10 Outstanding Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Michigan

In the Great Lakes State, cold winter weather is ideal for the beloved and timeless seasonal activity of ice skating. Head to one of these popular outdoor ice rinks to test out your skills and enjoy the winter season.

A woman and a child ice skating outside in downtown Detroit
Ice skating in downtown Detroit | Photo Courtesy of Pure Michigan

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1. Campus Martius ParkDetroit

For a unique experience in downtown Detroit, visit The Rink at Campus Martius Park. The skating season begins with the official lighting of the Christmas tree in November and extends through mid-March! After skating, warm up with a hot chocolate in the Cadillac Square Lounge and take a peek in the boutique shops throughout the area.
 

2. Greenfield VillageDearborn

During the annual Holiday Nights, visitors can mingle around bonfires to the sounds of carolers and sleigh bells while they snack on warm food and drink, take a historical tour around the grounds or lace up some skates and hit the ice.
 

3. Buhr Park Outdoor Ice ArenaAnn Arbor

Buhr Park Ice Arena is an Ann Arbor winter staple that offers fun for the whole family! Stop by for open skating, drop-in hockey or rent the arena for a party. The rink is outside, but a covering and a cooled subfloor make this ice arena ideal even on slightly above freezing days.
 

4. University of Michigan-Flint Ice RinkFlint

This rink is not only an on-campus attraction, but also a festive and family-fun atmosphere. It is free to the public on Wednesday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
 

5. Valley Court ParkEast Lansing

The Valley Court ice rink is a pops up for a few weeks in February as a community outreach activity. The rink is free to the public, but you need to bring your own skates. When you’re done skating, a Biggby is located across the street welcoming you to warm up with a yummy hot drink!
 

6.  Rosa Parks CircleGrand Rapids

Concerts are held here on summer evenings, but in the winter ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle is the perfect holiday outing. Every year this public space is filled with skaters of all ages eager to enjoy the beauty and charm of downtown Grand Rapids.
 

7. Muskegon Winter Sports ComplexMuskegon

Pretend you’re an Olympic athlete at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex. With two acres of ice skating and an ice path through the woods, this complex has some of the best ice skating opportunities in West Michigan. The Winter Sports Complex is also outfitted with an ice luge, cross-country skiing paths, snowshoeing trails and a sledding hill. Welcome to a true winter wonderland.
 

8. Petoskey Winter Sports ParkPetoskey Area

For over 80 years, the Petoskey Winter Sports Park has been the hot spot for winter family fun. With a skating rink the size of a football field, the Winter Sports Park has one of the largest rinks in Michigan. Featuring a ski hill, sledding, two ice rinks, and a warming building, the Petoskey Winter Sports Park is like a throwback to a Norman Rockwell painting.
 

9. Marquette CommonsMarquette

Bundle up and grab your skates for an afternoon of free family fun. Marquette can be extremely cold in the winter, but that doesn’t stop everyone from getting outside to have some fun. After spending plenty of time twirling on the ice, head to the warming hut for a break. Marquette Commons hosts ice skating Thursdays through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
 

10. Moran BaySt. Ignace

It’s not every day that you get to skate on one of the Great Lakes! Skating on Moran Bay in Lake Huron is a true Pure Michigan experience. During the winter, little league hockey teams use the ice as a practice rink and the bay is free for the public to use. If you end up in St. Ignace during February, be sure to check out the Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey Championships.