Where to Take Your Kids Ice Skating in Chicago

Lisa R:  This well-loved summer waterpark transforms during the winter months into a 14,500 sf ice skating plaza complete with food service and heated indoor bathrooms. Families love the affordable pricing and visiting during the holidays when the plaza is lit with festive, seasonal lighting.

Kristy Pepping:  The Chicago Park District operates 5 outdoor ice-skating rinks, in addition to Maggie Daley Ice Skating Ribbon, throughout the city. With so many rinks throughout Chicago, you are never far from some fun ice skating! Pre-registration is required for all programs, including open skate sessions, at the outdoor rinks.

Rinks are located at McKinley Park, Midway Plaisance Park, Mt. Greenwood Park, Warren Park, and Wentworth Park.

Kristy Pepping:  The Ribbon is located in the heart of downtown Chicago and aptly-named as the ice winds through a rolling landscape providing an ice skating experience unlike any other. A visit to Maggie Daley is a great addition to a Chicago staycation! Walkup sales are based on availability – reservations strongly encouraged.

Kristy Pepping:  The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park is a classic place to bring your family to go ice skating. They have locker rentals and a restaurant on-site where you can grab some hot cocoa to warm up with after you are done skating!

Lisa R:  This outdoor rink, just across from Wrigley Field, offers affordable ice skating in one of Chicago's most iconic locations. Set amidst an entire Winter Wonderland, skaters can catch Santa and Clark the Cub cruising the ice or watch youth performances by Figure Skate Chicago at select times leading up to Christmas. Rent your skates here or bring your own.

Kristy Pepping:  The Bobby Hull Community Ice Rink is a regulation-sized outdoor rink named after the famous Chicago Blackhawks player, who lived in neighboring Berwyn.

Lisa R:  Located in the midst of beautiful Centennial Park, Orland Park District's skating arena is worth a visit. Skating attendants on the ice ensure that everyone stays safe, with beginners in the center of the rink and more advanced skaters only practicing turns when the ice isn't crowded. Parents and kids love taking breaks together in the small warming hut (bring your own snacks!) and exploring.

Erin P.:  The Wilmette Park District operates three outdoor ice skating rinks. Mallinckrodt Park and Gillson Park can be used for recreational skating only (not hockey). If you are looking for a place to both play pond hockey and enjoy recreational skating, head to Thornwood Park. The outdoor ice rinks will be maintained until temperatures rise high enough for them to thaw.

Sarah D.:  Constitution Park in River Forest offers a beautifully-maintained ice rink in the winter months. Constitution Park is located in a peaceful, quiet, family-friendly neighborhood. When operational, the rink use has both free skate hours and hockey use hours. Please note that the ice rink open/closed status will be posted on site by a colored flag system: green indicates that the rink is open and red indicates that the rink is closed. The ice rink is unsupervised. Skate at your own risk.

Kristy Pepping:  Watts Center, run by the Glencoe Park District, has not one, but two lighted outdoor ice rinks! There is also a nearby sled hill if your kids are looking for even more winter activities to round out the day. This unique refrigerated skating facility provides figure skating lessons, ice hockey and of course recreational skating.

Kristy Pepping:  Parkway Bank Park is a 200,000 square-foot entertaining and restaurant complex. All the businesses face inward in what becomes a climate-controlled NHL-sized ice rink during the winter months. Convenient onsite parking is available and is validated if you go to one of the onsite restaurants before or after your skate.

Shila:  Lace-up your skates (or use a pair of ours) and glide across The Forge's ice skating rink. Teleport yourself to childhood memories and create new moments to cherish with loved ones this winter season. Private group and open skate sessions are available. Skate rentals are included with all reservations.

Sarah D.:  At the start of every season, when weather permits (20 or colder for 5 straight days), the staff at Sunset Woods Park flood an ice rink and the outdoor skate fun begins! The rink has separate sections for hockey and recreational skating. For the safety of all patrons, helmets are required in the hockey rink. Skating is free, and the rink is well lit by existing park lights.

Lisa R:  For low-key open air ice skating and hockey, The Des Plaines Park District maintains four simple rinks, which also have one or two ice hockey goals set up at each location. These rinks are unsupervised and skaters are responsible for ensuring their own safety. Families who are unsure about the current rink conditions can visit the Des Plaines Park District website or call for updated information before heading out. Bathrooms not available at all parks.

Katie G.:  The lagoon located at Eldridge Park is open (weather permitting) during the winter months for ice skating. The lagoon has been a popular ice skating destination for locals since the early 1970s. For safety reasons, the Elmhurst Park District monitors the ice and requires that there be a consistent, 3-day, ice thickness of 8 inches in order for guests to skate. A green flag at the pond will notify guests if it's safe to skate.