Holidays are about giving, family, and joy—and falling flat on the ice. Dress in your coziest mitts and coats to brave the chill while slip, slide, or (hopefully!) glide around these indoor or outdoor rinks.
National Gallery of Art
546 Constitution Ave. NW
Glide across the ice among larger-than-life works by Sol LeWitt and Roxy Paine at this atmospheric ice rink on the National Mall.
Washington Harbour
3050 K St. NW
The largest rink in DC rests right on the Potomac River—and is surrounded by shops for last-minute gifts.
Canal Park
200 M St. SE
Osteria Morini + Ice Cream Jubilee + skating along the riverfront = A perfect (albeit cold) date night.
The Wharf
960 Wharf St. SW
The newest neighborhood development is pulling out all the stops for holiday cheer, including this small rink right on the water. Note: They only accept card payment, and are open Saturdays.
The Watergate
2650 Virginia Ave. NW
If you think skating along a waterfront is pretty, try gliding 157 feet up on the hotel’s rooftop. A skate-up bar can help calm a fear of heights.
Fairmont Hotel
2401 M St. NW
The tiny rink fills the hotel courtyard, featuring fire pits and festive decorations.
Fort Dupont
3997 Ely Pl. SE
This indoor rink—with classes and camps for kids—offers regular public skating hours on weekends and weekdays.
Veterans Plaza
8523 Fenton St., Silver Spring
Skate under the rainbow lights until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights at this outdoor rink.
Rockville Town Center
131 Gibbs St., Rockville MD
Surround yourself with decorated trees and, if you’re a regular, enjoy season passes or a group discount.
Tysons Corner
1961 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean VA
Take a break from your holiday shopping and skate with the family. If your kids need assistance, snowman and penguin pals are available, too.
Reston Town Center
1818 Discovery St., Reston VA
Twinkling lights adorn the moon-roof-like pavilion—it’ll feel like you’re skating under the stars, even if it’s cloudy out.
Pentagon Row
1201 S. Joyce St., Arlington VA
This rink is the largest in Northern Virginia, featuring a stone fireplace where you can lounge when you need a breather (or some warmth).
Herbert Wells
5211 Campus Dr., College Park MD
A 600-seat ice arena in College Park offers a place to skate October through April.
Cabin John
10610 Westlake Dr., Rockville MD
This Montgomery Parks-run rink is a year-round classic, popular with families and high schoolers.
The Garden Ice House
13800 Old Gunpowder Rd., Laurel MD
Children can learn to skate at this ice arena, which also hosts kid and adult hockey leagues.
Rockville Ice Arena
50 Southlawn Ct., Rockville MD
In addition to hockey leagues, this ice arena offers public skate and “stick times” for games.
Mount Vernon
2017 Belle View Blvd., Alexandria VA
Fairfax County’s only publicly-owned indoor ice arena operates year-round for kids and adults alike.
Harris Pavilion
9201 Center St., Manassas VA
A pretty outdoor pavilion in historic downtown Manassas transforms into an ice rink for winter, complete with music and twinkling lights.
SkateQuest
1800 Michael Faraday Ct., Reston VA
There’s plenty to do at this indoor ice arena, which offers public skate sessions that include a DJ on Friday nights.
Kettler Capitals Iceplex
627 N. Glebe Rd., Arlingont VA
This “iceplex” is home to the Caps training rink, but anyone can head over for public skate sessions, pick-up hockey, and broomball.
Fairfax Ice Arena
3779 Pickett Rd., Fairfax VA
A busy ice arena offering public skating for the whole family.
Ashburn Ice House
21595 Smith Switch Rd., Ashburn VA
“Where Ashburn skates” is the slogan for this community-oriented rink, offering hockey (league and pick-up), parties, and public sessions.
Rosa is a senior editor at Bitch Magazine. She’s written for Washingtonian and Smithsonian magazine.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
