What’s more whimsical than ice skating in the winter? Whether you’re showing off your moves in Main Street Square or you’re practicing at the smaller, local rinks, there is a lot of opportunity to lace up the skates and hit the ice in South Dakota. Here are the 10 best ice skating rinks in the state.
Get in the winter spirit by twirling and spinning on downtown Rapid City’s outdoor public skating rink in Main Street Square. There’s even a giant Christmas tree adjacent to the rink during the holidays! The rink is a community gathering place in the chilly winter months, and in the summer, the square is turned back into a small water park area with tables and plenty of grassy space for lounging around. The Main Street Square ice rink is open for its seventh season, and the Rapid City community loves it! Head down to Main Street Square for an unforgettable winter experience!
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Near the Brown County Fairgrounds, the Odde Ice Arena is open for recreational ice skating as well as youth hockey and tournaments. This indoor skating rink has their hours of operation on the City of Aberdeen website. Cost for daily admission is $2 for adults, $1 for youth 17 and under, and $4 for a family. A season pass is $25 for adults, $15 for youth 17 and under, and $45 for a family.
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Brooking’s Larson Ice Center is a community hot spot during the winter months, as it hosts open ice hockey, open ice skate, and private ice rentals. Open skating is held on Wednesdays from 7:30-9 p.m., Thursdays from 8-9:30 p.m., and Sundays from 4-6 p.m. Open skating is usually only held in the winter months from late September or early October through late February. Check their website or social media for a detailed schedule of open skate and open hockey times.
Rapid City’s Roosevelt Park Ice Arena is the perfect ice skating haven. There are plenty of public skating opportunities as well as adult drop-in hockey, youth drop-in hockey, and a hockey mentor program. For beginners or anyone looking to sharpen their skills, take on of Roosevelt Park’s Learn-To-Skate classes. If you’re dedicated enough, try joining the arena’s figure skating club, the Black Hills Figure Skating Club. Admission to the ice rink is $6 per person or $5 for seniors (age 62 or older). Skate rentals are $3 for all ages.
Established in 2014 and located in the Sanford Sports Complex, the SCHEELS IcePlex in Sioux Falls is a wonderland for winter sports. Open skate sessions and open hockey are held regularly. Admission to an open skate session is $6 per person or $4 for ages 12 and under or seniors. Ice skate rentals are $3 and skate sharpening is $6. Head to their website for a complete calendar of open skate, open hockey, and event dates.
The Yankton Ice Rink has hockey, figure skating, performances, and Learn-To-Skate classes for beginners. No matter your skill level or how serious you are about ice skating, the Yankton Ice Rink has a figure skating class for you. Practice ice times are regularly held for beginner skaters.
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As one of a couple outdoor rinks in Sioux Falls managed by the City of Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation Department, the McKennan Park Ice Skating Rink opens in mid-December and is subjected to changes based on weather. The rink has a warming house, concessions, and skate rentals for those who didn’t bring their own from home. Skate rentals are $1 for youth age two to 15, $2 for seniors age 55 or older, or $3 for adults age 16 to 54 years.
The PAYSA (Pierre Area Youth Skating Association) Ice Rink is the perfect spot for families with younger children to learn how to skate. If you want to become an expert figure skater, try joining the rink’s figure skating club, the Central South Dakota Skating Club. Check their website for details about registering for skating classes.
In the summer, Memorial Park is a community gathering place with picnic areas, an accessible playground for kids, and a large green space. But in the chilly seasons, it turns into a winter wonderland with a hard surface hockey rink, ice skating rink, and warming house. Ice skate rentals are available onsite, and the rink has a concession stand.
Sherman Park in Sioux Falls also has a hard surface hockey rink, ice skating rink, warming house, concession stand, and ice skate rentals, making it the perfect spot for an ice skating outing for the family! Other seasonal amenities at the park include picnic shelters, playgrounds, league softball fields, formal garden, wedding location, bike trail access point, and soccer field.
