Beat the Winter Blues and Get Some Exercise Too!!

When you've come down off the high of the Giants' Superbowl XLVI win, you may look around and find your Sundays impossibly boring and cold. Why not explore one of the city's most beloved winter pastimes -- ice skating! Did you know that there is at least one outdoor skating rink in every borough, except The Bronx, for some reason... and that's just counting the "NYC Parks and Recreation" rinks?

Find the rink closest to you here, and make sure to follow the links for "more information" to see individual rinks' hours, pricing and exact locations. Many rinks also offer both beginner and figure skating lessons for children and adults.

A figure skater performs at Rockefeller Center

Some tips:
If you own your own ice skates, you can skate for FREE at Citi Pond at Bryant Park.

Wollman Rink at the Southern end of Central Park may remind you of a fair number of movies, with its picture perfect setting among the city's skyscrapers, but for a less crowded (and cheaper!) skating experience, head up to 110st Street & Lenox, to the Park's lesser-known rink, Lasker Ice Skating Rink.

The Meatpacking District's famed Standard Hotel is now operating an ice skating rink, for the second winter in a row. Like Bryant Park, you can skate free if you bring your own. I really like the atmosphere around this rink. It's not very touristy, and there is a cute little (outdoor) lounge area where you can enjoy "Aprés Skate" drinks such as real hot chocolate made with melted chocolate before your very eyes (expensive, but worth a try), as well as hot cider and select adult beverages.

If you happen to live in the Stuyvesant Town or Peter Cooper Village rental communities, new for the 2011-2012 season, you and your guests now have access to your own private outdoor rink located at Stuyvesant Oval.