of the Cascade Mountains, while New Hampshire’s Puddle Dock Pond takes skaters back in time as they spin around an old-timey village — you’ll even find slick rinks in unlikely places like Las Vegas (complete with man-made snow), and an indoor rink in Houston (inside one of the largest malls in America).
Ready to take a lap? Check out our list of the best ice skating rinks in the USA and start practicing your quadruple axel before the ice melts away until next year.
RECOMMENDED: best winter vacations in the USA