Lace up your skates and hit the ice at these temporary winter wonderlands.
1. Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, New York, NY
(© Francisco Dominguez / Alamy)
The skating rink at Bryant Park has one huge advantage over New York City's other outdoor rinks: It's free for those who bring their own skates. (Skate rental costs $15-$19, depending on the date.) The 17,000-square-foot rink is also larger than some others, making for shorter lines and sparser crowds. The rink is surrounded by a holiday market with 125 vendors selling unique gifts, and the two-story Celsius restaurant offers a rinkside view where you can wave to your friends while sipping hot chocolate. Open through March 1.
2. The Ice Rink at the Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, NV
(Ethan Miller/WireImage)
Come winter, the Cosmopolitan transforms its Boulevard Pool into The Ice Rink, where visitors can skate overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. Since Vegas is nothing if not overindulgent, the hotel has also arranged for some snow showers over the "ice." Afterwards, skaters can warm up with drinks like The Ugly Sweater (Patron XO, pumpkin, praline, Kahlua Pumpkin, coconut cream, and coffee) or the Griswold (Wondermint Liqueur, hot cocoa, coconut cream, and vanilla syrup). Open through January 4.
3. Chill at the Queen Mary, Los Angeles, CA
(© Kayte Deioma / Alamy)
The impressive 181-foot-tall Queen Mary, dressed up in holiday lights, provides the backdrop for this oceanside ice rink. In addition to skating, visitors can rush down a two-story ice slide or wander through a 13,000-square-foot Ice Kingdom, made from 2,000 pounds of ice and decorated according with a "Christmas in California" theme. Open through January 11.
4. Patinoire de la Place D'Youville, Quebec, Canada
(© David Coleman / Alamy)
Though skaters can't partake in Canada's favorite sport while circling the ice, hockey and non-hockey fans alike can skate in the heart of Old Québec while taking in a view of St-John’s Gate, Palais Montcalm, and Le Capitole Theather. It's best to go after dark, when the rink and nearby buildings are awash in colored lights. Skating here is free if you bring your own skates, but the location and price means it does draw a crowd. Open through mid-March
5. Ice Rink Canary Wharf, London, UK
(© Scott Hortop Travel / Alamy)
For those who are not content to make laps around a rink in circles, the ice rink at London's Canary Wharf has a separate skate path that winds its way through trees decorated with fairy lights before connecting back to the main rink. The folks from Des McDonald's Q Grill have set up a pop-up restaurant, Q on Ice, and visitors can also grab a glass of mulled wine and some roasted chestnuts at the Canary Wharf Christmas Market. Open through February 28.
Lace up your skates and visit one of these pop-up winter wonderland ice rinks.
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