Holiday Ice Skating for Families in the Bay Area

Lace up your skates and hit the ice! Even though it's an activity that you can do year-round, ice skating seems to be something that's especially appealing around the holidays, especially with festive Christmas decorations adorning the rink. Here's our guide to skating, whether on real ice or an "iceless" synthetic surface, in Marin, Sonoma County, and San Francisco.

Snoopy's Home Ice, Santa Rosa

In Santa Rosa you can find Snoopy's Home Ice at the Redwood Empire Ice Arena. Opened by the Santa Rosa resident and Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in 1969, the Redwood Empire Ice Arena offers public skating hours (check their schedule for details), skating lessons, birthday parties, and special events. The entire place is decorated with a Swiss theme and offers a charming alpine ambience. The Redwood Empire Ice Arena is also home to Snoopy's Warm Puppy Cafe, where you can sit by the fire and eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or just have a hot chocolate and watch the action on the Snoopy's Home Ice.

Session prices are $14 for adults 18 and over and juniors 12–17, and $12 for children 11 and under; skate rental costs $4. They also offer Toddlers on Ice sessions for kids 18 months–4 years and parents on Wednesdays.

Snoopy's Home Ice is located on West Steele Lane in Santa Rosa. To get there, take 101 north to the Guernville Road/Steele Lane exit; at the signal, turn left on Steele Lane and go under the freeway. Cross Cleveland Avenue and bear right onto West Steele Lane. The Redwood Empire Ice Arena, along with Snoopy's Gallery and Gift Shop, will be on your right after Range Avenue. For information and public skating schedule, visit snoopyshomeice.com or call (707) 546-7147.

Iceless Skating at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito

Experience a winter wonderland in the Bay Area. Glide, twirl and wobble across an iceless pond. Enjoy all the fun of ice skating, without the fear of falling! Opens November 18, 2023.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is located at 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. More info, www.bayareadiscoverymuseum.org

Winter Wonderland Skating at Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross

Get ready for a wondrous winter experience at the Marin Art & Garden Center! Skate outdoors on their synthetic iceless rink under twinkling bistro lights and falling "snow." Skating takes place as part of their Winter Wonderland event from December 1–10 from 4–8 pm weekdays, 3–8 pm weekends. Advance tickets are highly recommended; only a limited number of walk-up tickets will be available. Tickets cost $30 and include skate rental. Event details

Winter Lights Skate in the Square, Santa Rosa

This outdoor synthetic ic eskating rink in downtown Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square is eco-conscious and uses no water or power! It will begin November 25 and will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8 pm, with special hours on December 24 and 31. Theme skate nights take place every Thursday. Learn more at www.downtownsantarosa.org/winterlights

Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square, San Francisco

Union Square, San Francisco's main shopping district, gets into the ice skating spirit during the holiday season with an outdoor ice rink sponsored by Safeway. It's open November 1, 2023 through January 15, 2023 from 10 am to 11 pm daily (9:30 pm on December 31). 60-minute sessions start on every 90 minutes with the last session at 10 pm. Admission is $20 ($15 for children 8 and under) and includes skate rental. Skate helper rentals cost $6. Information: (415) 781-2606 or www.unionsquareicerink.com.

Union Square is in downtown San Francisco between Post and Geary and Stockton and Powell Streets. We find parking is easiest at the Union Square or Sutter-Stockton garages, but plenty of other options are available. It's also convenient to public transportation, especially BART and Muni.

Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center, San Francisco

Also in San Francisco is the indoor Yerba Buena Ice Skating rink at Yerba Buena Gardens, the only year-round ice skating venue in the city, with a large NHL-sized rink. You can check their regular public skating schedule here; special extended public sessions are offered during Thanksgiving week and the month of December. Admission is $14 for adults ages 6–54, $8 for toddlers ages 5 and under, $12 for for seniors (55 and over, with ID). Skate rentals cost $5; included in tot admission price. They also offer group discounts, year-round birthday party packages, and skating lessons. As the name implies, there's also a bowling alley on site.

The Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center is located in the South of Market district at 750 Folsom Street, between Third and Fourth Streets in San Francisco. The Ice and Bowling Centers are located at the Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens, which is built literally on the roof of Moscone Convention Center. Parking is probably easiest at the Fifth and Mission Garage a couple blocks away. Visit skatebowl.com for more info.

Five Palms Ice at the Claremont Club & Spa, Berkeley

The Claremont's Swiss-engineered Glice skating rink returns for another season for family-fun under the Five Palms. 2023 details TBA; www.claremont-hotel.com. The Claremont is located at 41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley.

Oakland Ice Center, Oakland

Across the Bay, Oakland Ice Center—also know as Sharks Ice, since it's run by the San Jose Sharks NHL team—offers a public ice skating, skating lessons, birthday parties (where you can even get the Sharks' mascot S.J. Sharkie to make an appearance), and more. Public skating prices are $15 for adults, $14 for children 12 and under, and $10 for seniors 55 and over. Skate rental is $7. Special skating deals are also available. Schedule and more information: (510) 268-9000 or www.oaklandice.com.

Oakland Ice Center is located in downtown Oakland at 519 18th Street, between San Pablo and Telegraph Avenues.