Ice Skating in Boston

Boston's favorite winter sport

When snow and wintery weather turn the city into a sparkling white paradise, you can chase away the cold by ice skating.  Boston has excellent public rinks, including one right in the heart of the city at Frog Pond in Boston Common. 

Ice skating is one of the top things to do in Boston when the temperature drops, but don't worry about the warmer days - all of these rinks have ice-producing refrigeration capabilities as well as surface-smoothing zambonis.  Nothing's going to get in the way of one of the favorite Boston sports!

So, grab your skates and try our top choices for ice skating in Boston and nearby Cambridge. 

You can get to all of them easily by T (Boston's subway system), and they're also among the most affordable Boston ice skating rinks.

Best of all, if you're visiting the city, don't bother bringing your own skates - you can easily and inexpensively rent a pair at all of these rinks.

Get ready to love winter in Boston!

City Ice Skating at Boston Common's Frog Pond

During the winter, Frog Pond (really a shallow concrete-lined pool with a depth of about 6 inches) becomes transformed into a magical expanse of ice in the middle of the city. 

From November through mid-March, skaters glide across the refrigerated surface of the rink, conveniently located in centrally located Boston Common.  The rink is funded and operated by a private foundation, working in partnership with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. 

Because of Frog Pond's central location as well as Boston's passion for ice skating, the rink gets fairly crowded at times.  This is especially true on weekends, weekday evenings, and around noon on weekdays when people working in the city take midday breaks at the rink.  Boston school holidays are also busy periods that you may want to avoid if you can come at a less-crowded time. 

The barrier around the rink's perimeter makes this rink a reasonably easy place for beginning skaters to hold on as they're perfecting their skills. 

As an added plus, entrance fees here are very affordable - especially for children 13 and under, who skate for free.

If you're visiting Boston and have never skated before but want to try it, you can arrange for a private lesson or two before the rink opens.  Look for information about this on the Frog Pond website.

Location:  Frog Pond, Boston Common (more or less across from the Joy Street intersection with Beacon Street), Boston
Cost:  Adults $4; children 13 and under are free.  Season passes also available
Open 2009-2010:   From November 19 (opening ceremony at 5:30 followed by skating) through mid-March. 
Regular hours:  Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 9pm (except Monday when the rink closes at 4pm), Friday and Saturday, 10am to 10pm, closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, open Christmas Eve 10am - 5pm., New Year’s Eve 10am - 8pm, and New Year's Day 12 noon - 5pm.  On December 28, 2009, and February 15, 2010, the Frog Pond will be open from 10 am - 9pm.
Skate rental:  Adults $8; children 13 and under $5
Other amenities:  The Frog Pond Pavilion snack bar serves hot chocolate, coffee, and other delicious treats; locker rental for $1; skate sharpening for $5; skating school offering lessons to all ages.
Nearest T station: Red and Green Line/Park
Parking:  Boston Common Garage.  Just in case you see the dreaded "Garage Full" sign, some of the parking garages near the Theatre District are almost as convenient
For more information about Frog Pond Ice Skating:  Boston Common Frog Pond Website
Interesting trivia:  Are you a fan of Cheers, the long-running television show about the Boston bar where "everyone knows your name?" 

If you are, you may enjoy knowing that the Boston Common Frog Pond Foundation, which funds and operates the skating rink, is chaired by Boston restauranteur/entrepreneur Thomas Kershaw, owner of nearby Hampshire House, Cheers Beacon Hill (exterior shots of Cheers were filmed here), Cheers Faneuil Hall Marketplace (interior is just like what you saw on TV), and Beacon Hill's fabulous 75 Chestnut restaurant (see our page on where to have Thanksgiving dinner in Boston for more details). 

His chefs direct the Frog Pond Snack Bar, which is most likely why the snacks that you can get here are so good.  

More City Ice Skating - Boston's North End

The Steriti Ice Rink in Boston's North End is one of the 41 rinks throughout the state overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).  It's open from the end of November until mid-March.

Like many of the DCR rinks, the Steriti is heavily used by ice skating by Boston and North End teams and has very limited public skating hours.  Still, if those hours happen to work with your schedule, you'll enjoy the large, well-maintained rink .  The rink's location in the North End makes it slightly less convenient to get to than Frog Pond, although it's an easy walk from North Station.

However, the Steriti Rink's indoor location offers a big advantage when outdoor conditions aren't perfect for ice skating.  Boston does get a certain amount of weather most winters that's downright unpleasant for outdoor ice skating - sleet, cutting wind, icy rain, and even regular rain.

On those less than perfect outdoor days, you can still glide across the ice of the large Steriti rink and imagine blue skies and sunshine.  Another plus: spectacular waterfront views across to Charlestown and East Boston.

And still another plus: free public skating!

Location:  561 Commercial Street, North End, Boston
Cost:  Free!
Open: Daily, late November - mid March; check http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/skating.htm for days and hours (you may also want to call to confirm).
Skate rental:  $5
Other amenities:  Limited snack bar (but who cares?  You're in the North End, with plenty of fabulous bakery/coffee shops on nearby Hanover Street.)
Nearest T station: Orange and Green Lines/North Station
For more information:  617-523-9327 

Harvard Square Ice Skating

How many hotels magically produce their own outdoor rink for winter ice skating?  Boston tourists, Cambridge locals, and of course the hotel guests all love the 2,900 square foot ice skating rink at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge's Harvard Square.

Open 7 days a week, this rink gives you a panoramic view of Harvard Square as you whirl across the ice. 

You can also easily arrange reasonably-priced skating lessons for 1-2 children in time increments of 15, 30, or 45 minutes.

Location:  Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
Cost:  Adults $5; children 11 and under $3.  Season passes and family passes also available
Open: Daily during the winter starting the first week of December; check the website for details.
Skate rental:  Adults $5; children 11 and under $3
Other amenities:  Snack bar serves hot beverages and some cold drinks, pretzels, and other yummy treats; skating school offering lessons to children.
Nearest T station: Red Line/Harvard
For more information:  617-234-8008; www.charleshotel.com
 

More Cambridge Ice Skating - Kendall Square

You'll find Kendall Square Community Ice Skating in East Cambridge, just across the Charles River from Boston, in a bustling neighborhood loaded with hotels, restaurants, businesses, and retail space. 

The seasonal outdoor rink is only a block from the edge of the campus of Cambridge's renowned MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) - so if you're at MIT for an interview or campus tour during the winter, stop by for some stress-relieving ice skating.  Boston is only 5 minutes away by T, so you can also get here easily from the city.

The refrigerated Kendall rink is open 7 days a week.

Address:  300 Athenaeum Street; Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA
Cost:  Adults $4; seniors and students $3; children 10 and under $1.  Season passes also available
Open: Daily, November - mid March; call for hours and dates.
Skate rental:  $5
Other amenities:  Cafe with hot drinks and snacks; locker rental for $1; skate sharpening for $5; skating school offering lessons to all ages.
Nearest T station: Red Line/Kendall-MIT.  When you get off the T, walk through the Marriott lobby, exit onto Broadway and turn right.  The first intersection is Third Street (you'll see a big globe).  Turn left onto Third, walk 3 blocks to Athenaeum, and turn right.  The rink is one block away, in your left.
For more information:  617-492-0941; www.kendallsquare.org
Tip:  If the weather isn't good (sleet, rain, strong wind, heavy snow), call first to make sure the rink is open.