The Best Places to Take Kids Winter Ice-Skating in Sydney

Ice-skating is the perfect opportunity for families to bond in a fun way. There's no doubt that winter sports have become increasingly popular in Sydney, so make 2019 the year you jump on the ice-skating bandwagon (if you haven't already!). Sydney-siders are lucky enough to have some awesome, state-of-the-art rinks dotted around the place – some only available during winter. Here are our top picks:

1. Winterfest Luna Park 

Get ready to skate the winter break away at Winterfest, back by popular demand at Luna Park Sydney. An Unlimited Rides Pass gives you ice rink access and, if you're there on a Friday or Saturday evening, check out the Phantasos 3,000 individual LED light display, transforming the famous Luna Park Ferris wheel into a giant dreamcatcher! 

2. Parramatta Winterlight

It's only a pop-up but this ice rink is a slice above the rest! As part of the big winter festivity in Paramatta, there isn't just ice-skating, there's also your chance to take a ride on Sydney’s only ice slide, made entirely of ice! At 28 metres long, a toboggan down this elevated slide will get your heart racing. Plus there are lots of entertainment, food and warming drinks for the grown-ups! On from July 5-21, 2019. Check out the website.

3. Macquarie Ice Rink

Macquarie Ice Rink is open year-round at Macquarie Shopping Centre and runs social ice-skating, school holiday learn-to-skate programs, birthday parties, bubble soccer, ice hockey, ice dancing, night sessions, discos, and Kiddies Club, which runs in conjunction with Coffee Club. It received a multi-million dollar facelift in recent years and welcomed a 15m² LED screen allowing music videos to play while you skate, as well as state-of-the-art ice maintenance machinery. Visit the website.

4. Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink 

Open year-round, Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink proudly offers it all: kids' birthdays, figure skating, ice hockey, speed skating, synchronised skating, disco nights, school holiday lessons, group lessons, private lessons, and an awesome playground for under 5s, where tots can learn to skate as well as play games both on and off the ice. The coaches are great and the skate school is super successful. 
Visit the website.

5. Skating At Festival 

This pop-up in the heart of the city is super popular and makes for a magical ice-skating experience with the backdrop of St Mary's Cathedral. If you stretch your imagination just enough you can pretend you're in Europe, living your best life. From June 28 to July 21, St Mary's Cathedral forecourt becomes a winter wonderland complete with ice slide and winter-warming gourmet delights such as German sausages and mulled wine. Entry to the area is free, you just have to pay to skate (kids $21, adults $28). Book tickets on the website.

6. Penrith Ice Palace

Penrith Ice Palace offers general public skating sessions, figure skating clubs and lessons, children’s birthday parties, synchronised figure skating, broomball, hockey development, learn-to-skate programs and a Coffee Club running during school term. The Palace boasts modern facilities with a 30×60m Olympic-sized rink! It’s a fun way to get active and out of the house during winter... just remember to wear warm clothes! Visit the website.

7. Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink

Head to Liverpool Catholic Club to learn from award-winning coaches in a safe and fun environment. They offer rink birthday parties, lessons for all ages and abilities, three playgroup sessions a week for 2-6-year-olds with lessons, games and snow play, after-school sessions, ice discos, and Whiteout Saturday nights for some snowy fun. Visit the website.

8. Bondi Winter Magic

The only Sydney ice rink by the beach, this one is loved by young and old and everyone in between. There are 9am lessons for newbies available before the rink opens to the general public at 10am, and there's also weekend evening entertainment from the Stars On Ice champions and ice hockey performers. Dates in June 2019 to be confirmed.

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