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Skating guides

Plain advice for a good day at the rink, on wheels or on ice. No hype and no made-up numbers. Every rink sets its own rules and schedule, so check with yours before you go.

Guide · RollerNo. 0001 A nervous beginner in a helmet and knee pads holding the rink wall while a friend skates over to help First time roller skating What happens at a roller rink, rental skates or your own, how to fall and get up, and how the floor flows. Guide · IceNo. 0002 A beginner in a puffy jacket and knit hat balancing on the ice during a public skate First time ice skating Public skate basics, getting rental skates to fit, dressing warm, balance tips and skate aids. Guide · Roller + iceNo. 0003 Skating gear laid out: striped socks, gloves, a knit hat, knee pads, wrist guards, a helmet, a jacket, a water bottle and a backpack What to wear skating Clothes for a roller rink and an ice rink, the right socks, gloves, pads and helmets, and what to bring. Guide · Roller + iceNo. 0004 A split picture: a quad roller skate on a wooden rink floor beside an ice skate blade on the ice Roller skating vs ice skating How they feel, the gear, stopping, the learning curve, and which one suits you or your kids. Guide · Roller + iceNo. 0005 A rink party room with balloons, party hats, a cake and gift bags, with skaters on the floor outside Skating rink birthday parties How rink parties usually work, what to ask before you book, headcounts, waivers and the day itself. Guide · IceNo. 0006 A smiling child in a helmet holding an instructor’s hand on the ice Learn-to-skate lessons Group or private lessons, learn-to-skate programs, ages, and what a first class is like. Guide · Roller + iceNo. 0007 Skaters circling a roller rink floor under a disco ball and strings of lights Rink etiquette and safety Direction of skate, passing, falling, skating with kids, and what the floor guards are there for. Guide · IceNo. 0008 Families skating on an outdoor rink in a snowy park at night under string lights, with a warming hut behind Outdoor ice skating Seasonal rinks, how weather changes the ice, checking whether a rink is open, and dressing for the cold. Guide · RollerNo. 0009 Adults roller skating under a disco ball while a DJ plays at the side of the rink Adult skate nights What adult nights are, how age rules vary from rink to rink, and what to expect on your first one.

City guides

The cities with the most rinks in the directory. Each guide ranks the city’s rinks and shows which are roller, ice or outdoor, and which have lessons, parties and other programs, with the review sentence or website behind each one.

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