Winter Lodge

3009 Middlefield Rd./Oregon Expressway, (650) 493-4566; . Daily 3pm-5pm, other session times vary; closed May-Sept. $17, skate rental $5 (advance ticket purchase required).

child skating on ice at Winter Lodge ice skating rink in Palo Alto, California

An outdoor ice skating rink in Palo Alto? Yes indeed! But the Winter Lodge is located in a nicely manicured residential section of town--not on a frozen lake. Still, it is removed from traffic and surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees, and it’s the only permanent outdoor rink west of the Sierra. Actually, it isn’t all outdoors. Part of the rink is under an overhang that protects the ice when it rains.

Designed for families and children, the rink measures about two-thirds the size of an average indoor rink, making it too small for competitive skating. Open from October through April, the rink is the perfect destination for fall, winter, and spring outings and for a holiday adventure. Daytime hours welcome all ages, while adults-only skating is scheduled some evenings. Livening things up, sometimes soap imitates snow falling from the sky.

Benches, fire pits, and picnic tables provide spots around the rink for warming up and resting, and several vending machines dispense hot chocolate and snacks. Strings of lights add to the atmosphere. Skating lessons and themed skating sessions are scheduled.

Note that the rink is set back from the main road, behind a large building holding a yoga studio. Tall evergreen trees give it a mountain-lodge feel. Also, the lodge leases out a space in the back to an athletic club featuring a swimming pool and tennis courts.