8 Fun Spots for Ice Skating Charlotte North Carolina 2024|2025
Ice skating is one of the best ways to get out and enjoy the chilly winter weather! For a state that doesn’t get much snow, it can be hard to find activities to do outdoors in the cold, and ice skating is the perfect one.
There is no better way to jump into the holiday spirit than to lace up a pair of ice skates and fly around on the ice! So, we wanted to share one of our favorite activities you can do in the winter, which is ice skating near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte is a lovely place to find ice skating in North Carolina. Some indoor and outdoor skating rinks offer a complete festive experience, and others are great for beginners and small children. If you are looking to go ice skating, here are some of the best places in Charlotte to visit.
ICE SKATING CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA
1. Whitewater Center
Address: 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214
The Whitewater Center in Charlotte is home to almost every single one of your favorite outdoor activities. In the winter months, the upper pond in the park is transformed into 24,000 sq. ft of outdoor ice skating fun. It is a unique and truly fun experience for people of all ages to enjoy! Open mid-November through mid-February.
New for 2024, Experience Whitewater’s unique twist on curling with Cask Curling! This fun variation of the classic game invites you to slide mini kegs across the ice in a playful competition for points.
Cask Curling is included with any Ice Skating pass (Single Activity, Day, or Annual Pass). Be sure to reserve your lane in advance or on-site.
Needing a break from ice skating? There is an on-ice Airstream that you can visit for rest and purchase warm hot chocolate or cold beverages. For one of the best winter experiences for the whole family, this is one of the most exciting ice skating centers to visit, and it is open for the whole winter season.
2. Founders Holiday Ice Rink
Address: 205 Saluda St, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Founders Holiday Ice Rink is in the center of Old Town across from Fountain Park. Dates are November 16 through January 20, 2025. It is the perfect place to come and enjoy some laid-back outdoor skating during the holiday season. Looking for a date, a playdate, or just something relaxing to do this winter? Founders Holiday Ice Rink is the perfect spot!
It is $15.00 per person for one skate session at Founders. A session lasts 90 minutes, and the price includes skate rentals. You can also bring your own skates, but the admission price is the same. There is no charge to watch and enjoy the fun from the sidelines.
For parking, there are hundreds of parking spaces available within one to two blocks of the ice skating rink in the Black Street parking lot and deck and along Main and Hampton Street. You can check their website as well for their calendar.
3. Birkdale on Ice
Address: The Plaza, Birkdale Commons Pkwy, Huntersville, NC 28078
If you are not familiar with Birkdale Village, it’s an amazing place year-round for shopping and amazing restaurants. For the 2nd year, you can skate in Birkdale Village in Huntersville, NC!
Dates are November 23, 2024, through January 26, 2025. It is recommended that you book ice skating slots in advance, as many are expected to come to get into the holiday spirit at Birkdale on Ice. Tickets are on sale now.
General admission is $18.00 per person for a 75-minute skate session. Children 12 and under are $16.00. Prices includes skate rentals.
4. Carowinds Snowflake Lake
Address: 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
For getting into the ultimate holiday spirit, there is no better place to go than Carowind’s very own Snowflake Lake! Open select nights, November 15, 2024, to January 4, 2025.
Carowinds Winterfest is the biggest holiday event in the area, with rides, games, and all of the festive cheer. Enter Snowflake Lake as Jack Frost invites you to test your skating abilities.
With bright holiday lights lighting up the rink and the whole area around, this is great fun for the whole family! Santa himself provides ice skates and skate guides for beginner skaters.
Skate rentals are required; personal skates are not allowed. Skate sessions run for 45 minutes. Time slots run out quickly, as this is one of the most popular places to be during the holiday session!
Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended because of its popularity (especially around Christmas). Ages 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Also, make sure not to bring any purses, backpacks, etc.; they will not allow you to take them on the ice.
5. Light the Knights Festival
Address: Truist Field, 324 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Light the Knights Festival is a popular winter fest that will be open from November 27, 2024- January 3rd, 2025, and has some of the best holiday light shows in the area. The Charlotte Knights are hosting a regulation-sized hockey rink in Uptown Charlotte for all to enjoy.
To learn how to skate, figure skate, or learn ice hockey, this will be a great place to visit. If ice skating isn’t your thing, there will also be a snow tubing hill and Charlotte Market.
They have offered all-access season passes before or daily admission.
