Lace Up: Our Favorite 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.

INDOOR

All Star Rink
Located in Solana mall, this charming indoor rink is popular with families and even private lessons (in Chinese only) from national skating team coaches.

Open year round, 10am-9.30pm. RMB 50 for an hour and a half. Lessons cost RMB 135 for 40 mins. 1/F, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District (5905 6328)

Century Star Club
If you want to go for a leisurely skate, then this is not the place for you. However, serious skaters will enjoy the high quality lessons on offer at this rink, though the number of students and teachers leave no room for more recreational visitors.

Open year round, 1.30-7.30pm. RMB 120 for a half-hour lesson. B/F, Capital Gymnasium, 54 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District (6834 6346) www.centurystar.com.cn

Joy City
From hockey tournaments to post ice team window shopping, this shopping mall housed rink has a wide spectrum of options for visitors.

Open year round, Mon-Tue 10am-9.30pm, Wed-Thu 10am-10.45pm, Fri 10am-8.30pm, Sat 3-7.30pm, Sun 1-7.15pm. Mon-Fri anytime and any duration before 5pm RMB 60, after 5pm RMB 70. Weekends, RMB 80 for two hours. 7/F, Joy City Mall, Chaoyang North Road No. 101, Chaoyang District, Beijing 7F (8552 6871, 8552 6695) www.championrink.com/en-us/events/champion

Le Cool
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, Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm. Weekdays RMB 30 for 90 min (10am-6pm), RMB 40 for 90 min (6-10pm). Weekends: RMB 50 for 90 min. Skate rental included. B2/F, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6505 5776, lecool@cwtc.com) www.lecoolicerink.com

OUTDOOR

Dulwich
While many popular local skating venues are bustling hubs of activity, this outdoor rink will satisfy many foreigner's longing for the quieter ice of their hometowns. Indeed, Dulwich's rink is perfect for timid children looking to better their balance, along seasoned adults looking to skate in peace.

Open for the season from Nov 22. Weekends, 3:30pm-7pm (not open to the public on weekdays, opening time sometime change due to special events, call beforehand). RMB 50. Dulwich College Beijing, Legend Garden Villas, 89 Capital Airport Road, Shunyi District, Beijing (64549150) www.dulwich-beijing.cn

Houhai
Glide across the ice with hutong rooftops as your backdrop. Nothing else will ever give lifelong laowai skiers such a simultaneous taste of both home and abroad. 

Open to the season from Dec 20. 10am-dusk. Prices TBC. Qianhai, north side of Beihai Park, Xihai Beiyan, Xicheng District. (6612 5717)

Summer Palace
Like Houhai, this historic site will give your ice time a distinctively Chinese feel. Better still: the lake is huge, giving you plenty of room to attempt to make figure eights.

Qinglongqiao Jiedao, Haidian District (6288 1144). This season’s opening times and prices not available at press time (we suggest calling ahead). In years past it was open from Nov-Apr and priced at RMB 50.

This article originally appeared in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of the Beijinger, which you can read here via Issuu, via the PDF here, or in hard copy at all of your favorite venues across town.

Photos: Dulwich