Rhode Island carries the same tradition as the rest of New England as being a wonderful place for ice skating. From big city rinks in Providence to cozy spots in Smithfield, you’ll find plenty of opportunity to lace up your skates in the Ocean State. Here are the 10 best ice skating rinks in Rhode Island!
This arena is located in the heart of downtown Providence in the Kennedy Plaza, and it is managed by the Providence Parks and Recreation Department and operates all year-round. Open for public skates, skating lesson, and learn to skate programs, this open-air facility is truly a rink for the public.
Enjoy the historic colonial charm and vast ocean views surrounding this outdoor waterfront rink. This rink can accommodate 150 people and you’ll find free parking, ice skate rentals for adults and children, on-site concessions, admission discounts, professional skating instructors, and shopping and dining options within walking distance.
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The Washington Trust Community Skating Center offers 12,000 square-feet of real ice on a 100-by-120 foot outdoor rink that seats 200. And with over 250 pairs of rental skates, they are bound to have a size that fits you. Plus enjoy a cup of hot chocolate from the concession stand as you watch as your family enjoys public skating, ice skating lessons, youth & adult hockey leagues, broomball, stick time, and more.
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The primary goal of Thayer Arena is to provide a year-round, clean, safe, and functional recreational and competitive ice skating facility for both resident and non-resident. Home to the Warwick Figure Skaters, and the Warwick Junior Hockey, the Thayer also supports adult and public skating, school day rentals, and an introduction to skating program.
The Cranston Veterans Memorial Ice Rink houses two NHL regulation-size rinks, and the facility features 1,000-seat bleachers. With 10 locker rooms, an arcade room, a concession area, and pro shop, this arena is also home to the Cranston Reds, a junior hockey team. But you will also find Learn-To-Skate and stick and puck programs here, too.
The Smithfield Municipal Ice Rink is the home of the Smithfield Figure Skating Club, the Providence-Pawtucket Figure Skating Club, the Northern Rhode Island Viking Youth Hockey Program, the Rhode Island Saints Hockey Club, and local area high school teams. The ice rink also provides public skating hours for the general public, but you must have your own equipment.
Opened in 2002, this state-of-the-art ice rink was the very first indoor ice facility in all of Southern Rhode Island and feature four sizeable public locker rooms, a team weight room, a pro shop, and a Subway. And despite being home the URI men’s and women’s hockey teams, you can also find public skating sessions and a learn to skate programs, as well as camps and clinics.
The Meehan Auditorium is a 3,059-seat hockey arena opened in 1961. It is home to the Brown University Brown Bears men’s ice hockey team, and while there is no jumping, figure skating, speed skating, or hockey practice is allowed during the season, you may still rent the facility during off hours. Contact the university for details.
This arena aims to create and maintain a comfortable and enjoyable skating facility. And, to that end, the rink underwent significant renovations in 2006 and 2011 in an effort to provide a state-of-the-art center that supports a pro shop, cafe, and strength and conditioning center. Find public skate times, camps and clinics, programs and leagues, and more.
The rink at Portsmouth Abbey is part of a coeducational, Catholic Benedictine boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Founded in 1926 by the English-Benedictine community, the school is located on a 525-acre campus along the picturesque shores of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, and its ice rink is open to the public for ice skating most Sunday afternoons.
