Table Of Contents
Festive Bay Area ice skating rinks can be found in all nine local counties from San Francisco to Sonoma. We found a mix of seasonal and permanent rinks that offer the chance to strap on a pair of skates and hit the ice.
Round up your friends and family for a memorable day of ice skating in San Francisco and beyond this winter. No matter the size or skill level of your group, these versatile ice skating rinks will help you plan the ultimate holiday experience.
San Francisco ice skating
1. Union Square Ice Rink
Union Square is home to the most popular ice skating rink in San Francisco. To take your experience up a notch, try to plan your visit around one of their themed events like Drag on Ice on Dec. 5, the Silent Skate Party on Dec. 12, or Polar Bear Skate on Jan. 1. We also love their Learn to Skate option, where beginners can take ice skating lessons on select Saturdays and Sundays (free if you sign up in advance). Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for children 8 and under, including skate rental.
📅 Dates: Nov. 6, 2024 – Jan. 20, 2025
📍 Location: Union Square – 333 Post Street, San Francisco, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Union Square Ice Rink
2. Thrive City Winter Wonderland
Last year, Thrive City at Chase Center announced a brand-new synthetic ice rink as part of their popular Winter Wonderland event. The free ice rink is only open on select dates and often sells out online, but you might be able to snag a skate time in person. Skate sessions are limited to 20-30 minutes per person and complimentary skate rentals will be available. Certain dates have a lively DJ Skate Party planned in the afternoon.
📅 Dates: Dec. 21, 22, 24, 26, and 27, 2024
📍 Location: Thrive City, 1 Warriors Way, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Thrive City Winter Wonderland
3. Yerba Buena Ice Skating
This NHL-sized indoor rink is located in SoMa and offers public skating, ice hockey, and lessons. Public skating sessions are available every day of the year, but the schedule changes according to the season. Currently, they’re listed daily around the lunch hour.
📅 Dates: Open year-round
📍 Location: 750 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Yerba Buena Ice Skating
East Bay ice skating
4. Oakland Ice Center
This indoor NHL-sized ice rink is operated by the same company as the San Jose Sharks hockey team and offers public skating, figure skating, ice dancing, curling, and other ice sports. Public skating is offered 7 days a week all year long. Oakland residents get a 10% discount on general admission with proof of ID, and holiday sessions are “skate one session, get the second session 50% off” for same-day purchases.
📅 Dates: Open year-round
📍 Location: 519 18th Street, Oakland, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Oakland Ice
5. The Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
This seasonal outdoor rink is named for former Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and is open to the public. The rink is 15% larger compared to past years, and they’ve added rink-side fire pits to bring even more coziness to your skating experience. Look out for fun themes throughout the week like Grinch Night, Ugly Sweater Night, and K-Pop Night. You might even catch a glimpse of Kristi herself!
📅 Dates: Nov. 8, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
📍 Location: 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
6. Walnut Creek on Ice
Walnut Creek on Ice is a seasonal outdoor rink back this year for its 19th season. The rink has skating lessons for kids and adults and an epic new ice slide available on its own or via a combo package. If you want to settle in for a long day of skating, consider renting a rinkside fire pit for your group.
📅 Dates: Nov. 22, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025
📍 Location: 1365 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Walnut Creek on Ice
7. 3Crosses Christmas Village
3Crosses Church presents this annual Christmas village in Castro Valley, and the centerpiece is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in Alameda County. Spend a charming afternoon enjoying delicious food from on-site food trucks, artisan vendors, light displays, and more.
📅 Dates: Nov. 29, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
📍 Location: 20600 John Dr, Castro Valley, CA 94546
⛸️ Reservations: 3Crosses Christmas Village
8. Ice at the Veranda
This holiday ice skating rink has a longer season, running all the way through Valentine’s Day. The shopping center is also hosting fun holiday events including a makers market on weekends and “Grinch On Ice” on Dec. 21 from 12-4pm.
