The best ice skating rinks in New York City

Few things are as iconic as a beautiful winter night spent ice skating in New York City, with stunning views of the cityscape as your background. Although it's a metropolis, there are more options to skate than you might think, which is why we’ve rounded up the absolute best places to skate in Manhattan, with memorable backdrops to last a lifetime. Note: most of the following rinks are open from mid-November through March, unless otherwise noted, but be sure to confirm opening hours with each rink directly.

Although there are some more well known ice skating rinks in Manhattan, including Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park, they can be overcrowded during the Christmas season. Instead, head downtown to Battery Park, where you can skate right on the harbor with views of the Hudson River just outside of Brookfield Place, a popular indoor shopping mall. After you work up an appetite skating, stop for a bite and a hot toddy at P.J. Clarke’s before visiting the Christmas tree inside the mall.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree glimmering beside you as you skate at The Rink at Rockefeller Center? It’s a New York City classic for good reason. You’ll score views of the tree and so much more, including the iconic 30 Rock, home to NBC Studios; the surrounding plaza; and the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan. Crowds in late fall and early winter are heavy, so plan accordingly and be sure to reserve a skate time online. Hungry after your skate? Grab a bite at Del Frisco’s, just steps from the rink. Then stick around for the Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show which takes place up and down Fifth Avenue during the winter holidays.

If convenience is key and access to Times Square and Midtown is appealing, lace up your skates at Bryant Park, just blocks from many of the city’s most treasured tourist destinations. The 17,000-square-foot ice rink offers plenty of room to show off your skills, and afterwards you can peruse the Bryant Park Bank Of America Winter Village, where you can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa, indulge in a crepe, and shop for one-of-a-kind gifts from local vendors all in one place. Like the Rink at Rockefeller Center, you can book your skate time and locker in advance.

Nothing is quite as picturesque as skating in Central Park, surrounded by nature with Manhattan’s skyscrapers as a backdrop. While it has been renamed several times, this beloved rink remains one of the most popular in the city. Be sure to book your skates and reserve time on the rink in advance. You can peruse the park before and after, and make memories from inside the confines of the rink that you’ll look back on fondly long after your twirls around the ice are done.

Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers is popular as the only year-round indoor ice skating rink in New York City, which has made it a go-to destination for everything from holiday parties to photoshoots. Stellar views of the Hudson River and surrounding Chelsea neighborhood make this a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. The rink only offers open skating to the general public for a few hours in the afternoon, so be sure to look at times and ticketing before arriving. Don’t leave this area without taking a trip to nearby Little Island. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Chelsea Piers and the Tripadvisor community has called the architecturally-stunning park “a new gem on the Hudson.”