Get Some Exercise Ice Skating in Chicago

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Ice skating offers an excellent exercise option for light cardio activity. Ice skating helps improve your balance and motor coordination, build muscles, increase endurance, and support your posture. During the cold weather months, you can find several places to take to the ice around Chicago. Check out our top picks below.

McCormick Tribune Ice Rink

In Millennium Park, McCormick Tribune Ice Rink has delighted guests for two decades. The rink is open daily now through March. Although admission is free, you must reserve a time for your skating session. This reservation makes it possible to limit crowding on the rink and offer the best possible experience to everyone in the interest of COVID-19 public health protocols. Tickets are made available two weeks before the session date.

Skate rentals are available for $13 Monday through Thursday and $15 Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Storage rentals are an additional $1. For $10, you can rent skate aids for individuals shorter than 42 inches tall. If you're getting skates, plan for at least 30 minutes to get your rental. If you have skates, skate sharpening is available for only $9.

If you're new to skating, you can sign up for free lessons at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Lessons take place on most weekends from 8 to 9 a.m. Momentum Coffee, located beside the skating rink, offers food and beverages from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Maggie Daley Park

Maggie Daley Park features a charming skating ribbon that winds through the landscape and offers engaging views of the surrounding landscape and play areas. For the 2021-2022 season, the ribbon features a Van Gogh theme with designs inspired by "Sunflowers" and "Starry Night" artfully embedded in the ice, creating a new kind of public art. The quarter-mile winding path offers ample space for visitors to get good exercise on the ice.

The skating ribbon is open now through March 13 with two-hour sessions at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Available times are released on a rolling basis throughout the season, with a new date available on Feb. 21.

Weekday skating sessions with an included skate rental are $16 online or $18 as a walk-up admission. Skating with your skates is free. Skating with an included skate rental is $20 when reserved online or $22 as a walk-up admission from Friday through Sunday. If you have skates, you can skate free at 11 a.m. on these days. Skating with your skates is $5 for all other sessions from Friday through Sunday.

The Rink at Gallagher Way

Families can enjoy The Rink at Gallagher Way now through Feb. 20. The rink is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $6 for skaters ages 13 and older and free for anyone younger than 13. Skate rentals are $12, and skate aids are $10 an hour.

If you're looking for something different to try, check out the ice bumper cars at Gallagher Way. These cars will glide across the ice from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday. On Sunday, the ice bumper cars are available from 3 to 7 p.m. A 10-minute bumper car ride is only $10 for this fun experience that you can enjoy with friends and family members.

Midway Plaisance Ice Rink

The Midway Plaisance ice rink is in Hyde Park. The rink is open through Feb. 21, offering free skating to guests. Reservations are required to minimize crowding due to COVID-19 public health protocols. Skate rentals are available at the park for only $7 per person. If you're interested in honing your skills, the rink offers drop-in skating sessions for $10, including your skate rental. This fee covers instruction for starting, stopping, forward stride, and balance.

Midway Plaisance ice rink offers rat hockey sessions for $10 including skate rental if you're interested in participating in athletics on the ice. Stick-and-puck or pond hockey sessions are $8, including skate rental.

Parkway Bank Park

The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink at Parkway Bank Park is open to the public for free through Feb. 27. The rink is open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sundays and from 2 to 9 p.m. on Presidents Day (Feb. 21). Skate rentals are available for $8.

Parkway Bank Park offers a plethora of other entertainment options so that you can easily fill an entire day here. The park provides bowling and indoor skydiving if you're looking for other activities that can offer a little exercise. When you want to take a break, you can catch a movie, enjoy live music and comedy, or explore the shopping and dining options here.

Morgan Park Sports Center

For year-round skating opportunities, check out the Morgan Park Sports Center. Here you'll find a skating rink surrounded by 1,200 bleacher seats. The Pro Shop has all the athletic gear you might need if you're interested in purchasing your skating equipment. Skate rentals are available for only $3. Skate sharpening is offered between noon and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for $7.

Open skating is available to the public at select times. The fee for open skating is $4 for children 12 and younger, $5 for those ages 13 and older, and $2 for seniors ages 60 and older. Adult skate sessions are scheduled periodically for those age 18 and older. The fee for adult skate sessions is only $3. If you're looking for athletics, you can play stick-and-puck hockey for $5 an hour. Guests who are ages 15 and older can also play rat hockey for $10.

Did we include your favorite Chicago skating rink on our list? If we missed any outstanding places to skate, contact our Automatic Appliance Parts Corporation team and let us know. We strive to have the best recommendations for all our customers.