Last week, we met up with friends at the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink. Bundled up in our hats, gloves, and scarves, we instantly felt in the holiday spirit when we heard the Christmas music and saw the twinkling lights!
My kids have NEVER ICE SKATED BEFORE and this was a great opportunity to try it out. When we started our session at 6:00, there were just a few skaters and so the kids were not nervous about getting out on the ice. By the time they were feeling comfortable, more skaters were twirling around the rink and there was a festive atmosphere!
My 3-year-old is pretty fearless and headed out on the ice on his own. He didn’t mind falling down and kept shouting, “Woohoo!”. It helped that he wore the double bladed skates (skate rental tent carries them in size eight) to make it easier. They also had orange cones the kids could push along for balance while they skated. My 5-year-old is very cautious and it took quite a bit of coaxing to get him moving. He hugged the wall almost the entire time but was proud of himself for not needing help. My 8-year-old sort of scooted around the rink with the biggest grin and kept asking if we could come back the very next day!
I was impressed with the ice rink staff member who was out on the ice with us. Any time my kids would fall down, she was swooping in to help pick them up! I had been so nervous about the possibility of 3 unhappy kids falling all over the place. Thank goodness it turned out to be enjoyable for all of them despite their different personalities and abilities. This was a fun experience that has definitely added to our Christmas memories and will now be a tradition for us!
The Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink is Sacramento’s original outdoor ice skating rink and reopens each holiday season. The rink is located at 7th and K Streets (across from DOCO’s east end) and is a short stroll from Old Sacramento and the State Capitol. It is open daily as weather permits. Go during the day if you like a less crowded rink or at night for more of a holiday atmosphere with the lights and people.
Parking:
DOCO East Garage – 7th & K Streets
City Hall Garage – 10th & I streets
Capitol Garage – 10th & L streets
You can also visit SacPark.org to find and reserve parking
