Where to Go Holiday Ice Skating in Houston (2026–27)
Downtown skyline laps, skating under a giant Christmas tree, family outings and two day trips worth the drive, with 2026–27 dates and prices.
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If you only go ice skating once this holiday season, make it Discovery Green after dark. The downtown towers do much of the decorating, and the rink puts you right in the middle of a Houston Christmas evening. For young beginners, start with The Woodlands. For skating around a towering Christmas tree with shopping and lunch steps away, choose the Galleria.
Farther out, New Caney's A Holiday to Remember opens the day after Christmas in a new indoor home, and Sugar Land Holiday Lights pairs a synthetic rink with a ballpark full of lights. When everyone mainly wants more time on the ice, the indoor rinks in Sugar Land and northwest Houston give you longer sessions at fair prices. Moody Gardens in Galveston and Santa's Wonderland in College Station are worth the drive when skating is one part of a bigger holiday day out.
Start here: Discovery Green for a downtown date. The Woodlands for young beginners. The Galleria for an indoor holiday setting. New Caney for the week after Christmas. Sugar Land Ice Center for the longest skate for the money.
Before you book: November and December dates are in 2026; January dates are in 2027. Prices are the posted base amounts, before tax, booking fees and parking. Reserve the exact session you want, especially during school breaks, and at year-round rinks book a public-skate session specifically, since hockey, freestyle and lessons don't count.
Houston Holiday Ice Skating at a Glance
| Rink | Area and setting | 2026–27 dates | What to budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Rink at Discovery Green | Downtown; outdoor ice | Nov. 13–Jan. 18 | $18 + tax for 75 min, rentals included |
| The Woodlands Ice Rink | The Woodlands; indoor seasonal ice | Nov. 20–Jan. 18 | $16 ages 6+, $8 ages 5 and under, 2 hrs with rentals |
| Ice at the Galleria | Uptown; indoor, year-round | Year-round | Varies by session |
| A Holiday to Remember | New Caney; indoor seasonal rink | Opens Dec. 26; through Jan. 4 | $15 ages 7+, $5 ages 6 and under, 1 hr with rentals |
| Sugar Land Holiday Lights | Sugar Land; outdoor synthetic | Nov. 20–Jan. 3 | Event entry + skating add-on |
| Sugar Land Ice Center | Sugar Land; indoor, year-round | Year-round | $14 for 2 hrs, $16 for 3 hrs, rentals included |
| Aerodrome | Willowbrook; indoor, year-round | Year-round | $13 + $7 rental |
| Ice Skate Memorial City | Memorial; indoor | Closes Dec. 14 | $10 + $5 rental |
| Moody Gardens | Galveston day trip; outdoor ice | Nov. 21–Jan. 2 | Lights Trail from $24 incl. rink; rental extra |
| Santa's Wonderland | College Station day trip; outdoor ice | Selected dates Nov. 13–Jan. 3 | Park entry + 45-min skating reservation |
Christmas Ice Skating in Houston: the Seasonal Picks
These five are the holiday outings: rinks that only make sense in December, or that come with a tree, lights or a full winter event attached. After a night at Discovery Green, our Houston Christmas bars guide has the next stop. Sugar Land Holiday Lights and Moody Gardens are also in our Houston Christmas lights guide, Skating with Santa is in our Santa guide, and the Galleria anchors our holiday shopping guide.
Ice Rink at Discovery Green
1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010, USA
Downtown's only outdoor real-ice rink fills Kinder Lake's model-boat basin with the skyline rising around it, so come after dark with a date or visiting family. For deals, skate on a $9 Cheap Skate Monday (Nov. 16 and 30, Dec. 7 and 14, Jan. 11), a buy-one-get-one Wednesday (Nov. 18, Dec. 2, 9 and 16, Jan. 6 and 13) or a Happy Hour Friday with $2 off (5–8 p.m.). For the festive version, overlap Skating with Santa on Dec. 6, 13 or 20 (4–5 p.m.). Details: Nov. 13–Jan. 18; $18 + tax for 75 minutes, skates included; online tickets and waiver only; weekdays open at 5 p.m.
The Ice Rink at The Woodlands Town Center
2005 Lake Robbins Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381, USA
The indoor rink next to the Pavilion has a smaller beginner area, toddler skates and rental walkers, and two-hour sessions give nervous skaters time to take breaks. Book the session first, then plan a Town Center meal around it. Details: Nov. 20–Jan. 18; $16 ages 6+, $8 ages 5 and under, rentals included; spectators free; arrive 15–20 minutes early.
Ice at the Galleria
5015 Westheimer Rd #1260, Houston, TX 77056, USA
Each holiday season the Galleria's towering tree goes up in the middle of the rink, under the glass atrium, and the rest of the group can shop or eat while you skate. Skate first, shop after. Details: year-round public sessions; tree lighting Nov. 13, 6 p.m., with no public skating Nov. 12–13; check the session calendar for current prices; park at the Orange Garage.
