All Over Albany

Albany County Hockey Facility

830 Albany Shaker Rd Colonie, NY 12211
phone: (518) 452-7396 | website: http://www.albanycounty.com/hockey/

The rink is located right next to ALB. It's open 10 1/2 months a year. Check the monthly calendar for hours. There's open skate, open hockey, stick and puck, and adult skate (anyone over age 30).

Public skate: $4 / seniors $3 / children under $2 / skate rentals for $3.

Check the schedule for the prices of other sessions. Open hockey sessions require full equipment. And Goalies skate free during hockey sessions.

There are also camps and training schools, call 452-7396 for more information.

Albany: Buckingham Pond

Colonial Ave and Berkshire Blvd Albany, NY 12208
| website: https://www.facebook.com/BuckinghamPond/

It's a large pond (lake) in uptown Albany (between Western Ave and New Scotland Ave. So skating is always going to be subject conditions and weather.

The city periodically checks the ice on Buckingham Pond to see if it's safe to skate -- and DGS even clear snow from the ice now and then (as do people from the neighborhood). As long as there is no sign prohibiting it, the pond is open for skating. Skating after dark is not permitted.

The pond often gets busy on the weekends with families skating and pick-up hockey games. Keep an eye on the Buckingham Pond Conservancy Facebook page for events -- sometimes it organizes skating parties.

Albany: Swinburne Ice Rink

810 Clinton Ave Albany, NY 12206
phone: (518) 438-2406 | website: http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/Recreation/SwinburneSkatingRink.aspx

The city of Albany's Swinburne Ice Rink is an outdoor rink covered by a pavilion in Swinburne Park, which is at Clinton Ave and Manning Boulevard. It's open in the afternoons and evenings through March (check the schedule at the link).

Public skate is $1 for adults/ $0.50 for kids under 18. Skate rental is $3. It's $5 for sharpening.

The rink also hosts learn-to-skate, learn-hockey, and stick-and-puck sessions.

Albany: Washington Park Lake

Washington Park Albany, NY 12203

Outdoor skating on the lake in Albany's Washington Park (near intersection of Madison Ave and New Scotland Ave). It's ice and weather permitting. The city clears a section of the lake at Washington Park and checks the ice to make sure it's safe for skating. Look for the signs.

It's skate at your own risk. And despite the lights in the park, skating is only allowed until sundown.

Ballston Spa recreation fields

61 Eastern Ave Ballston Spa, NY 12020

There's an outdoor rink at the Ballston Spa recreation fields between Eastern Ave and Hyde Boulevard (the rink is toward the Eastern Ave side). The village department of public works makes the ice, and the rink and concessions are staffed by volunteers. There's also a warming hut.

It's free to skate. Hours are Thursdays and Friday 4-7 pm, Saturday 10 am-7 pm, and Sunday noon-6 pm.

Keep an eye on the Ballston Area Recreation Commission Facebook page for updates.

Bethlehem YMCA Ice Skating Rink

900 Delaware Ave Bethlehem, NY 12054
phone: (518) 439-4394 | website: http://cdymca.org/locations/bethlehem-ymca/ice-rink/

The facility has a regulation NHL-size rink is home to many different teams and clubs. It's to the public open until the end of March, and non-members are allowed to skate there. The rink offers open skate, open hockey (equipment required, no-contact games), and stick and puck. Check the schedule for times and prices.

The rink also hosts learn-to-skate classes for kids and adults.

Open skate for non-members: $5 for adults / $4 for students/ $3 for 5 and under. Rentals are $2.

Bethlehem: Elm Avenue Park Rink

261 Elm Avenue Delmar, NY 12054
phone: (518) 439-4955 x3 | website: http://www.townofbethlehem.org/261/Winter-Activities

Elm Avenue Park is located where Elm Ave switches over to Route 32 at the Delmar Bypass. "The ice skating rink is open daily for general skating when the ice is 4 inches thick with a good surface." Flags indicate when rink is open. Green flag = open, red flag = closed. A portion of the rink will be set aside for hockey. And there's a warming hut. It's free to skate.

Call 439-4955, option 3 for current conditions and updates.

Hours: 10 am-8 pm Sunday-Thursday; 10 am-10 pm Friday & Saturday and during school vacations.

Clifton Park Ice Arena

16 Clifton Common Blvd Clifton Park, NY 12065
phone: (518) 383-5440 ext 15 | website: http://www.cliftonparkarena.com/public_skating.html

The Clifton Park Ice Arena is at Clifton Common, off Vischer Ferry Road. It often offers public skating on the weekends, and during school breaks. Check the schedule at the website.

Public skate is $5 / kids (6 and under) $3 / skate rental $3. (No credit cards.)

The arena also has learn-to-skate classes for all ages. And there are stick-and-puck sessions Friday evenings.

Cohoes: Van Schaick Pond

Van Schaick Ave and Continental Ave Cohoes, NY 12047
phone: (518) 233-2116

It's outdoor pond skating, so it's ice/weather permitting and skate at your own risk. Contact Cohoes Recreation Department for more information at 233-2116. (The RPI hockey team has practiced here for fun in the past.)

Colonie Golf Course

418 Consaul Rd Colonie, NY 12304
phone: 518-374-4181 | website: https://www.colonie.org/departments/parksandrec/golfcourse/

The town of Colonie's golf course on Consaul Road sets up an outdoor rink for skating, and crews clear the ice of snow. (Call for conditions: 518-374-4181.)

The rink is open seven days week from 9 am-5 pm and it's free to skate.

Empire State Plaza Ice Rink

Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12210
| website: https://winter.empirestateplaza.org/

The Empire State Plaza rink is located The Egg, toward the State State side of the plaza.

