Best Ice Skating Rinks in Boston for the Holidays (2026)
From Frog Pond and a Cambridge holiday show to waterfront skating and festive trips beyond the city, here's where to lace up this winter.
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Boston's best holiday skate depends on the afternoon you're after. Frog Pond puts you in the middle of Boston Common, with Beacon Hill a short walk away. Kendall pairs a few laps with dinner in Cambridge. The Tall Ship trades the city center for the harbor and the skyline.
Our first choice for a classic Boston holiday outing is Boston Common Frog Pond. Head to Skate @ Canal District Kendall for an easy Cambridge evening, The Rink at The Tall Ship for a waterfront date and Jack Kirrane at Larz Anderson Park for a family afternoon on an old Brookline estate. MarketStreet is our favorite suburban outing, and Kelly Outdoor Rink is the budget pick.
New in the Seaport this year: Snow Ballers opens November 6, the same day Snowport returns. Its surface is synthetic, so we've listed it separately and spelled out the equipment rules.
Planning for winter 2026–27: Snow Ballers opens November 6 and MarketStreet November 13. Kendall's free-admission holiday show weekend is December 12–13. The Tall Ship is coming back for a second season, and the other rinks haven't posted opening dates yet. Prices marked "currently posted" are what the rinks list today; last season's prices are labeled 2025–26. Last checked October 22, 2026.
Boston Holiday Skating Rinks at a Glance
| Rink | Area | Best for | Adult admission + skates | 2026–27 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Boston Common Frog Pond | Boston Common | A classic Boston holiday outing | $30 (currently posted) | Opening date to come |
| 2. Skate @ Canal District Kendall | Cambridge | Skating, dinner and a holiday show | $19; free admission Dec 12–13 | Holiday show Dec 12–13; usually mid-Dec to mid-Mar |
| 3. The Rink at The Tall Ship | East Boston | Waterfront views and a date | 2026–27 rates to come | Returning; dates to come |
| 4. Jack Kirrane at Larz Anderson Park | Brookline | A scenic park afternoon | $18 nonresident, $16 resident | Dates to come |
| 5. The SBLI Rink at MarketStreet | Lynnfield | Skating, shopping and dinner | $20 | Nov 13, 2026–Feb 21, 2027 |
| 6. Winter Skate at Patriot Place | Foxborough | A skating trail and a day out | $18 (2025–26) | Dates to come |
| 7. Kelly Outdoor Rink | Jamaica Plain | An inexpensive outdoor skate | $5 (free admission) | Usually mid-Dec to mid-Mar |
| Also: Snow Ballers | Seaport | A social night near Snowport | $20 an hour, skates included | Nov 6–Dec 31, 2026; synthetic surface |
The Best Ice Skating Rinks in Boston, Ranked
The seven main picks are ranked on the whole outing: the setting, the real cost with rentals, what's nearby and how easy it is to make a good winter afternoon of it. Snow Ballers sits outside the ranking because it's a synthetic surface.
1. Boston Common Frog Pond
38 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108, USA
Frog Pond is the rink we'd pick for a first holiday visit to Boston. You're skating in the middle of the Common, with Beacon Hill, the Public Garden and dinner downtown all a short walk away. On Thursday, December 3, the city lights its official Christmas tree on the Common at 6 p.m., then the trees along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall at 8 p.m., which makes that the most festive week to go. Rentals are where the cost adds up: $12 admission plus $18 adult rental is $30, so two adults who need skates are at $60 before hot chocolate. Kids under 58 inches get in free, and still pay for rentals. College students get half-price admission on scheduled Tuesday nights from 6–9 p.m., though not December 22 or 29. Season: 2026–27 opening date to come. What to know: Park Street is the easiest T stop, and the rink's standing holiday policy lists Thanksgiving and Christmas Day closures. The RoamRecs move: go on a weekday afternoon if you can, then walk into Beacon Hill for something warm. In town on December 3? Check Frog Pond's hours that day and stay for the tree lighting.
