Best Ice Skating Rinks in Philadelphia for the Holidays (2026)
Rothman, RiverRink, free city rinks and the best holiday skates around the region.
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A good Christmas skate is about more than the ice. It's the market you wander through afterward, the friend who stays for a hot drink even though they refuse to put on skates, and the moment the lights come on around the rink.
For a first Philadelphia holiday outing, start with Rothman at Dilworth Park or RiverRink Winterfest. Families west of the city should look at Flight on Ice in Newtown Square, and Renault's Vintner Wonderland makes a full South Jersey day trip. If you just want time on the ice, the indoor rinks and free city sessions are below.
Philadelphia Ice Skating Rinks at a Glance
Costs include admission and skate rental for one adult. Food, lockers and booking fees are extra.
| Rink | Area | 2026–27 dates | Cost with rental | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink | Center City | Nov. 13–Feb. 21 | $21; $19 kids 10 and under | City Hall backdrop, markets steps away |
| RiverRink Winterfest | Delaware River waterfront | Nov. 27–Feb. 28 | $17 | NHL-size rink, Ferris wheel, free entry for non-skaters |
| Flight on Ice | Newtown Square | Nov. 20–Jan. 31 | Varies by date; about $30 on Dec. 27 | Outdoor family skate with free parking |
| Vintner Wonderland | Egg Harbor City, NJ | Nov. 13–Jan. 18 | Varies by session | Full-day trip to a winery holiday village |
| Linvilla Glice rink | Media | 2026 dates to come | $13 online | Synthetic rink at a Christmas farm |
| Cooper River WinterFest | Cherry Hill, NJ | 2026–27 dates to come | To come | County rink close to Philadelphia |
| Penn Ice Rink | University City | Five sessions a week | $19; $17 college students | Indoor skate near Center City |
| Wissahickon Skating Club | Chestnut Hill | Fridays and Saturdays | $14 Fridays; $12 Saturdays | Neighborhood club rink |
| Free city rinks: Rizzo, Laura Sims, Scanlon, Tarken, Simons | Across Philadelphia | 2026–27 sessions to come | Free admission last winter; rentals $3–$5 | Lowest-cost skating in the city |
| IceWorks | Aston | Most days | $15; $18 Friday nights; $12 Wednesdays | Easiest public sessions to fit in |
| Haverford Skatium | Havertown | See calendar | $11; $9 ages 6 and under; $6 seniors | Low-cost township rink |
| Flyers Training Center | Voorhees, NJ | See calendar | $18 | Skate at the Flyers' practice rink |
| Philadelphia Skating Club | Ardmore | 2026–27 sessions to come | $15 cash or Venmo; $17 card | America's first skating club |
Ice Skating on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Rothman and RiverRink both open on Christmas Day, so those are your two sure things. RiverRink's ice closes 30 minutes before the park, so book a specific entry time instead of showing up near closing.
| Rink | Thursday, Dec. 24 | Friday, Dec. 25 |
|---|---|---|
| Rothman | 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m. | 1:30–11 p.m. |
| RiverRink | 1–8 p.m. on the ice; park open until 8:30 | 1–8 p.m. on the ice; park open until 8:30 |
| Flight on Ice | See ticket calendar | See ticket calendar |
| Vintner Wonderland | Village 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; see ticket calendar for rink sessions | Closed |
Outdoor Holiday Rinks in and Around Philadelphia
These are the rinks to choose when the lights and the setting matter as much as the skating. Start with Rothman or RiverRink in the city, then look to the suburbs and South Jersey for a bigger outing. Rothman pairs well with our Philadelphia Christmas markets guide, and our Christmas lights guide can fill out the rest of the evening. Both rinks also have a bar on site, covered in our Philadelphia Christmas bars guide. Reserve your skating first, since free park entry, a cabin or a fire pit doesn't include ice time. Get there early too: rental lines and waivers can eat into a fixed session, and arriving late won't earn you extra time.
Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink
1 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
City Hall does half the work here. The rink sits on its west side, with the Wintergarden, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Christmas Village all close by, so one skate easily becomes a whole afternoon. Warm up at the Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin, which has indoor dining, a bar and fire pits. It's a popular downtown rink, so we'd save a nervous first attempt for a quieter session. Details: Open daily from November 13. Sessions last 90 minutes, and the line opens 15 minutes before. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for kids 10 and under, plus $11 for skate rental.
Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
This is our pick for the group that can't agree on whether to skate. Entry to the park is free, so non-skaters can stick around for the Ferris wheel, boardwalk games, food and lodge while everyone else heads out on the NHL-size rink. A heated cabin or fire pit can anchor a group night, but those are booked separately. On-site parking is limited, so walk, ride SEPTA or take a rideshare if you can. Details: Admission is $5, plus $12 rentals. Entry is timed, and you get up to 90 minutes on the ice. The park opens at 1 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends, and skating closes 30 minutes before the park.
Flight on Ice at Veterans Memorial Rink
4901 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073, USA
Families west of the city can skip the trip downtown. This real-ice outdoor rink has free on-site parking, plus fire pits, food and places to warm up between laps, which makes a big difference when you're wrangling kids, coats and rental skates. A portion of proceeds supports local veterans. Heated party spaces and group packages cost extra. Details: Regular hours are 4–8 p.m. Thursday, 4–9 p.m. Friday, noon–9 p.m. Saturday and noon–6 p.m. Sunday, with extended hours from December 21 to January 3. Prices vary by date: a December 27 ticket came to about $30 with rental. Sign the waiver before you arrive. If weather cancels your session, take your ticket to the box office to exchange it. The rink is in Newtown Square, Delaware County, so don't confuse it with Newtown in Bucks County.