The outdoor rink is open every day from 11 am-8 pm (weather permitting), with a break from 3-4 pm each day for maintenance. Be sure to check before heading out because if it's been warm or rainy, the rink might be closed.

Skate rental: $4 for adults / $3 for 12 and under / free on Fridays. Skate rental is available whenever the rink is open.

There's a snack bar open Friday nights and weekends. The skate lounge with lockers for personal items on the plaza level.

The rink also hosts a variety of learn-to-skate and try hockey programs that fill up quickly. Check the schedule for pre-registration.

Glenville: Indian Meadows Park

155 Droms Road Scotia, NY 12302
phone: (518) 688-1200 | website: http://www.townofglenville.org/Public_Documents/GlenvilleNY_parks/index

Indian Meadows Park -- a town of Glenville park just off Droms Road -- has three outdoor rinks that are open from dawn until 9 pm. The town grooms the ice as conditions allow. And there's a warming hut open subject to staff availability.

Grafton Lakes State Park Long Pond

100 Grafton Lakes State Park Way Grafton, NY 12052
phone: (518) 279-1155 | website: http://nysparks.com/parks/53/details.aspx

The park no longer clears snow from the pond for skating as it once did, so skating on the pond is contingent on conditions. (We hear you're welcome to bring a shovel and clear space, though.)

In recent years, the park has worked to set up a rink in a section of its parking lot. This season (January 2018) it's trying to have that ready for the annual Winterfest on January 27.

Call the park office before heading out (518-279-1155).

HVCC Conway Ice Rink

80 Vandenburgh Avenue Troy, NY 12180
phone: (518) 629-4850 | website: https://www.hvcc.edu/facilities/ice.html

The Conway Ice Rink at Hudson Valley Community College is open through March 11, 2018 (it opened for the season at the end of October).

It offers public skating Monday-Friday from noon-2 pm, and weekends from 4-6:15 pm. If classes are canceled, public skating is closed.

Skating is $3 adults / $2 kids and seniors / free for HVCC students (with ID). Skate rental is $3. Skate sharpening is $5.

Saratoga Spa State Park

19 Roosevelt Drive Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
phone: (518) 584-2000 | website: http://nysparks.com/parks/saratogaspa/details.aspx

Saratoga Spa State Park has two outdoor rinks. The one just off the Avenue of Pines is used for hockey. It has a warming hut and there a couple of lights so you can play as long as you can see the puck. The other rink is smaller and there's no hockey allowed. It's farther into the park, near the Victoria Pool. No lights here, but you can skate for free all day.

Be sure to call the park office (518-584-2000) and/or check its Facebook page before heading out.

Saratoga Springs Ice Rinks

30 Weibel Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
| website: http://www.saratoga-springs.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Saratoga-Springs-Ice-Rinks-23

Saratoga Springs has two rinks. The Weibel Avenue Ice Rink (Olympic size) is open July-March and Vernon Arena (NHL size) open September-March. The rinks offer a wide range of open skates, family skates, hockey, figure skating, kids programs. The price varies based on whether you're a city resident or not (only by a buck or two). Check the posted schedule for times and prices.

Open skating is $4 adults / $3 for kids and seniors (city residents) -- add a dollar for non-city residents. Skate rentals and sharpening are $4.

Schenectady County Recreational Facility

5 Tower Road Scotia, NY 12302
phone: (518) 384-2445 | website: http://www.schenectadycounty.com/FullStory.aspx?m=189&amid=728

The Schenectady County Recreational Facility is an indoor rink adjacent to the Schenectady County Airport in Glenville. It offers public skate, open hockey, open figure skating, and other sessions multiple times a week. Check the website for schedules.

For public skate: admission $4 / kids (5 and under) $2 / seniors $2. Skate rental is $3.

Schenectady: Iroquois Lake in Central Park

Iroquois Way Schenectady, NY 12309

People have been skating at Iroquois Lake in Schenectady's Central Park for decades.

So far this season the red flag has been up, though, which indicates skating has not been officially allowed. (As of January 18, 2018)

Schodack Island State Park

1 Schodack Way Schodack Landing, NY 12156
phone: (518) 732-0187 | website: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/146/

Schodack Island State Park -- along Hudson River in Schodack -- floods one of its fields to create a large ice rink. You can skate 7 am-5 pm every day -- weather and conditions permitting. It also has Friday night skating from 5-8 pm.

Troy: Knickerbacker Ice Arena

103rd St. and 8th Avenue Troy, NY 12180
phone: (518) 235-7761 | website: http://www.troyny.gov/departments/parks-recreation/ice-arena/

Troy's Knickerbacker Ice Arena is an indoor rink at Knickerbacker Park on 103rd Street. The rink has public skate and stick-and-puck sessions throughout the week -- check the schedule for times.

Public skate is $5 / skate rental is $3.

Union College Messa Rink

Alexander Ln Schenectady, NY 12308
phone: (518) 388-6134 | website: http://unionathletics.com/sports/2005/12/13/Messa_Rink_Schedule_of_Events.aspx?id=493

Messa Rink the ice arena at Union College. It offers public skate Sundays 2-3:45 pm and figure skating sessions on Saturdays from 6:15 am-7:45 am. (Be sure to check the schedule for any changes before heading out.)

There are also learn-to-skate and learn-to-play-hockey programs.

Public skate is $3 / students, faculty, staff free / spouses and children of faculty and staff $2. Skate rental is $3.

Wilton: Gavin Park

10 Lewis Rd Wilton, NY 12866
| website: https://www.facebook.com/gavinparkwilton

The town of Wilton's Gavin Park has an outdoor ice rink. It's free to skate, conditions and weather permitting (check the park's Facebook page). And bathrooms are available.

No hockey or stick-and-puck is allowed.

The rink is open Monday-Saturday noon-8 pm, and Sunday noon-6 pm.