Ice Skating in Vancouver 2024-2025

Ice skating is undoubtedly one of the most cherished winter pastimes in Canada, capturing the hearts of locals and visitors alike with its enchanting blend of joy and tradition. Vancouver, renowned for its stunning natural scenery and vibrant urban charm, offers a wealth of skating opportunities throughout the city and its surrounding areas.

Ideal Season for Ice Skating in Vancouver

Vancouver offers both seasonal and year-round rinks, mostly indoor ones. The outdoor rinks are usually open from December through February.

Robson Square Ice Rink

Robson Square's outdoor skating rink, nestled in the heart of downtown Vancouver, offers a delightful way to embrace the winter season with elegance and fun. A favorite destination for locals and visitors alike, this enchanting spot welcomes skaters of all ages to create magical memories with friends, family, and loved ones. Attracting around 80,000 skaters annually, the rink is a bustling hub of festive energy.

This year, the beloved Twelve Days of Christmas live music series returns from December 13 to 24, 2024. Guests can glide on the ice or savor a hot beverage while enjoying performances by some of Vancouver's finest musicians, adding a joyful soundtrack to the season.

Hours & Rentals

The skate rental at Robson Square Ice Rink is available for $5, while ice cleats can be rented for $2, and skate sharpening services, when offered, are priced at $5. The operating dates are from November 29, 2024, through February 28, 2025. Visitors can enjoy the rink's vibrant atmosphere every day of the week, as it operates from 9 am to 9 pm from Sunday to Saturday. Special holiday hours apply, with the rink welcoming guests from 9 am to 5 pm on Christmas Eve, 11 am to 5 pm on Christmas Day, and 9 am to 9 pm on both Boxing Day and New Year's Day, as well as New Year's Eve.

Mountaintop Skating Pond on Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is home to an ice skating pond – the only mountaintop outdoor skate pond in the Lower Mainland. Great for a fun family adventure or a romantic date – it's time to lace up those skates for a spin in the fresh mountain air.

Amidst snow-covered fir and hemlock trees, visitors will find an expansive 8,000-square-foot skating pond. Just west of the pond, the Sliding Zone offers family-friendly fun with two designated lanes of groomed terrain, perfect for sledding down Grouse Mountain.

Entrance & Rentals

Ice skating on the outdoor rink is included with either a Mountain Admission Ticket or an Annual Pass. The pricing for Mountain Admission Tickets is $80 for adults and $40 for children aged 5 to 12, while the Annual Pass, which provides year-round access, is available for $249 for adults aged 19 to 64.

Grouse Mountain is open for the 2024/25 winter season from November 23, 2024. Rental prices for equipment include options for snowshoes, ice skates, and sleds, catering to a variety of winter activities. Snowshoes are available to rent for $25, while ice skates are priced at $10 for adults and $6 for children. For those enjoying the Sliding Zone, sleds can be rented for $5, and a Sliding Zone Sled Rental Pass is offered at $15.

Tsawassen Springs Ice Rink

Just a 35-minute drive from the city, this outdoor ice rink provides a charming taste of winter fun, set within the heart of a year-round golf course and recreational center. Take in stunning views of the fairways and North Shore mountains as you skate across the Canadian-style rink, and afterward, enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant.

Schedule

The skating rink schedule for the 2024/2025 season features Family Skate sessions every day, with hours varying by weekday and weekend. Family Skate runs from 12 pm to 4 pm on weekends and holidays, while weekdays have sessions from 4 pm to 6 pm. Family Stick & Puck is available every day, running from 4 pm to 8 pm on weekends and from 6 pm to 8 pm on weekdays.

On December 9, the rink will host a private function from 4 pm to 5:30 pm, and public sessions will resume at 5:30 pm. The rink will be closed on Christmas Day and for the season after January 5. Scheduled times are weather-dependent. Admission is $5 per person, and skates and helmets are mandatory, though rentals are not available.