ICE
For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I visited Santa Monica’s “ICE.”
Year after year, I would drive pass the outdoor ice rink, promising myself that I would try it one day. Well, this year, after finding a coupon on Groupon, I made it a priority to attend.
ICE at Santa Monica is a little ice skating rink that comes around every holiday season. What makes the rink so fun is that it resides in the beach-side community and is on the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue in Santa Monica.
According to the downtown Santa Monica website, the rink measures at 8,000 square feet. I visited the rink today when it opened at 2 p.m. I was surprised to find so many young children waiting in line at 1:45. Parents, nannies and children of all ages skated and laughed with joy, even when they fell.
Personally, I LOVE ice-skating but go to larger, indoor rinks like the Toyota Center in El Segundo. Although the rink was fun because of the energizing music and the lack of needing a sweater, it was a little too crowded for my liking. I enjoy skating in large rinks because I don’t have to be too cautious of others whereas in a smaller rink like ICE, you have to be extremely careful.
Furthermore, as weather is always unpredictable in So-Cal, it was a hot day. At 78 degrees, the ice was melting which made for sliding and lots of falls among the crowd. Despite the crowds and slippery ice, I suggest everyone visit ICE in Santa Monica at least once this holiday season.
It’s a nice place to gather with friends, drink some hot cocoa, and make everlasting memories.
The rink’s hours and days of service are as follows:
November 1, 2015 — January 18, 2016
Admission with Skate Rental: $15
General Hours of Operation
Monday-Thursday: 2:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday: 2:00pm – Midnight
Saturday: 10:00am – Midnight
Sunday: 10:00am – 10:00pm
Holiday Hours
Thanksgiving
November 26: 10:00am – 10:00pm
November 27: 10:00am – Midnight
Holiday Break, Christmas Eve
December 21 – December 24: 10:00am – 10:00pm
Christmas Day
10:00am — Midnight
Holiday Break, New Year’s Eve
December 28 – December 31: 10:00am – 10:00pm
New Year’s Day
January 1: 10:00am – 12:00am
Martin Luther King Day (Last Day of ICE at Santa Monica)
January 18: 10:00am – 10:00pm