Where to go Ice Skating in Toronto

The best outdoor ice skating rinks in Toronto for all ages and abilities

Estimated reading time: 17 minutes

Updated for 2025/2026 season

Toronto is a winter city. We are blanketed in snow for a third of the year, at least. It gets freezing cold here. Which makes ice skating one of the best things to do in Toronto in winter to keep warm and have fun.

Lacing up and hitting the ice at one of the many outdoor ice skating rinks in Toronto is easy and low cost. Rinks are free, with reasonable rates for skate rentals (usually around $10/$15 for adults.)

There are more than 50 outdoor rinks run by the city for free in all neighbourhoods including the iconic skating at Nathan Philiips Square, plus private rinks rinks with special DJ nights or other fun themes. These generally run between late November to early March.

Where to go ice skating in Toronto depends on the vibe you’re after. Romantic setting? Raising your heart rate? A safe place to practise on your Bambi legs? I’ve skated all over the city’s downtown areas and this post will give you my honest takes on the different outdoor skating rinks in Toronto so you can find the best one for you!

What to Bring Skating in Toronto

Most romantic rink: Nathan Phillips Square

Best Party: Skating at Harbourfront

Skating at the Bentway

Best West End skate: Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Skating at College Park

Skating at Evergreen Brickworks

Skating at The Well

Skating at Canada’s Wonderland

Best for locals: Your neighbourhood rink

Skating on Grenadier Pond in High Park

Wild Skating on Toronto Island

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Know Before You Go: What to Bring Skating in Toronto

Your own skates. You don’t need them—rentals are widely available. But if you can afford it and think you’ll do this more than once, ditch the rental line-up scene and purchase a pair, new or used. There’s such freedom in looking outside on a snowy day, thinking “I’d like to skate right now,” and being able to grab and go. Think of it as the difference between a City Bike rental and your own bike. Oh, and it’s the only way to get out on a lake or other unofficial rink, or take an after-hours night skate.

Warm clothes. But not too warm. As with skiing or other winter sports you will heat up once moving. When it’s below zero you’ll want hat and gloves and maybe some handwarmers. Do not wear thick socks though! Your feet will get sweaty and then wet. (I like to wear just tights and then put my socks in my pockets to keep warm for when I change back into my boots.)

Acceptance that you will fall down. As long as you don’t crash into a kid you’re fine. Brush the ice off of your butt and keep going.

Best places for outdoor skating in Toronto

Most romantic rink: Nathan Phillips Square

10am to 10pm daily. Rentals available, bring government ID if you want to rent.

❤️ Recommended for: Date nights and wowing out-of-town guests.

The City Hall skating rink is the quintessential Toronto experience. You get views of our landmark Star Trek-approved towers, the Instagram-famous Toronto sign, and, through the holiday season, a giant Christmas tree and many pretty lights, all smack in the city centre accessible by public transit.

The rink itself is a large oval surface with its own Zamboni, so it’s generally in great condition. It’s great for visitors because you can rent skate but also helmets, hats and mitts. They have skate sharpening (only for hockey skates though, a big booo from me), a change room, washrooms, and hot chocolate nearby. If you’re lucky you might catch a few advanced figuring skaters practising their spins in the centre. It’s big enough to accommodate all and is especially lovely at night.

Hotel Tip: The Sheraton Hotel is right across the street and you can book rooms that face City Hall. Great for watching the skaters and also the most convenient place to stay in Toronto if you want to skate.

Best Party: Skating at Harboufront

10am to 10pm daily. Rentals available. Free rentals on Saturdays!

🪩 Recommended for: An alternative to clubbing on Saturday night

It’s BACK! The coolest outdoor ice skating rink in Toronto returns bigger and better after a renovation. Locals love skating at Harbourfront for the sweeping lake views and the bustling Saturday night skate parties with the city’s top DJs. Dress extra warmly as Lake Ontario breezes are no joke! Skate rentals available and on Saturdays they are free! Helmets, skating aids, hats and gloves also available. Note this rink is open on New Year’s Eve, but it’s close to the city’s main fireworks celebration and will be bonkers busy.

New for 2025: A specially-designed ice sled is available for wheelchair users. And a Christmas Market for December brings the magic.

Hotel tip: Radisson Blu is steps from the Harbourfront skating rink with lake Ontario views.

Ice skating at The Bentway

December 20 Jan 4: Open daily Noon to 9pm. Jan 4 to Feb 15: Weekdays 5pm to 9pm, Weekends Noon to 9pm. Rentals available…sort of.

“Skate under the Gardiner” is intriguing, right? The Bentway skate trail a fantastic use of an otherwise empty urban space near Fort York, with a 220-metre figure-8 style loop with straightaways that are long enough to get some speed going when it’s not too busy but also very beginner friendly.

Things I love about this rink: Bentway usually has music, rentals, hot chocolate for sale, etc. And there’s nothing preventing you from skating this rink outside their operating times as it’s fully outdoors without barriers. They also host a Polar Bear skate which is pretty fun.

