Looking for a fun family activity over the holiday break? If you haven't taken the kiddos ice skating, add it to your to-do list. Unless you're a transplanted Northerner (I still prefer to think that hailing from Louisville makes me a Southerner), ice skating probably isn't a part of your weekly—heck, make that yearly—schedule, but it is great exercise, a fun way to celebrate winter, and it will surely provide lots of laughs.
Think outdoor holiday ice skating is just for lucky New York tourists at Rockefeller Center? Not this year. Fourth Street Live and Light Up Louisville opened their first-ever outdoor ice skating rink this year, and even though it's synthetic ice, you'll feel like a character in a movie as you glide around downtown Louisville amidst the giant Christmas tree and the synchronized light shows that begin at 6:00 pm. (And, by the way, at $5/hour for adults and $3/hour for children plus $2 skate rental, your Louisville experience will be much cheaper than your Rockefeller Center experience. Duh.) The rink will be open until Christmas Eve; Monday-Thursday 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:30 am to midnight, and Sunday from 11:30 am to 8:00 pm.
Alpine Ice Arena on Gardiner Lane was the go-to indoor rink in Louisville for decades; it's still in full swing and will provide your family a great experience. Admission is $6 per adult, $5 for children six and under, and skate rental is $3. Directions, schedule and printable coupons are available at www.alpineicearena.com.
If you're in the East End, Iceland Sports Complex at 1701 UPS Drive might be a better fit. Public skating sessions are Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and a full calendar can be viewed at icelandlouisville.com. Admission is $6. Figure skate rental is $2 and hockey skate rental is $3.
And head over to the Jeffersonville (IN) Outdoor Ice Rink on December 27 from 6:00-7:30 pm for perhaps the greatest deal on ice. LouisvilleFamilyFun is celebrating its third birthday by throwing an ice skating party for the community while giving back to the community. Admission AND skate rental is $1 per person, and 100% goes directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. Cupcakes, prizes, and freebies will also be available, but rink capacity caps at 200, so get there early. Visit LouisvilleFamilyFun.net for more information and a $3 off coupon.
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