Ice skating during Windy City winters has been a tradition for many years now. The beloved pastime and sport is as old as the city itself, and both locals and tourists love to visit for indoor and outdoor skating. Here are some of the best and most popular ice skating rinks in Chicago:
55 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
312-829-1100
The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, located in the heart of downtown Chicago at Millennium Park, is now in its 11th season. The facility offers free admission on outdoor skating, but the skate rental fee is $10.
This rink is Chicago's answer to New York's Rockefeller Center skating rink, and it has more than 100,000 skaters annually. The view of the skyline is beautiful from this vantage point, especially in the evening. They play upbeat music on their sound system, and this lively place attracts a diverse crowd of all ages.
337 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, Illinois
312-742-7648
Just down the street from the rink in Millenium Park is the Daley Bicentennial Plaza located in Grant Park. Admission is free, the skate rental fee is $7, and it is a bit less crowded than the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. They also offer skate classes for children ages 3-12 at 337 E. Randolph St.
3843 N. California Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
773- 478-2609
One of the most popular indoor skating rinks in Chicago is the McFetridge Sports Center. They are open year-round, except during the month of August, and offer skate classes to adults and kids. There is an admission fee of $5 for ages 13 and older, $4 for 12 and younger, and $2 for seniors 60 and above. The skate rental fee is $3.
The rink is huge, very well-maintained, and climate-controlled. They also have snacks available for sale at their concessions counter.
6100 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
312-746-5735
Riis is a huge park with a great outdoor ice skating rink. Admission is free, and the skate rental fee is $6. The location is convenient to public transportation, and there's plenty of free parking.
Johnny's IceHouse (two locations)
2250 W. Madison St.
1350 W. Madison St.
Chicago, Illinois
Johnny's IceHouse has two locations for indoor ice skating. They do not rent skates, however, so you must bring your own. When they are not hosting ice skating parties or corporate events, perhaps they may appeal more to the serious skater, hockey player, or someone in training.
At the various parties and events, you can ice skate, play broomball, or play ice hockey. They also host "Johnny Rat Hockey," which provides pick-up hockey games. Johnny's offers ice hockey clinics and camps to both youths and adults, and they even have a goalie school. There is a full-service lounge where you can watch all the NHL games and grab a burger, pizza, or beer.
9300 Weber Park Place
Skokie, Illinois
847-674-1500, ext. 2900
When you visit the website for Skatium Ice Arena, they have a great quote: "Listen closely and you can hear the echoes of legends Scott Hamilton, Evan Lysacek, Sasha Cohen, and Stan Mikita!" This facility has a lot to offer, including programs that are taught by pros. Skatium is open for public skating year-round, offers a full-size rink and smaller one, and can be rented out for private events.
1060 W. Addison St.
Chicago, Illinois
The Rink at Wrigley is located right next to the infamous Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. This outdoor rink is just a half-block north of the ballpark on Clark Street. This is an hip place to skate, meet people, practice, or just mess around and have fun. The cost is $10 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under. They do also charge for skate rentals, but this historic location is surely worth visiting. When I visited, they were playing classic rock cranked out from their sound system.
6601 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, Illinois
773-262-6314
Warren Park hosts open skating and has free admission, and the skate rental fee is $6 at this outdoor rink. The park itself is huge, and they even have their own golf course.
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