Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks on Long Island for Kids and Families

Buckskill Winter Club offers great ice and is rarely crowded.
Buckskill Winter Club offers great ice and is rarely crowded.
12/15/23 - By Ian Stark

 Long Island's outdoor ice skating rinks are ready to welcome visitors for wintertime fun, so don't let winter's chill scare you away from outdoor recreation. 

We've put together a list of terrific outdoor ice skating rinks on Long Island that are open for the season or are opening soon. Most are inexpensive and offer skate rentals as well as lessons for those still mastering their steps and stops. Weather permitting, most of these rinks are open until the beginning of spring, and all are public.

If the weather doesn't cooperate, there are plenty of indoor rinks across Long Island, too, that give families a chance to skate all year long. Find more fun seasonal destinations in our Winter Fun Guide.

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Editor's note: Be sure to click through to each venue to verify operating hours and reservation requirements before heading to the rink.

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Nassau County

1. Christopher Morley Park — Roslyn

Christopher Morley Park's ice skating rink is a regulation-sized 200-by-80 feet. Open skating sessions are offered every day and skate rentals are available. Please contact the rink at 516-571-8123 before heading out to confirm availability. A season skating pass is also available for purchase.

2. Grant Park Rink — Hewlett

The rink at Grant Park holds public sessions every day of the week, with a puck shoot on Mondays and Thursdays. Skate rentals are available, too. There is limited seating near the ice but ample indoors, which offers a great view of the skaters. A season pass is available for purchase.

3. Marjorie R. Post Community Park Ice Rink — Massapequa

This is a Town of Oyster Bay facility, and public skating sessions here are held on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. There are expanded public skating sessions during school vacation weeks. Skate rental is available.

4. Syosset-Woodbury Community Park Ice Rink — Syosset

With an easily accessible location not far from major highways, Jericho Turnpike, and the Long Island Expressway, this Town of Oyster Bay rink offers FREE skating for kids 2 and younger. Public skating sessions are held on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays with expanded sessions during school vacation weeks.

5. Northwell Health Ice Center — East Meadow

Located inside Eisenhower Park, the Northwell Health Ice Center boasts two indoor rinks and one outdoor rink. Here, kids and grown-ups can skate where the New York Islanders train. Rinks are open to the public on weekends at various times. The number of skaters allowed is limited, so reservations are recommended. 

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Buckskill Winter Club Ice Skating
Top-notch amenities at Buckskill Winter Club make a trip to East Hampton worthwhile.

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Suffolk County

6. Buckskill Winter Club — East Hampton

Located just north of Montauk Highway, this upscale facility offers public skating 7 days a week. It’s pricier than many rinks—admission ranges from $15 for toddlers 4 and younger to $35 for adults—but the amenities are top-notch, and skaters are welcome to stay all day and into the evening. Perks include a cafe with a fireplace, a changing area, regular ice resurfacing, skate and helmet rentals, and "Helping Hand" skaters to assist young, inexperienced skaters. Check the Facebook page for up-to-date weather closures and events.

7. The Rinx at Harborfront Park — Port Jefferson

Port Jefferson Harbor is beautiful, and Harborfront Park offers a smaller rink with a big view, where you can skate 7 days a week, including night sessions on Fridays and Saturdays. The rink is located in the village center and within walking distance of eateries and other spots to warm up. Lessons are available.

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Skate and glide under the dome at Southampton Ice Rink.
Skate and glide under the dome at Southampton Ice Rink.

8. Southampton Ice Rink — Southampton

This semi-enclosed facility, adjacent to Southampton mini-golf and driving range, opened in 2014, and it quickly became a South Fork winter destination. The rink is refrigerated so it can remain open when nearby ponds and rivers have melted. As a result, its season often extends into April. Amenities include skate rentals, after-school lessons, hockey leagues, and more. Public skating sessions are held 7 days a week. Reservations are required for weekend and holiday sessions and can be made online up to two weeks in advance. 

A version of this article was first published in 2013 and has since been updated. 

Photos are courtesy of the rinks

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