Things you should know that aren’t very fun: They have a shorter operating season that the City rinks – fewer days, and shorter hours. They have a weird rental policy – no rentals available after the holiday season Monday to Wednesdays. Except for school holiday dates. Like, you have to really check to make sure before you go. Same for skate sharpening: which you have to pre-book now. They charge per hour, which makes this double what you pay elsewhere in the city. There are free rentals on Thursday evenings…but only after the holiday season is over.

Frankly, the worst thing about skating at the Bentway is that the rentals are now cashless. Only debit and credit cards accepted. This is really contrary to what a public service designed for everyone in the city, including low-income people, should be about. (I learned about this while watching a mom scramble with her two kids finding that out at the kiosk.)

This used to be my favourite outdoor ice rink in Toronto but for some reason they’ve really complicated things. See the FAQ if you’re still interested.

Best West End skate: Colonel Samuel Smith Park

10am to 9:30pm. No rentals.

🌲 Recommended for: People who like nature more than crowds. Kiddos.

This figure 8-shaped skating trail in Toronto is a West End favourite because skating amongst the trees near the lake makes you feel like you’ve left the city. It’s quite popular with families, so expect many little people to swerve around. (And lots of hot dads, just saying.) They have different hours for supervised and unsupervised so check Colonel Samuel Smith Park Skating Trail website for the schedules. New for 2025: They’ve added an LGBTQ+ friendly timeslot on some Thursday evenings.

From downtown, best accessed with a car (free parking lot) although the Queen 501 streetcar will get you there eventually.

Skating at College Park

10am to 10pm. No rentals.

The official name of this rink is the Barbara Ann Scott Ice Trail. (Scott was an Olympic champion from the 1940s known as “Canada’s Sweetheart.”)

Located just south of College and Yonge, this rink is a quiet downtown alternative to Nathan Phillips Square, with pretty trees and washrooms not too far away inside College Park. Enter from either Yonge or Bay streets.

Best Skating Lessons in Toronto: Evergreen Brickworks

Open 10am to 5pm during the holidays, and 1pm to 5pm on weekends only in January. Check their website to be sure.

This popular East End farmer’s market has a small skating trail that is indoor/outdoor. Skating is free, with affordable rentals available. Head there on a Sunday and also enjoy the farmers and artisan’s market.

You can sign up for lessons (child or adult) in January and February. They offer parent+child sessions, private sesions, and single-sessions for adults who already have basic skills. This is great because most skating lessons in the city are more extensive and expensive. Details here.

Skating at The Well

Open 4pm to 8pm Wed to Friday, 11am to 10pm Saturdays and 11am to 7pm Sundays. Closed December 25 and January 1. Rentals available.

Downtown Toronto’s upscale mall The Well at Spadina and Wellington offers a small but lovely ice rink in December and January. If you live near King Street West this is a great place to show off your winter aesthetic on a cute date (or check out your fit neighbours if you are single). Also cashless for the rentals but if you’re coming here that’s probably your normal anyway. Details on the “Volvo Wintersafe Ice Rink” here.

Skating at Canada’s Wonderland

Only to January 3. Must reserve in advance. 3pm to 9pm slots.

The fanciest (and most expensive) ice skating in Toronto is at Canada’s Wonderland’s Winterfest. On top of admission, you can reserve a 30-minute slot at their “Snow Flake Lake” in front of the Wonder Mountain surrounded by twinkling trees and light projections. It looks very pretty. Not free if you have your own skates, but you do get a $5 discount. All skaters must sign a waiver. Must make an advance reservations here.

Best for locals: Your neighbourhood rink

Open 24/7, weather dependent.

Most neighbourhoods in Toronto have a small ice rink created by local dads for hockey games in the local park. All skaters can enjoy these when they are not playing. The surface may be rough. You may have to shovel off the snow first. But it’s a great way to bond with your neighbours. Keep your eyes open and ask around!

Skating on Grenadier Pond in High Park

Generally not safe until late January/February

OK so skating is not technically allowed here. But skating in High Park is a community tradition, with locals volunteering to clear the snow and check the ice for safety. If you happen to be here when conditions are right and someone has made a rink, you’ll want to have those skates because it’s a real Toronto winter experience.

Skating on Toronto Island

Generally not safe until late January/February

Another natural space you can skate at your own risk if conditions are right. Taking the ferry over to the Toronto Island in the off season always feels like a real adventure, even more so in deep winter. On a crisp freezing February day, you can find Island residents and intrepid mainlanders skating there, with gorgeous city views and zero crowds. I don’t recommend this for beginner skaters or solo activity. I do recommend talking to a local before stepping out onto any ice to get intel on conditions and taking proper safety precautions.

Read more about the wonderful Toronto Islands here.

Final tip for ice skating in Toronto: Beware the synthetic rink! Any rinks which are not operated by the city, or on a body of water, may not be actual ice. (Like if one pops up on a rooftop.) Owners will tout it’s just like ice but it’s definitely not.

Also don’t make the same mistake I did: always check the City’s skating rinks page before heading out to confirm the rink you want is actually open. They can close due to weather or equipment issues.

Happy skating and read more things to do in Toronto here.