Skaters are welcome to use Rockefeller Center’s famous Rink! In addition to being one of the top Christmas activities, ice skating is also a fantastic autumn and winter activity. Annually, the Rink at Rockefeller Center opens to the public for ice skating under a gilded Prometheus to herald the Christmas season. When the peak season arrives, there will be a little waiting time to get on the smooth stuff. Use our helpful guide to find your way around one of the top New York sights.
About the Rink at Rockefeller Center
With its abundance of stores, attractions, and dining options, the Midtown area, encompassed by 48th and 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues, is nearly a city. It’s a location for ice skating, TV tapings, dining, and holiday celebrations.
Ice skating in the Rink at Rockefeller Center is among the most iconic New York City activities. Additionally, it’s among the most popular wintertime attractions, bringing in over 150,000 skaters each season. And while skating on an ice rink in the middle of Manhattan behind the famous Rockefeller Christmas tree might appear touch touristic, it has an undoubtedly magical quality that has been featured in several holiday films, including “Home Alone 2” and “Elf.” Few activities in New York can compare to ice skating at Rockefeller Center if you’re going alone, with friends, or with someone special.
When Does the Rockefeller Rink Open?
The Rink at Rockefeller Center typically operates from the middle of November to the middle of March. The Rink is operational from 9 a.m. to midnight every day of the week, including Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Purchasing Tickets for the Rink
In autumn, general admission tickets became available to purchase online in advance. To reduce the number of skaters on the ice at once, each visitor must arrange a day and hour in addition to a ticket. If you make the bookings early enough, you will not be concerned about finding a position on the ice, thanks to the reservation system.
Sessions are just 50 minutes long, so being on time is crucial to make the most of your time on the ice.
How Much Are the Tickets?
Everyone over 13 must pay $35 for entrance on “peak days” until after New Year’s Day, plus an extra $15 for any necessary skate rentals. The entrance fee reduces to $25 as of January 4. You could save some money if you’re a night owl or an early bird. Irrespective of the day they arrive, skaters who secure a slot during the first or final hour of the day only just had to pay $15 for entrance.
How to Get to the Rink
The Rink is situated on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets inside the Plaza adjacent to the Rockefeller Building. Catch the B, D, F, or M line to the Rockefeller Center station if you’re traveling by subway.
Advice to Visitors
It’s a beloved New York Christmas tradition to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, but you need to know a few things to make the most of the time there.
- The least congested periods to skate at Rockefeller Center tend to be early on holidays and before 4 p.m. on weekdays. In contrast to the peak season, which spans from Thanksgiving until New Year’s, it is also less congested earlier and later in the season.
- If you reside in NYC, you may sign up as a member and skate as much as you’d like all season long.
- Although Rockefeller Center might be the most prominent location in the city for ice skating, it’s not the only one. By looking for adjacent rinks, like those in Bryant Park (which offers free entrance) or Brookfield Place downtown, you may save money and choose a location with less congestion.
- If you’re in the vicinity, think about enhancing your outing by riding up to Top of the Rock’s observation deck for a glimpse of Manhattan.
- In the springtime, the ice rink is converted into a roller skating rink; general admission is $20 for adults and $12 for youths (6–16), with $10 for skater rentals.
Lessons on Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center
For a private lesson with a qualified teacher, schedule one online. These 30-minute lessons concentrate on the foundations of skating to give you confidence and comfort on the Rink.
Basic skating techniques and abilities are the focus of every lesson. Please come 15 minutes before the lesson’s planned start time. At the Skate House entrance, a staff member will welcome you and help you rent skates and go on the ice. Stay and relax while skating for a bit after the class!
Special Occasions at Rockefeller Center
This next winter season, The Rink is open to hosting private parties with a small capacity.
Have a ring to give to your partner? Celebrating a noteworthy event? Their packages help you create lifelong memories at The Rink at Rockefeller Center.
Other Rockefeller Center Activities
Every visit you make to Rockefeller Center has a unique quality. You may encounter New York in a manner that only happen here, from the architecture and historical art to the viewing deck.
Three viewing decks are available at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the center’s main structure. You can admire the skyline from Top of the Rock since they all offer 360-degree views and are open till midnight for an excellent after-dark perspective.
The Channel Gardens, situated between 49th and 50th Streets (about from Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Plaza), are adorned all year. In the angels, winter and Christmas decorations surround the water fountains; in the summer and spring, look for greenery and flowers.