Updated December 2024 – With the arrival of the cold season of the year, new activities arrive to do outdoors, one of them ice skating, which this year will offer four rinks so that lovers of this sport can enjoy with family or friends. Two of the skating rinks in the ice They will be in Charlotte, one in Huntersville and one in Rock Hill, South Carolina. These slopes open in November until January or February of next year.
Where to ice skate in and around Charlotte?
Even though for this Christmas is not predicted As long as snow falls in North Carolina, there will be places where North Carolinians can enjoy winter activities like ice skating; Here we bring you four places where you can enjoy on your own, with friends or family.
Related: What is the meaning of the Christmas Tree
US National Whitewater Center
This is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in the Charlotte region, and it's even bigger this year. The rink has an area of 24,000 square feet, including two ice rinks and two free skating areas.
Starting in December, a pond hockey league is organized, where competitions between teams of three participants are held just for fun. Playoffs are held throughout January and into early February.
You can also visit the new lighting installation and the two suspension bridges. In the centre of the pond-turned-rink, there is an “Airstream” on ice, serving hot and cold drinks, as well as food and desserts.
For those who do not skate and go as observers, they can just relax in the warmth of a fireplace, while enjoying a hot drink, a sandwich, a soup, or a dessert, available for sale.
Cask Curling: new activity in 2024
This year, attendees will be able to enjoy a new form of entertainment, the “cask curling” , which is a variation on traditional curling. Attendees can slide mini barrels across the ice to compete for points. The activity is included with the ice skating ticket and requires rink reservations, which cost $10.
How to attend?
- Where: is located at 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, in Charlotte.
- When: This attraction opens in 2024 from November 15 to mid-February 2025.
- Schedule: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm weekends
- 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm during the week. On Thanksgiving and Christmas the hours are from 4:00 pm to 10 pm
- Price: The cost of the “Single Activity Pass” is $25 or the “All Access Pass”, with which you can skate all day. There is also the option of purchasing an annual pass to the park, which offers the advantage of being able to access all the park activities at any time of the year, its cost is $149 dollars.
- Parking lot: $6
- For more information about passes and activities in the park, you can go to the page: whitewater.org
Activities to enjoy this New Year's Eve 2023 in North Carolina
Light the Knights Festival
The fifth annual Light the Knights Festival, held at Truist Field in downtown Charlotte, will feature a full-size skating rink on the field and a six-lane snowtubing track on the outfield, where a waiver is required to ride and skate.
There will be different activities at the ice rink including: tournaments, figure skating, and the opportunity to learn to play hockey.
As in previous years, the “Charlotte Christmas Village ” will feature shops for seasonal shopping, food and drinks.
- Where: Truist Field, 324 S. Mint Street, Charlotte.
- When: in 2024 from November 27th to January 3rd, 2025.
- Price: Light the Knight general admission $14.37 dollars (does not include skating rink or Snow tubing). Admission for all activities $44.40 dollars, includes admission to the festival, skating rink and Snow Tubing.
- For more information on schedules, activities and prices visit the website Light the Knights
Skating rink “Birkdale on Ice "
For the second year in a row, people will be able to ice skate at Birkdale Village, located at Birkdale Commons Parkway and Sam Furr Road in Huntersville, NC.
“Birkdale on Ice” is an outdoor skating rink located at “The Plaza” in “Birkdale Village”. It will be open from November 23, 2024 to January 26, 2025.
To secure a skating time, the time can be reserved in advance. People who arrive without a reservation will still be welcome, if spaces are available.
- Where: Birkdale Commons Pkwy & Sam Furr Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078
- When: from November 23 to January 26, 2025
- Price: general admission $18, including skates. Children under 12 years old $14 with skates. The skates are for 75 minute sessions.
- To purchase tickets, schedules and more information, you can visit the website Birkdale Village.
Related: Where to Ski and Snowboard in North Carolina
Founders Holiday Ice Rink in Rock Hill
This is a tented ice skating rink, located near Fountain Park in Rock Hill, South Carolina, that is open during rain, shine or snow.
- Where: Fountain Park, 300 E. Main Street, Rock Hill, SC
- When: from November 18, until Monday, January 15, 2024.
- Price: $15 for admission and skate rental for 90 minutes.
- You can obtain information about the schedules on the site Holiday Ice Rink.
Pineville Ice House
This rink is open to public skating for all ages and levels. The price is $20 for both adults and minors. Skates are included. If tickets are purchased online, the price drops to $15.
An attraction of this rink is its lighting and the music selection that can be enjoyed while skating. The genres are diverse and span the decade barrier: pop, hip hop, rap, county, Latin, rock, among others. During the Friday night skating sessions, the music is mainly geared towards teenagers. A plus: the DJ accepts music requests.
Skating in Carowinds WinterFest
This amusement park has been bringing fun to North Carolinians for over half a century. During the winter, they host Winter Fest, a festival with various activities, including a skating rink on Snow Flake Lake, located near Harmony Hall.
Admission to the rink is $15 and includes skate rental. Those wishing to skate must sign a waiver. In the case of minors, it must be signed by an adult.
The ticket can be booked online on the site Carowinds WinterFest
Other ice rinks to skate in the area by Charlotte
In the Charlotte region, other places have set up smaller ice skating rinks in their buildings or grounds such as:
-Holiday on Ice, at the Nascar Hall of Fame, in downtown Charlotte
-Winter Wonderland, at South Park Mall
-The Ice at Sun Valley Commons (Indian Trail)
-Ice rink at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord)
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