Vintner Wonderland at Renault Winery
72 Bremen Ave, Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215, USA
Renault is about an hour from Philadelphia, so make it the day's main event. The real-ice rink sits inside a winter village with food, artisan shopping, igloos and fire pits. Village admission and parking are free, while skating and private spaces cost extra. Wonders on Ice, a ticketed professional skating show, runs December 30 to January 3. Details: Regular rink hours are 4–8 p.m. Friday, noon–8 p.m. Saturday and noon–6 p.m. Sunday, with extended hours over the holidays. Book a session first, and check your ticket for its length and price. Allow 15–30 minutes for check-in and rentals, and complete the waiver in advance. It's closed on Christmas Day.
Linvilla Orchards Glice Rink
137 W Knowlton Rd, Media, PA 19063, USA
This one is synthetic, so choose it for the Christmas farm and not as a stand-in for real ice. Linvilla says the surface is less slippery than ice but takes a little more push, which can suit beginners. It pairs well with a Santa visit or the Winter Makers Market, which both run on weekends through December 20. Details: Tickets are $13 online or $15 in person for a one-hour pass with rentals included. Everyone on the rink over age 2 needs a ticket. Linvilla hasn't posted its 2026 skating dates yet.
Cooper River WinterFest
Cuthbert Blvd and Park Blvd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, USA
This county-run rink is a natural choice for families on the New Jersey side, and it's much closer to Philadelphia than Renault. Keep it on your shortlist for now. Details: Camden County hasn't posted 2026–27 dates or prices yet. Check its WinterFest page before you plan around it.
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Indoor and Free Ice Skating in Philadelphia
These rinks work when the forecast is bad, someone wants more practice, or you'd rather spend your money on ice time than a holiday village. Public sessions change around hockey and club programs, so check the calendar on the day. If the weather threatens an outdoor session, check the rink's same-day notices and your ticket's exchange terms before you switch.
Penn Ice Rink
3130 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Penn is the easiest indoor skate to reach from Center City, and it's where we'd send an adult beginner who wants to try skating without a big production. Public sessions are short and mostly fall around lunch, so plan your meal around the ice. Details: General admission is $13, or $11 for college students, plus $6 rentals. Fall and winter sessions run 12:30–2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6–7 p.m. Saturday and 1–2 p.m. Sunday.
Wissahickon Skating Club
550 W Willow Grove Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118, USA
This long-running club rink makes a good neighborhood outing, especially before or after an afternoon in Chestnut Hill. Saturday is the family session, while Friday's 8:30 p.m. start suits older skaters. It's also a low-stakes way to see if the kids enjoy skating before you sign up for lessons. Details: Fridays run 8:30–10:30 p.m. at $10, and Saturdays run 12:45–2:15 p.m. at $8. Rentals are $4 and tickets are sold in person. Pushers are limited to children 7 and younger.
Free public skating: Philadelphia's five city rinks offered free public skating last winter, with rentals from $3 to $5. These are the cheapest skates in the city, especially if you own skates. Check each rink's 2026–27 schedule for a session marked public skate, since hockey and youth programs fill much of the week.
Rizzo Rink
1001 S Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, USA
South Philadelphia's no-frills local rink, tucked beneath I-95.
Laura Sims Skate House
210 Cobbs Creek Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19139, USA
The first US rink created for a Black community, and a good first stop for a West Philadelphia family skate.
Scanlon Ice Rink
1099 E Venango St, Philadelphia, PA 19134, USA
A handy choice north of Center City. Check the visitor entrance before you go.
Tarken Ice Rink
6250 Frontenac St, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
The Northeast Philadelphia option, worth checking before you cross town.
Simons Ice Rink
7200 Woolston Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19138, USA
Programming is expected to start in December, so wait for a posted public session before making the trip.
Indoor Rinks in the Suburbs and South Jersey
These are the practical picks if you live outside the city or want more session times than the city rinks offer.
IceWorks
3100 Dutton Mill Rd, Aston Township, PA 19014, USA
IceWorks is the easiest rink here to fit into a busy week. November's calendar has public sessions at noon on weekdays and in the afternoon on weekends, plus some Friday and Saturday nights. Go on a Wednesday and rentals are free. There's a café and a gastropub on site for anyone who'd rather watch. Details: Admission is $12, or $15 on Friday nights, and kids 4 and under are free. Rentals are $3. Walkers are $4 for ages 8 and under at afternoon sessions. There's no public skating on Thanksgiving.
Haverford Township Skatium
1002 Darby Rd #3616, Havertown, PA 19083, USA
This township rink has been a local fixture since 1974, and it's one of the best-value indoor skates in the area. When you book, choose a public skate session and not freestyle, stick-and-puck or open hockey. Details: Admission is $8 for ages 7 and up, $6 for ages 6 and under and $3 for seniors. Rentals are $3, and skate helpers are $3.
Flyers Training Center
601 Laurel Oak Rd, Voorhees Township, NJ 08043, USA
The Flyers' official practice rink is a straightforward indoor fallback for South Jersey families. Come for a public skate and don't count on seeing any players. Details: Admission is $13, plus $5 rentals. You can register online or at the front desk.
Philadelphia Skating Club & Humane Society
220 Holland Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003, USA
America's first skating club has been at its Ardmore rink since 1938, and it's a nice Main Line alternative once public sessions return. It's built around figure skating, so expect a club feel over a holiday scene. Details: Admission is $10 by cash or Venmo or $12 by card, plus $5 rentals. Check for posted public sessions before you go.
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