Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows. Chevron right
Recovery teams, displaced residents in Texas face brutal heat. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

71°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

71°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

World's Coolest Skating Rinks

By kconnolly

Published Jan 18, 2013 6:47 PM EDT | Updated Nov 7, 2019 4:07 AM EDT

Copied

Imagine skating hand-in-hand on a crisp winter night. A few stars may be visible above, but the really breathtaking view is of Paris’s twinkling lights—188 feet below your skates.

You don’t need to be on the Eiffel Tower’s observation deck, one of the world’s coolest rinks, to appreciate the romantic appeal of skating. It’s a fun, invigorating way to experience a destination in winter and to, yes, break the ice, whether you’re doing figure eights together or taking in the view with a cup of hot cocoa on the sidelines.

After all, skating rinks typically place you in a picture-perfect location. It could be a pristine wonderland like the Canadian Rockies or the center of a major city decked out for the season. Some of the coolest can be found where you’d least expect them—say, in the desert. The Venetian Hotel debuted a rink in 2011, complete with a holiday-theme light show. It now touts a package deal that combines a skating session with an outdoor gondola ride—only in Vegas, indeed.

It’s more fitting that the world’s largest ice-skating surface is found in Canada, where Ontario’s 4.8-mile–long Rideau Canal freezes over each winter. You can skate the entire length, connecting the cities of Ottawa and Kingston, and break at snack stands and an outdoor art gallery along the way.

Some locals even use the Rideau Canal to commute to work or school, much like the earliest skaters, who simply needed a way to get around. According to a study at the University of Oxford, ice skating got its start in present-day Finland, with blades fashioned from animal bones.

Steel blades, introduced in the 13th century, aren’t the only subsequent improvement. Synthetic ice allows for year-round gliding by palm trees in southern California, while other rinks keep skaters toasty with bonfires or stands that sell mulled wine. (A few glasses can do wonders for any frustration with the likely crowds or aching muscles.)

Whether you’re looking for a little romance, some thrills and spills with kids, or a kitschy night out with friends, you can find it on ice. Start here, with our picks for the 13 coolest skating rinks.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows

Jul. 10, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 11, 2025
video

Abandoned cars submerged by severe flooding in North Carolina

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Texas Hill Country recovery, cleanup teams to face brutal July weather

36 minutes ago

Weather News

State inspection before floods found Camp Mystic had emergency plan

22 hours ago

Weather News

Deadly flash flooding devastates wildfire-scarred New Mexico town

10 hours ago

Astronomy

1st full moon of summer to rise Thursday night

1 day ago

Weather News

Most Texas flood victims face devastation without flood insurance

20 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

16 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Floodwater rising in your house? Do this

2 days ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

16 hours ago

Weather News

Earthquake swarm detected at Mount Rainier, biggest since 2009

21 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

16 hours ago

AccuWeather Weather News World's Coolest Skating Rinks
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...