2. Skate @ Canal District Kendall
300 Athenaeum St, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
Kendall is the easiest winter evening on this list. The rink sits in a landscaped plaza with a heated pavilion for warming up, and restaurants are a few minutes away when you're done. It's our pick for a Cambridge date or a small group that wants skating to be one part of the night. Admission is $7 for adults and good all day, plus $12 for rentals ($19 total). Kids under 13 pay $10 with rentals, and figure and hockey skates are both available. The holiday weekend is December 12–13: free admission all day, a roughly 45-minute ice show at 2 p.m. both days and a winter market alongside, with rentals at the usual price. Season: usually mid-December through mid-March. What to know: take the Red Line to Kendall/MIT and walk 5–10 minutes. Driving? The Kendall Square South Garage at 350 Kendall Street is $2 an hour for the first three hours on weekends and weekday evenings after 4 p.m., with rink validation. A parent or guardian has to sign the waiver for kids 15 and under, and crates aren't allowed on the ice. The RoamRecs move: for a date, meet at the rink and book dinner nearby. For a family outing, go December 12–13 and leave time for the market.
3. The Rink at The Tall Ship
1 E Pier Dr, Boston, MA 02128, USA
Come for the harbor. The outdoor rink sits on the East Boston waterfront with the city skyline across the water, and the venue builds a whole night around it: ice bumper cars, food stands and bars, and heated, open-front chalet lounges with their own server for groups of 8 to 12. Anyone who'd rather not skate has plenty to do, which makes it a strong pick for a date or a mixed group. Dress for an exposed waterfront. Season: returning for a second season, with 2026–27 dates and rates to come. What to know: sessions are 60 minutes, advance tickets are recommended and day-of availability depends on capacity, so check in 10 minutes before your time. Last season's hours were 3–10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on weekends, and valet parking was $30. The RoamRecs move: book a session that starts before sunset, then stay for the skyline. Bringing a group? Reserve a lounge.
4. Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink at Larz Anderson Park
25 Newton St, Brookline, MA 02445, USA
Larz Anderson is the pick when you want the afternoon to feel like a real winter escape. The rink sits in what was the estate's Italian Garden, high on the hill, with lawns, slopes and paths around it and views of Boston from the top of the park. Adult admission is $8 for Brookline residents or $10 for nonresidents, plus $8 rental, so $16 or $18 total; kids, seniors, students and veterans pay less, and helmets are $2. This is a working community rink, so public skating runs in set sessions rather than all day, and holiday and school-vacation schedules can differ. Season: 2026–27 public-skating dates to come. What to know: there's parking in the park. The RoamRecs move: pick an early daytime session and leave time to walk up to the views afterward. It's the best choice on this list when skating is the main event.
5. The SBLI Rink at MarketStreet
600 Market St, Lynnfield, MA 01940, USA
MarketStreet is an open-air shopping and dining center, and the rink sits on The Green in the middle of it. That makes it the easiest place on this list to get the whole family on board: skate, then browse and eat without getting back in the car. The 2026–27 season runs November 13 through February 21, at $13 admission or $20 with rental skates, and kids under 3 get in free. Hours are weekdays 3–8 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Christmas Eve runs 10 a.m.–5 p.m., the rink is closed on Christmas Day, and weather can affect skating. What to know: Lynnfield is a separate trip from central Boston, so plan it as its own outing. The RoamRecs move: skate in the afternoon before the evening crowd, then stay for dinner.
6. Winter Skate at Patriot Place
2 Patriot Pl, Foxborough, MA 02035, USA
Winter Skate is a skating path rather than a rink, which gives families something different from laps around an oval. Rentals go down to double-runners for toddlers, and last season a few skate trainers were usually out during daylight hours, 10 minutes at a time. It works best as part of a longer Patriot Place day with shopping and a meal, and both on-site hotels offered skate-and-stay packages last winter. Season: 2026–27 dates to come. Last season, adults paid $12 plus $6 rental ($18 total), or $10 plus $3 with the Patriot Place Advantage App. What to know: skate times are reserved online, everyone completes a waiver, and the rink closes for Patriots home games. Shopping-center hours aren't skating hours. The RoamRecs move: pick a weekend without a home game and plan a skate and a meal, not a quick detour from downtown.
7. Kelly Outdoor Rink
1 Marbury Terrace, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, USA
Kelly is the rink for a family that wants to skate without the bill. Admission is free, rentals are $5, and it's right behind the Orange Line's Stony Brook station. If you own skates, it's an easy repeat outing all winter. If you need rentals, watch the clock: last season, weekday rentals didn't start until 3 p.m., even though the ice opened earlier. Registration wasn't required. Season: usually mid-December through mid-March, weather permitting. What to know: weather can change the day's plans, so check the rink's update before heading over. The RoamRecs move: take the Orange Line, skate for an hour and get dinner in JP afterward.