A Holiday to Remember
21714 Valley Ranch Blvd, New Caney, TX 77357, USA
New Caney's rink doesn't open until December 26, which makes it the one to save for the week after Christmas. The indoor seasonal rink at Caney Pines Convention Center comes with an ice slide, bumper cars and a winter wonderland, so it works for a mixed group of skaters and spectators. Weekday first hours are sensory-friendly. Details: Dec. 26–Jan. 4; $15 ages 7+, $5 ages 6 and under for one hour with rentals; spectators and garage parking free; 30% off Appreciation Days. Online ticket sales are marked "coming soon." The organizer lists the address as 21654 Valley Ranch Parkway, New Caney.
Sugar Land Holiday Lights
1 Stadium Dr, Sugar Land, TX 77498, USA
The ballpark has themed displays, a light maze and mini golf, with a synthetic rink as one part of the night. Buy event entry plus the skating add-on, and compare the Triple Play bundle if the kids want carnival rides. Details: Nov. 20–Jan. 3; the rink runs every event night, but the carnival and Triple Play bundle are only Nov. 27–Jan. 1; synthetic surface; add-on includes skates and aids; free parking; cashless.
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Indoor Ice Skating in Houston: Rinks for More Time on the Ice
These are year-round rinks, so choose them for the skating itself rather than holiday decorations. Public-session times shift around hockey and lessons, so pick a slot from the live calendar.
Sugar Land Ice Center
16225 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479, USA
Our pick for a longer skate at a straightforward price. Choose the three-hour session on a school-break day: for $2 more than two hours, it's the most ice time per dollar for adults in the guide. Details: year-round public sessions; $14 for two hours, $16 for three, rentals included; Visa, Mastercard or cash only (no tap-to-pay); real ice, separate from the Holiday Lights rink.
Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex
8220 Willow Pl Dr N, Houston, TX 77070, USA
A proper skating rink on the northwest side, and worth knowing if lessons might follow the first holiday skate. Bringing 12 or more? The group rate is $13 per person with rentals when one person pays. Details: year-round public sessions; $13 admission + $7 rental; walkers $6, Bobby the Seal and Zamboni Express aids $12.
Ice Skate Memorial City
303 Memorial City Way #902, Houston, TX 77024, USA
Visit by December 14, before the announced closure. Still an option for a November or early-December skate; after Dec. 14, the Galleria is the closest year-round alternative. Details: final day Monday, Dec. 14, 2026, unless extended; $10 + $5 rental; skaters 5 and up; ticket sales stop with under 30 minutes left in a session.
Holiday Ice Skating Day Trips from Houston
Both of these turn skating into one part of a bigger holiday day, so give each its own afternoon and evening rather than squeezing it between Houston plans.
Holiday in the Gardens at Moody Gardens
1 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554, USA
About an hour from downtown in Galveston, the outdoor rink sits along Moody Gardens' Holiday Lights Trail. Start with the Lights Trail ticket and only step up to the Holiday Pass if you have time for ICE LAND (the sculptures, not the rink). Details: Nov. 21–Jan. 2; Lights Trail from $24 includes rink entry; skate rental extra; free parking.
Illuminations Ice Arena at Santa's Wonderland
18898 Hwy 6, College Station, TX 77845, USA
A full Christmas park with outdoor ice, roughly 90 miles from Houston, so plan an afternoon and evening. Pick your skating slot first and plan the park around it. Details: selected dates Nov. 13–Jan. 3; park admission plus a separate 45-minute skating reservation with rentals, from $17.95 online before fees and tax or $29.95 at the gate; arrive 15 minutes early; skaters must stand and walk on their own.
Holidays, Deals and Kids
| Date | Discovery Green | The Woodlands: first / last start | Sugar Land Holiday Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 | 11 a.m.–11 p.m. | 4 p.m. / 6:30 p.m. | 6–10 p.m. |
| Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | 10 a.m. / 5:30 p.m. | 6–10 p.m. |
| Christmas Day, Dec. 25 | 1–7 p.m. | 4 p.m. / 6:30 p.m. | 6–10 p.m. |
| New Year's Eve, Dec. 31 | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. | 10 a.m. / 5:30 p.m. | 6 p.m.–midnight |
| New Year's Day, Jan. 1 | 1–7 p.m. | 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. | 6–10 p.m. |
More deals: Discovery Green's discount nights are listed on its card above and skip school-holiday weeks. Sugar Land Holiday Lights sells a $59 family pack (four event tickets, hot dogs and drinks) on Dec. 2, 9 and 16, with skating extra.
For a first skate: The Woodlands has a smaller beginner area and rental walkers; Discovery Green has double-runner skates but no walkers. Bring socks and check the smallest rental size for a toddler.
Sensory-friendly options: Discovery Green's Inclusive Skaters Nights (Dec. 1 and Jan. 5, 5–8 p.m.), New Caney's first weekday hour, The Woodlands' dedicated sessions and Sugar Land Holiday Lights' Dec. 15 event night.
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