Best Ice Skating In The South Bay

(credit: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Ice skating provides the perfect opportunity for some winter family fun and exercise. The South Bay offers a rink option for everyone from those interested in hockey or figure skating to those looking for an indoor adventure or romance under the stars. For families looking to enjoy the colder months to the fullest, bundle up and check out this list of five of the South Bay's best spots for ice skating.

Who wouldn't want to skate on the same ice as the San Jose Sharks? Sharks at San Jose Ice is one of the official practice rinks for the San Jose Sharks, and contains four ice rinks for varied usage. In addition to regular public skating and official Sharks practices, the facility offers figure skating lessons and adult and youth hockey leagues. Public skating hours are held seven days a week, and skate rentals are available.

Downtown Ice is a seasonal outdoor skating rink located between the San Jose Museum of Art and the Fairmont Hotel. Open through the early New Year, the rink provides a winter holiday tradition where skaters have the rare opportunity to glide along the ice beneath palm trees. Nestled in the middle of downtown San Jose, facilities abound outside the rink, but inside amenities are few. The rink has no in-and-out privileges, lockers or bathrooms.

Ice Center At Cupertino
10123 N. Wolfe Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 446-2906
www.icecenter.net/cupertino

A long-standing stalwart of the Cupertino community, the Ice Center at Cupertino located in Vallco Mall was once the training ground of Olympic medalists Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi. The Ice Center still holds public skating hours seven days a week and skate rentals and lockers are available. The Center also runs several youth and adult hockey leagues, and offers figure skating classes. For locals with a work ID, the rink has special discounted weekday Lunch Break skate times.

Part of the Palo Alto community since 1956, Winter Lodge holds open skate hours every day of the week. With fireplaces to warm cold toes and skating under the stars amid the trees, Winter Lodge wins the prize for best ambiance among local rinks. Possibly due to the outdoor elements and sunlight, rink employees take special attention to the care and regular maintenance of the ice surface. This rink is on the smaller side, but public skate admissions are more affordable than elsewhere. Lessons and skate rentals are available.

Nazareth Ice Oasis offers up a bit of everything ice related. The rink has public skating, hockey skills classes, figure skating lessons, broomball and birthday parties. There is a small bar and grill that serves up such offerings as craft brews, burgers and mozzarella sticks. The facility also hosts adult and youth hockey leagues and holds pick-up games and hockey camps.