📅 Dates: Nov. 8, 2024 – Feb. 14, 2025
📍 Location: Fountain Pavilion Park, 2001-2003 Diamond Blvd, Concord, CA 94520
⛸️ Reservations: The Veranda
South Bay/Peninsula ice skating
9. Winter Lodge
Winter Lodge has operated in Palo Alto for over 65 years and offers a smaller skating rink that’s focused on family fun and recreation. They also have one of the longest outdoor skating seasons in the region, with a closing date usually in April. It’s worth checking out their skating lessons for kids and adults, but make sure to keep an eye on registration dates because they’re prone to selling out.
📅 Dates: Oct. 19, 2024 – Apr. 13, 2025
📍 Location: 3009 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Winter Lodge
10. San Mateo on Ice
At 11,000 square feet, this is the Bay Area’s largest outdoor ice rink. General skate sessions are $18 for regular days or $21 on peak days, but the rink also offers free community skate days where hundreds of Bay Area children can skate for free. Big groups will want to check out the party tent option to chill out after a fun skate sesh.
📅 Dates: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025
📍 Location: 50 E 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA
⛸️ Reservations: San Mateo on Ice
11. Nazareth Ice Oasis
This indoor skating rink offers figure skating, hockey, and public skating sessions all year long. Public sessions are currently listed on weekdays at 9:30am and 2:30pm, Saturdays at 3:15pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Be sure to check back as their calendar is updated for December.
📅 Dates: Open year-round
📍 Location: 2202 Bridgepointe Pkwy, San Mateo, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Nazareth Ice Oasis
12. Enchant San Jose
When it comes to holiday light displays in the Bay Area, it’s hard to beat this enormous Christmas maze and ice skating rink at PayPal Park. Be sure to take a spin on Enchant’s unique San Jose ice skating rink which is made to resemble an illuminated forest. Forget the traditional round ice rink and instead skate through this lovely ice trail with fantastic photo ops.
📅 Dates: Nov. 22 – Dec. 29, 2024
📍 Location: PayPal Park, 1123 Coleman Ave, San Jose, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Enchant San Jose
13. Sharks Ice
Sharks Ice is the largest rink facility west of the Mississippi, covering nearly 370,000 square feet dedicated to just about every ice-related activity you can think of. As the official practice facility of the NHL San Jose Sharks, the facility is decked out with state-of-the-art rinks and equipment, not to mention several restaurants and sports bars. Public skating with skate rental is available every single day.
📅 Dates: Open year-round
📍 Location: 1500 S 10th St, San Jose, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Sharks Ice
14. Downtown Ice
Downtown Ice is a San Jose ice skating tradition dating back to 1994 in the Circle of Palms Plaza. Admission is $21 including skate rental, and you’ll want to seek out their special themed nights, which last year included an evening of Broadway show tunes on Sundays and Mix 106.5 playlists on Mondays (tune in to Mix 106.5 for their periodic ticket giveaways).
📅 Dates: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 20, 2025
📍 Location: Circle of Palms Plaza, 127 S Market St, San Jose, CA
⛸️ Reservations: Downtown Ice San Jose
North Bay ice skating
15. Snoopy’s Home Ice
The Snoopy-themed ice rink was founded in 1969 by Charles Schulz, cartoonist and creator of the brilliant comic strip Peanuts, and you can’t miss his influence throughout the entire skating complex. The rink is notable for having large-scale drawings of Snoopy and other characters on the ice and zamboni machines, as well as various statues throughout the campus. Members of the public can get in on the general skate sessions all year round.
📅 Dates: Open year-round
📍 Location: 1667 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Snoopy’s Home Ice
16. Merry Meritage at Meritage Resort & Spa
The beautiful Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa hosts an absolutely spectacular winter village throughout the holiday season every year. Merry Meritage is a gorgeous sparkling winter escape in wine country, complete with an ice rink, fire pits and s’mores, VIP igloos, Santa story time, and much more.
📅 Dates: Nov. 18, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
📍 Location: 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Merry Meritage
17. Winter Lights in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa’s drought-conscious, synthetic ice rink is back for holiday ice skating after Thanksgiving and through the end of the year. Skate rentals are available in child’s size 9 through men’s size 13.
📅 Dates: Nov. 18, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
📍 Location: Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa, CA
⛸️ Learn more: Winter Lights
Written by Grant MacHamer and Jamie Ferrell