Where to Go Ice Skating in Boston | Boston Discovery Guide

When snow and wintery weather turn the city into a sparkling white paradise, chase away the cold by ice skating.

Boston offers excellent public rinks including the famous Frog Pond rink on Boston Common and an "Insider Secret" rink in the North End. You can find a couple more in Cambridge for enjoying this top winter sport.

Boston ice skating brings out crowds who love this winter activity. On warmer days, refrigeration under the ice and surface-smoothing zambonis keep the skaters happy.

If you're visiting Boston, no need to pack your skates - rinks offer rentals for a small fee.

Get ready to love winter in Boston!

Top photo: Ice rink on Frog Pond near Beacon Hill; Photo: copyright Boston Discovery Guide

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Ice Skating at Boston Common's Frog Pond

From late November through early March, Frog Pond (no longer an actual pond but instead, a shallow concrete-lined pool with a depth of about 6 inches) transforms into a magical expanse of ice in the middle of the city.

Conveniently located in Boston Common right in the center of the city, the rink is an easy walk from most Downtown, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill hotels.

Boston Common's Ice Rink at Frog Pond - Look closely and you can see a couple of people using "Bobby Seals"

With picturesque Beacon Hill in the background, skating on Frog Pond is one of the things that makes so Boston terrific in the winter. Take a spin on the ice right in the middle of Boston Common.

Bring your own skates, or rent them at the rink for a reasonable fee.

Frog Pond does get fairly crowded at times - especially on sunny weekend afternoons.

By contrast, Boston school holidays typically draw fewer crowds than you might expect, as a lot of Bostonians leave the city to go skiing.

Frog Pond Amenities

Great hot chocolate, coffee, and other treats at the Frog Pond Pavilion snack bar - try the made-to-order Belgium waffles
Bobby Seals - Don't know how to skate? Rent a Bobby Seal, hang on to it as you glide across the ice, and you'll be able to skate on your own faster than you might expect

Frog Pond Essential Information

Cost: $6 if you are 58 inches or taller; free if you are under 58 inches
Open: Usually from mid-November (check Boston Event calendar for November for exact date) through mid-March - may vary by a week or two based on weather
Regular hours:
- Monday, 10am to 3:45pm
- Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 9pm
- Friday and Saturday, 10am to 10pm
- Sunday, 10am to 9pm

Skate rental: Adults $12; children 13 and under are $6; locker rentals are $5
Skate Sharpening: $10/pair
Bobby the Skating Seal: $15 hour
Nearest T station: Red and Green Line/Park
Parking: Boston Common Garage.

More information: Boston Common Frog Pond website

Where to Stay near the Frog Pond Skating Rink on Boston Common

You'll enjoy the best of Boston when you stay in a hotel close to Boston Common, such as the stylish Hotel AKA Boston Common:

Hotel AKA Boston Common, top choice near Boston Common

More top waterfront hotels near Boston Common:

Check out more hotels near Boston Common & the Public Garden

Ice Skating Rink Opens in Fenway

The Rink, the ice skating rink located between at 401 Park between Time Out Market and Trillium Fenway opens for the season this year on Saturday, November 12.

Adults can skate for $10, while college students (with ID), seniors and kits under the age of 12 pay just $6. Skate rentals cost $6.

The Rink is open from 3pm-9pm Monday - Friday, 11am-10pm on Saturday, and 11am-9pm on Sunday.

Once you finish skating, head into Time Out Market or Trillium for a hot drink, frosty beverage, and a tasty snack or meal from one of the terrific food concessions.

Nearest T Station: Fenway

More Winter Activities near Boston

More Fun Activities in Boston

Ice Skating - Boston's North End

The Steriti Ice Rink in Boston's North End is sort of an Insider's Secret: It's an easy walk from North Station, it's open from late November until mid-March, and skating is free!

The catch? The Steriti is heavily used by ice skating by Boston and North End teams and has limited public skating hours - usually a couple to a few hours daily. But hey, it's free.

If the hours happen to work with your schedule, you'll love the frendly vibe at this large, well-maintained rink, one of the 41 rinks throughout the state overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Steriti Rink's indoor location offers a big advantage when outdoor conditions aren't perfect for ice skating.

Amenities

Spectacular waterfront views across to Charlestown and East Boston.
Limited snack bar (but who cares? You're in the North End, with plenty of fabulous bakery/coffee shops on nearby Hanover Street.)

Essentials

Location: 561 Commercial Street, North End, Boston
Open: Daily, late November through mid-March
Skate rental: $6 (skating is free)

Nearest T station: Orange and Green Lines/North Station
Public skating hours: Check their website

Community Ice Skating @ Kendall

You'll find Kendall Square Community Skating in in the heart of Kendall Square's Canal District (where you can also go kayaking in the summer), just across the Charles River from Boston. This trendy neighborhood also boasts numerous cafes and restaurants, so you'll find plenty of good places to eat after working up an appetite on the ice.

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. Or you can walk across the Longfellow Bridge for scenic views of the Charles River.

Essentials

Address: 300 Athenaeum Street; Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA
Open: Daily, mid-December - mid March, weather permitting
Cost, schedule, skate rental: Check their website
Nearest T station: Red Line/Kendall-MIT. About a 4-5 minute walk to the rink
Tip: If the weather isn't good (sleet, rain, strong wind, heavy snow, too-warm temperature), check the website to make sure the rink is open.

Winter Skate in Patriot Place

Closed for the 2022-2023 season due to ongoing construction at adjacent Gillette Stadium. Check back next year!

Boston Harbor Hotel Ice Skating Rink - TBD

Look for Boston Harbor Hotel's seasonal ice skating rink right under the hotel's iconic arch, giving skaters spectacular views of the waterfront as they spin around the ice.

Amenities

Heart-warming beverages, libations, and snacks at Rowes Wharf Sea Grille
Enjoy the hotel's wonderful location next to the waterfront and the Rose Kennedy Greenway - plus close to Boston's historic and modern attractions!

Essentials

Location: Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston
Cost: Adults $10, children $5, children under 5 free
Open: Mid-December through late February - check the December events calendar for exact date
- Monday - Friday 3pm-8pm
- Saturday & Sunday 10am - 8pm
Skate rental: Adults $10, Children $8
Nearest T station: Red Line/South Station

Stay at Boston Harbor Hotel, or in a Nearby Waterfront Hotel

Take advantage of being close to BHH's skating rink - and enjoy low winter rates on the Waterfront.

Enjoy the views plus all of the fun activities along Boston's waterfront when you stay at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

Boston Harbor Hotel on Boston's waterfront

More top hotels on Boston's Waterfront:

Check out more hotels on Boston's Waterfront

Please note: Although we do our best to keep cost information on this page up to date, costs may (and do) change at any time, so please consider the costs on this page as approximate rather than as exact.