Ice Skating in Minneapolis and St. Paul

Ice rinks are easy to come by in this northern city; in fact, Minneapolis has 16 public parks that feature outdoor rinks when the weather cools down and the ponds and lakes freeze over completely. Additionally, the city of St. Paul maintains 21 ice rinks in parks across the city, including three refrigerated rinks. Check the official Parks and Recreation Department websites for both Minneapolis and St. Paul for up-to-date information about hours of operation, rink openings, and safety guidelines for visiting the parks in the winter.

Featuring a curated rink, free skate loaners, and a warming room—as well as various other outdoor activities like hiking trails—the Lake of the Isles was created by a city Parks and Recreation project in the early part of the 20th Century and has since become a staple of the region. The Lake of the Isles is perhaps the most popular Minneapolis lake for ice skating and hockey once the ice is thick enough. Be sure to observe warning signs of thin ice, especially during the early and late winter.

In downtown St. Paul, the Landmark Plaza hosts an outdoor, refrigerated ice rink from the Saturday after Thanksgiving through the end of February each year. Like all city ice skating rinks, the Landmark Plaza facilities are free to use, and you can rent a pair of skates if you didn't pack any of your own. Landmark Plaza also features several special events throughout the winter and holiday seasons.

In addition to the city parks of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Ramsey County Parks and Recreation Department maintains 10 ice rinks and arenas in Ramsey County, including the St. Paul's Charles M. Schulz Highland Arena, which is open year-round. Other favorites in the area include Beaver Lake, Lake Gervais, Lake Owasso, White Bear Lake, and Poplar Lake county parks.

The Parade Ice Garden is an indoor rink in Minneapolis now run by the Parks and Recreation Department and open year-round. Featuring open skating, figure skating lessons, ice hockey tournaments, concession stands, and a variety of local competitions in ice skating sports, visiting the Parade Ice Garden makes for a great daytime activity any time of year. Check the website for official hours as there are certain times the rinks are reserved for professionals and students.

The ice arena at Augsburg College is famous for being used as a location for filming television shows and movies like "The Mighty Ducks" and is open to the community. Hosting a variety of collegiate sports events at its three ice rinks, the Augsburg Ice Arena also has open skates throughout the year that are free for the public, though you'll have to bring your own skates.

The city of Bloomington has 14 outdoor winter ice rinks, but the Bloomington Ice Garden has three rinks of its own that are open year-round. Originally opened in 1970 with just one small rink, the Bloomington Ice Garden now features an official Olympic-sized rink with a seating capacity of 2,500. Check the full schedule for upcoming events, open skating days, and information about private rentals.