Lace Up: The Best Places to Ice Skate in Beijing
Whether you're a wobbly beginner, or able to zip around in artful figure eights, there are few things more exciting than lacing up your skates and gliding across the ice. Thankfully, there's no shortage of rinks and outdoor ponds for Beijingers to dig their blades into as the colder weather sets in. Below, we've listed some of our favorite skating spots - both indoor and outdoor, from glitzy new arenas to charming and relaxing outdoor ponds.
Beijing's Best Indoor Ice Skating Venues
All Star Skating Club 全明星滑冰俱乐部
All Star Skating Club was found by Chinese gymnastics titan Li Ning in 2005. The rink boasts internationally standard skating equipment and provides individual classes from professional team couches based on the standard Ice Skating Institute of Asia (ISIASIA, isiasia.org) curriculum.
Open year-round, daily 10am-9.30pm
RMB 100 (an hour and a half, including rent fee for skates), RMB 30 for every additional 45 minutes
1/F, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾国际商区1层VD-36
(010) 5905 6328
askating.com
Century Star Skating Club 世纪星冰上俱乐部
If you want to go for a leisurely skate, then this is not the place for you. Though serious skaters will enjoy the high-quality lessons on offer at this rink, the number of students and teachers mean that there's little room for more recreational visitors.
Open year-round, daily 1.30-7.45pm
RMB 120-300 (half-hour individual class), RMB 85-180 (half-hour group class)
B1, Capital Gymnasium, 54 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District
海淀区中关村南大街54号首都体育馆B1
(010) 6834 6346; 88388430
centurystar.com.cn
Beijing Joy City Champion Rink 冠军冰场
From hockey tournaments to post-skating window shopping, this in-mall rink has a wide spectrum of options for visitors.
Open year-round, daily 10am-10pm
RMB 60 (weekdays, no time limit), RMB 80 (weekends and school breaks, two-hour limit)
7/F, Chaoyang Joy City Shopping Center, 101 North Chaoyang Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳北路101号朝阳大悦城7层
(010) 8552 6695
championrink.com
Le Cool Ice Rink 国贸溜冰场
It may be a small rink, but the skaters at Le Cool give it plenty of personality. Thanks to its central location, it draws a crowd that is both vast in size and wide in variety, making it one of the liveliest and most downright fun rinks in town.
Open year-round, daily 10am-10pm
RMB 30 (weekdays), RMB 50 (weekends) for 90 minutes, plus RMB 10 for every additional hour
B2, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城中区B2
(010) 6505 5776
Beijing's Best Outdoor Ice Skating Venues
Shichahai (popularly known as Houhai)
Gliding across the ice with the city's low-lying hutong rooftops as your backdrop – nothing quite beats the experience of skating on Beijing's most famous lake, which is separated into a skating area and an ice sled area.
Daily 9am-10pm
RMB 80 (plus rental for gear)
Qianhai Xijie, Xicheng District
西城区前海西街
(010) 6612 7652
Summer Palace Skating Rink 颐和园
Like Houhai, this historic site will give your time on the ice a distinctively Chinese feel. Better still: the lake is huge, giving you plenty of room to attempt to make figure eights. There is also rental gear available: single or double sleds (RMB 50/100), bicycles (RMB 100), and skates (RMB 50).
Daily 8.30am-4.30pm
RMB 30, RMB 20 (off-season)
19 Qinglongqiao Jiedao, Haidian District
海淀区新建宫门路19号
(010) 6288 1144
The Olympic Park Skating Rink
At 23,000sqm, the Olympic Park Skating Rink is the biggest outdoor rink in Beijing. Its size allows to be divided into three parts: one for leisure skating, one for ice cycling, and one for hockey. Skating equipment rentals are also available.
Daily 9am-5pm
RMB 60
Olympic Park, Anding Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳区奥林匹克公园龙形水系6号湖7号湖
(010) 6452 9060
Hehuahu Skating Rink in Beihai Park
Almost as large as the Olympic Park Skating Rink, Hehuahu has been expanded to 20,000sqm and now boasts pimped-out ice bikes, which you can cruise in the midst of the lake's scenic White Tower. Skating equipment rentals available RMB 40 (sleds), RMB 50 (ice skates).
Daily 9am-6pm
RMB 80 (per hour)
1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng District
西城区文津街1号北海公园
(010) 5166 4500
Taoranting Park Rink 陶然亭公园
Taoranting Park Rink is divided into south (9,000sqm) and west (10,000sqm) portions and offers skaters the chance to skate along a long circular path. There is a long ice slide at the west part of the rink. There are also eight penguins in the park area which end up being extra fun for children. No skating shoes renting available.
Daily 9am-5pm
RMB 20 (single sled), RMB 40 (double sled), RMB 200 deposit
19 Taipingjie, Xicheng District
西城区太平街19号
Dulwich College 德威国际学校
While many popular local skating venues are bustling hubs of activity, this outdoor rink, slightly outside the center of Beijing in the suburb of Shunyi, will satisfy many foreigners' longing for the quieter ice of their hometowns. Indeed, Dulwich's rink is perfect for timid children looking to better their balance, along with seasoned adults looking to skate in peace. Sadly, it's only open for two hours every week.
Friday 6.30-8.30pm
RMB 50. Dulwich College Beijing, Legend Garden Villas, 89 Capital Airport Road, Shunyi District
顺义区天竺镇首都机场路89号
(010) 6454 9150
Photos: Matthew Fournier (via Unsplash.com), tour-beijing.com, Toutiao (m.gmw.cn), Sybabite (experienceluxury.co), giphy.com, imgflip.com
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