Boston Ice Skating – ‘Tis the Season for Outdoor Winter Fun
It’s February in Boston; it’s wintry, yet invigorating. You’re in the mood for ice skating.
Where to go?
Boston has several prime outdoor ice skating locations. The most picturesque, as well as centrally located, is The Frog Pond on Boston Common. Within view of historic Beacon Hill townhouses ‘mid an open, tree-lined park, with the sound of blades skimming over ice and the scent of wood smoke in the air, you can try out your glides and spins in style.
Popular with kids and adults alike, the Frog Pond is open eleven to twelve hours every day from November to Mid-March, with more than 100 days of skating each season.
You can rent your skates here --$8.00 for adults; $5.00 for children under 13. Instruction is available, too. If you opt for some lessons, the following programs are available, according to the official Frog Pond web site:
“IceStars Skating Programs
Whether young or old, beginner or advanced, we have the skating program just for you. With over 20 years of experience in operating skating schools, General Manager Duncan Finch and his professional staff offer instruction in the USFSA (United States Figure Skating Association) program for all ages.
Learn to Skate (3 years old to adult)
Designed for those who have never skated or have never had formal lessons, Learn to Skate specializes in tots with the largest program in the area. Students are divided by age and taught the fun and fundamentals of skating. The program stresses balance, how to fall, proper form on the ice, and the beginning basics necessary to continue on to our Basic Skills program.
Basic Skills (all ages)
Students begin to concentrate on proper stroking, solid edges and beginning jumps. Students are placed into small groups according to ability and progress from level to level at their own pace.
Private and semi-private lessons are available by appointment.
For additional information on IceStars skating programs
at the Boston Common Frog Pond, call:
Skating Rink: (617) 635-2120
Skating School: (617) 635-2121
Frog Pond hours are from 10:00 to 9:00 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Admission is $4.00 per person. You can rent a locker for $1.00 and warm up afterwards with a cup of hot chocolate and a snack at the Frog Pond Snack Bar.
For further information, see the Frog Pond Web Site at:
http://www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org/index.htm
Across town in Harvard Square, The Charles Hotel--a AAA Four Diamond Hotel located at 1 Bennett Street, Cambridge, a few blocks from the Harvard “T” stop--has an outdoor skating rink that’s perfect for the little ones and adults who prefer a less populated space to try out their blades.
Open mid-December to mid-March, the rink is open from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekends. The 2,900 square-foot ice skating rink is located in the hotel’s courtyard, with hotel restaurants and luxurious amenities just steps away.
Skate rentals are $5 and skating fees are $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years old.
By public transportation, take the Red Line from Park Street directly to Harvard. The hotel is approximately three blocks from the “T.”
For a Boston Valentine’s Day celebration, the hotel offers a “Love Story on Ice” package that includes overnight accommodations in a romantic hotel suite; dinner at the Rialto, the restaurant that seems suspended over the 54-foot square ice rink; complementary ice skating and skate rentals, hot toddy for two at Henrietta’s Table après skating; sparkling wine and chocolates delivered to your room; and cashmere scarves and hats to keep you warm on the ice.
Breakfast in bed is served, or you can go to Henrietta’s Table for a fine repast. There is also a complementary “Day of Fitness” for two at the onsite WellBridge Athletic Club, and the food at the Charles is delicious.
The hotel’s Regattabar is a well-known jazz venue, and there’s plenty to do right across the street in Harvard Square. It’s no wonder New England Travel Guide designated The Charles as “the best hotel to stay put in.”
What more could anyone ask?
For further information:
The Charles Hotel
800-882-1818
- Barbara Sealock