6. Camp North End
Address: Ford Factory at Camp North End, 400 Camp Road, Charlotte, NC 28206
Camp North End will be offering ice skating for the first time at “Camp North Pole.” The skating will start on November 22, 2024, and be available through January 5, 2025. Open seven days a week except if there is inclement weather.
You’ll also be able to enjoy the fire pit, hot seasonal beverages, and local eats.
The cost for general admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids five and under, which includes skates. Skating will be available in the evenings during the week starting at 4 p.m. and will open at Noon on Saturdays and Sundays.
7. Pineville Ice House
Pineville Ice House is one of two indoor ice rinks in Charlotte. Pineville is open year-round and holds classes for the ice spots, and has an open skate day. They also host fun birthday parties! Classes for beginner skaters for youth to adult skating classes are held year-round.
If you are interested in learning how to ice skate or need to warm up before hitting outdoor rinks, this is a great place to come and practice! Figure skating and hockey leagues also take place here at Pineville. So join them anytime for ice skating in Charlotte North Carolina.
Public skating is $15.00 for all ages, and the price includes rental skates. One session lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. The public skate schedule is listed only for the next two months at a time. However, the times are subject to change. Check online or call before visiting!
8. Extreme Ice Center
Extreme Ice Center is the next indoor skating rink located in Charlotte. It is also open year-round and another great place to get lessons in skating, ice hockey, and figure skating. For a unique winter experience, visit Extreme Ice Center while it snows down on you as you skate!
Monday-Sunday free skate is $18 without skate rentals; with skate rentals, it is $20.00. Check their schedule, we find their Facebook page is the most up to date.
9. Piedmont Winterfest (Greensboro NC)
Ok, this is not in Charlotte, but worth mentioning! In downtown Greensboro, Piedmont Winterfest is a very popular outdoor skating rink hosted by WFMY News2. It will open from November 15, 2024, to January 26, 2025. Piedmont Winterfest is a smaller setup, but it is great for beginner skaters or younger children to enjoy the ice!
It is $15.00 per person to skate at Piedmont, and this includes skate rentals. One of the great parts about Piedmont is that you can reserve the entire rink if you are skating with lots of people! The Piedmont Winterfest is located in Lebauer Park (Downtown Greensboro). In addition to ice skating, they offer a curling league and winter fun! It’s about an hour and a half drive from Charlotte.
What to Wear Ice Skating
Ice skating doesn’t require too much when it comes to clothing. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, and here they are. Make sure to prepare for your Ice Skating in Charlotte North Carolina.
❄️ Socks
Almost all skate places require you to have socks in order to wear ice skates. So pack a couple of pairs of socks (in case one pair gets wet). I recommend bringing a pair of thicker socks as well in case you need to better fit the pair of skates.
❄️ Skates
Most public outdoor skating rinks don’t allow outside skates. They all have skates that are available to rent and are already in the session fee. On the other hand, most indoor ice skating rinks encourage you to bring your own pair of ice skates. Check with the place you are going to beforehand to learn about their rules and regulations.
❄️ Helmets
Helmets are not mandatory. That being said, younger children and/or beginners are highly encouraged to wear a helmet while ice skating. Many places have helmets available for rent.
❄️ Gloves
No matter how warm the weather is, you’ll want some type of glove when you go ice skating! It isn’t uncommon for your fingers to get pretty cold, especially if you take a few falls.
❄️ Extra Clothes
Pack an extra pair of clothing with you to change into afterward. There is a good chance your pants will get a little wet while ice skating, and it is nice to have a dry pair to change into. When the weather gets warm, you will get wet if you fall. Just warning you now.
❄️ Warmth/Layers
Even though it isn’t uncommon for winter days to hit 70 degrees in North Carolina, there are plenty of cold days, especially at night! Check the day’s weather before heading out on the rink, and pack accordingly. Snow pants are the best thing to wear ice skating when it is very cold out, and they can keep you dry, too, if you fall. Don’t forget your hat if you get cold easily.
Final Thoughts
Taking the whole family out for an ice skating adventure is such a great way to get into the holiday spirit! It is also a great way to get everyone out of the house on cold winter days. Bundle up, grab some socks, and test out your ice skating abilities this winter!
Check times and dates if you want to skate under the beautiful holiday lights.
We hope you enjoy ice skating in Charlotte North Carolina!
