The Chicagoland area usually has plenty of natural ice this time of year, but with the constant freeze and thaw of the increasingly unpredictable winters, you may want to avoid skating on a frozen pond or lake. If you are looking to don your skates and twirl on the ice for an hour or two, here’s a list of indoor and outdoor rinks where you can safely ice skate in Chicago this winter or spring.
All Seasons Ice Rinks
Open year-round, All Seasons Ice Rink hosts public skate sessions daily. The Naperville attraction also offers a range of skating lessons, hockey training and league play opportunities, and figure skating opportunities like synchronized skating and theater on ice.
Carol Stream Ice Rink
Carol Stream Ice Arena offers skating lessons and plays host to several ice hockey leagues. The rink can also be rented out for private parties and other events. Carol Stream Ice Arena does not currently offer public skating, but may again in the future.
Downer’s Grove Icearena
Downer’s Grove Ice Arena, a Carol Stream Ice Arena partner, regularly hosts public skate sessions. The arena is home to the Dazzlers youth synchronized skating company, and hosts a hockey league for players over 40. Downer’s Grove Ice Arena is just over a five-minute drive from the AMLI at Seven Bridges apartments near the College of DuPage.
Fox Valley Ice Arena
Geneva’s enormous Fox Valley Ice Arena complex contains two NHL-size rinks and one Olympic-size rink. It is the official home of the USHL team Chicago Steel, as well numerous travel and youth league teams. The well-maintained arena has highly reputable learn-to-skate programs, and is conducive to freestyle and figure skate training. Fox Valley Ice Arena, a five-minute drive from AMLI’s St. Charles apartments, is also hosts daily public skate sessions.
Lincoln Park Zoo
For an outdoor skating experience closer to downtown Chicago, hit up Lincoln Park Zoo between now and February 26. Skating takes place at Farm-in-the-Zoo. Admission is , with rental skates available for an additional per person. The Lincoln Park Zoo is about a 15-minute drive or 30-minute bus ride from AMLI Lofts.
Maggie Daley Park
Maggie Daley Park is home to a skating ribbon, providing the public with a unique ice skating opportunity. The quarter-mile path has a race track feel, but there’s no rush to finish it—the ribbon boasts stellar views of downtown Chicago. Admission to the ribbon is free, and it is expected to stay open through the first week of March. Skate rentals and hot chocolate are available for a price at the ice skating ribbon, a 20-minute walk from AMLI River North.
Millennium Park
The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park is another free outdoor skating rink in the heart of the Windy City. The rink is open for public skating seven days a week, with skating lessons held on weekend mornings. Like the Maggie Daley Ribbon though, rentals will cost you a bit.The rink at Millennium Park, a 15-minute walk from AMLI’s River North apartments, is open through March 5 this year.
Rocket Ice Skating Rink
Bolingbrook’s family-friendly skating rink is one of Chicagoland’s top-rated ice skating venues. Rocket Ice Skating Rink hosts skating lessons, figure skating competitions, hockey league training and play, and public skate sessions year-round. It’s a 10-minute drive from AMLI at Seven Bridges.
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