A Seaport Alternative: Snow Ballers
Snow Ballers
25 Pier 4 Blvd., Boston, MA 02210, USA
Snow Ballers is the social pick, with firepits, hot chocolate, seasonal food and reservable igloos around the rink. It opens November 6, the same day Snowport's holiday market returns to the Seaport, so it's easy to do both in one evening. Snowport closes December 27, while Snow Ballers keeps going through New Year's Eve. The surface is synthetic Glice, not ice, and only hockey skates are allowed. If you're bringing your own figure skates, choose another rink. Season and price: November 6–December 31, 2026, at $20 per adult per hour and $15 for kids, rental skates included. Reservations open November 6. Skating hours are Monday–Thursday 3–8 p.m., Friday noon–9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.–8 p.m., and the food trucks keep shorter hours. The RoamRecs move: walk the market first, book one skating session and leave the rest of the night for the Seaport.
More Places to Ice Skate Around Boston
These didn't make the main ranking, but each fills a gap: an indoor backup, a holiday add-on or a free skate on the South Shore.
Steriti Memorial Rink
561 Commercial St, Boston, MA 02109, USA
Steriti is the indoor backup for when the weather turns. Public skating at this state-run rink is free, and the North End is right there for dinner afterward. Holiday public sessions haven't been posted yet, so check the calendar, and confirm rentals before you go if you need skates. Adaptive ice sleds are available; call ahead about the best session.
Simoni Skating Rink
155 Gore St, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
Simoni is the Cambridge weather backup, at $10 for public skating plus $10 for rentals. It's a busy arena with hockey and programs on the ice, so pick a public session from its daily calendar.
Enchanted Ice at Jordan's Furniture
100 Stockwell Dr, Avon, MA 02322, USA
If you're already making a day of Jordan's Enchanted Village in Avon, Enchanted Ice is a fun indoor extra, with holiday music, theatrical lighting and a synthetic surface. Tickets are $10 for a 30-minute session with skates included, and the village display itself is free. 2026 dates are still to be confirmed.
Quincy Outdoor Skating Rink
43 Dennis Ryan Pkwy, Quincy, MA 02169, USA
Skating and rentals were both free here last winter, which made it one of the best family deals around Boston. The city hasn't announced 2026–27 dates or pricing yet, so wait for the update before planning a trip. Use the Dennis Ryan Parkway address, not older listings for Generals Park.
Which Boston Rink Should You Choose?
- A first holiday trip to Boston: Frog Pond, ideally the week of the December 3 tree lighting. Add The Tall Ship if you have time for a second skate once its season opens.
- A date: The Tall Ship for the skyline, Kendall for skating and dinner, or Frog Pond if you want to end the night in Beacon Hill. Snow Ballers works for a more social Seaport night if you're fine with a synthetic surface.
- Kids: Larz Anderson when the park is part of the fun, MarketStreet when shopping and food are, and Kendall on December 12–13 for the holiday show. Kelly is the cheapest way to find out if they like it.
- No car: Frog Pond (Park Street), Kendall (Kendall/MIT) or Kelly (Stony Brook).
- November: Snow Ballers opens November 6 and MarketStreet November 13. Kendall and Kelly usually open in mid-December, so don't count on every outdoor rink for Thanksgiving weekend.
What to Know Before You Go
- Budget for skates, not just admission. An adult who needs skates pays $30 at Frog Pond, $19 at Kendall and $5 at Kelly. Bring your own and most of these get much cheaper.
- Pick the session first. Community rinks run public skating in set sessions, and ticketed rinks start the clock at your booked time. Plan the rest of the day around it.
- Check holiday hours separately. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve often run on different schedules. Frog Pond and MarketStreet are both closed on Christmas Day.
- Ask about beginner aids. Rules vary: Kendall doesn't allow crates on the ice, while Patriot Place had a few trainers last season. A helmet that fits is worth bringing for kids and beginners.
- Keep an indoor backup. If the forecast turns, a public session at Steriti or Simoni beats a windy waterfront rink.
- Call ahead for adaptive equipment. Steriti, Kelly and other state-run rinks have ice sleds, which are free to use. Sizes and availability vary, so contact the rink before picking a session.
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