The Top 7 Places for Free Ice Skating in Boston

Want to ice skate for free in Boston but don’t know where to go? Check out this post for the top 7 places for free ice skating in Boston.

As someone who just learned how to ice skate with the Learn to Skate program, I’ve been nothing but passionate about sharing what I know about ice skating too. For instance, even though ice skating is a sport, I now know that there are different subcategories under it like figure-skating, speed skating and ice hockey.

In addition, as a Boston resident, I also know that finding a place to skate isn’t cheap. In fact, there are some rinks out there that have the audacity to charge $10 for admission.

Like seriously…

Why pay that when there are plenty of rinks around Boston where you can ice skate for free!!!

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time in Boston, you’ve come to the right place. This post has the top 7 places in Boston where you can ice skate for free.

New England Bucket List Series

P.S. This is a post in my New England Bucket List Series. Here is the complete series:

Road Trips: 30 Best Road Trips From Boston

Ice Skating: The Top 7 Places for Free Ice Skating in Boston

Hiking: 20 Best Hikes for Fall Foliage in New England

Fall Foliage: 12 Best Places for Fall Foliage in Boston

Thrift Stores: The 7 Best Thrift Stores in Boston for Vintage

Salem: One Day in Salem Massachusetts: Hocus Pocus Edition

Museums: The Top 8 Free Museums in Boston for College Students

Free Ice Skating in Boston Map

Please feel free to add this map to your Google Maps account for future reference. You can do this by clicking on the star icon next to the map name so that you can view it on your phone or on a computer.

Free Ice Skating in Boston Equipment

Here is some equipment you might need to do some free ice skating in Boston!

Steriti Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Steriti Memorial Rink is a great place for free ice skating in Boston. I went to this rink a lot whenever I was in the city and the admission was always free. In fact, I used to come to the rink really early during the daytime hours which led to me practically having the whole rink to myself.

Isn’t that every skater’s dream!!

Rentals at this rink are also available for $5 or you can bring your own skates like me. Furthermore, if you don’t know how to skate, don’t fret! They have crates available in the facility that you can use for balance as you skate.

Besides everything else, this rink is also located in the North End. With that mind, feel free to skate here for as long as it is allowed and then get some Italian food on the lovely Hanover Street.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Steriti Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it. You can get a bite to eat there in between skating as well as some hot chocolate too.

Kelly Outdoor Skating Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Kelly Outdoor Skating Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston! Located in Jamaica Plain, the rink is a great place to go to if you live near Mission Hill. The admission there is always free and you can also rent some skates there for as little as $3.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at the Kelly Outdoor Skating Rink, I highly recommend it. The rink however, is situated by the Stony Brook T Station so it can be noisy to skate there at times.

Therefore, with that mind, please make sure to bring headphones or AirPods as you skate. They can help cancel out the outside noise so that you can focus on the ice, your skates and your technique.

Devine Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Devine Memorial Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston. Located in Dorchester, the rink is a great place to go if you live on the Red Line or in the neighborhood. The admission there also is always free and you can rent skates there if you don’t have those either.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Devine Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it. The only thing that’s important to note about this rink is that they don’t provide any objects for new skaters to hold on to as they skate.

So, please keep that mind if you’re a beginner. However, if you’ve mastered balancing on two skates on the ice, then you have nothing to worry about.

Emmons Horrigan O’Neil Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Emmons Horrigan O’Neil Memorial Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston. Located in Charlestown, it’s a great rink for students who go to Bunker Hill Community College or live in the area. The admission there will always be free of course and you can rent skates there as well.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Emmons Horrigan O’Neil Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it.

The only thing I would take some precaution towards is the parking. I’ve seen some not so great reviews about it online so if you can rideshare or take public transportation there, you won’t regret it.

Murphy Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Murphy Memorial Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston. Located in South Boston, it’s the perfect rink to go to if you live closer to City Point or E Broadway. The admission there, in addition, will always be free and they have a handful of food items on the menu ready to eat.

The food items served at the rink include but are not limited to Handcrafted Links, Smashers, and Toppers. Handcrafted Links are hot dogs or sausages with no added preservatives. Smashers are burgers and toppers are any kind of topping you would like to add on top of a hot dog, sausage or burger.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Murphy Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it. The food is great and you can head to Castle Island if you have the free time.

Bajko Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Bajko Memorial Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston! Located in Hyde Park, this rink is the perfect place to go to if you live in Roslindale or West Roxbury. The admission there for public skating is also always free and there’s a lot of great parking space.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Bajko Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it. You shouldn’t have to worry about a parking space if you’re driving there and they have cartons that beginner skaters can push for balance.

The only thing that’s important to note about this rink is the fact that they don’t offer any skate rentals. So, if you don’t own your own pair of skates, then it’s best to go to another rink.

Reilly Memorial Rink (free ice skating in boston)

Reilly Memorial Rink is another great place for free ice skating in Boston! Located in Brighton, the rink is the perfect place to go to if you live near Chestnut Hill or Boston College. The admission there, in addition, is also always free and you can rent skates there for $7.

So, if you’re planning to ice skate for free for the first time at Reilly Memorial Rink, I highly recommend it. The only important thing to take note of about this rink is the parking. Most of it is on the street.

Therefore, if you’re not skilled in parallel parking, I highly recommend taking public transportation there or a rideshare. Either way, you won’t regret it.

Free Ice Skating in Boston FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions you might have about free ice skating in Boston!

via GIPHY

What age is too late to start ice skating?

No age is too late to start ice skating. Adults are welcome to learn how to skate by joining a Learn to Skate program.

Can you skate at the Boston Public Garden?

You can skate at the Frog Pond in the Boston Common which is managed by The Skating Club of Boston. Admission is $8 for adults and $15 for adult skate rentals.

Do you wear socks while ice skating?

Yes, everyone should wear socks while ice skating since they will keep your feet dry, warm, and comfortable in your skates.

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Overall, I really hope you enjoyed this post on the top 7 places for free ice skating in Boston! Please let me know in the comments down below which place you would like to visit the most! I would love to hear from you.

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