Ice Rink at the Square

Definitely fun activity for family and friends, but do yourself a favor a bring thick socks and tie your skates tightly. Bring your own skates if you have them. You can get a little locker for your shoes for free by asking at the same place you get your rental skates. Only issue is that it is crowded (I went around dinner time saturday night) and the rink is on the small size.

Well managed family friendly ice rink where you can rent skates and have fun for 2 hours for about $ 12.
Staff is friendly and there are enough of them so that you won’t be in line for 3 hours.
If you’re the limo driver and not ice skating, there are a number of shops and places to sit and wait. Rockville’s large branch library is on 1 side, with free bathrooms. There are a number of clothing shops and eateries. And a small market.
There’s street parking and several garages. The local merchants do validate 2 hours so if you’ve timed it well, it will be free to park.

«Let’s meet at the Ice Rink in Rockville Town Center», my friend JB texted to me. «We can do a little skating to make little BB happy, and then we can get coffee at Starbucks and gossip our little hearts out». They were magical words, and before I knew it, I threw on a scarf and booked over to the Ice Rink.
Sometime around when I got the skates, it dawned on me… it’s been nearly a lifetime ago since I last skated… and we were going to skate with a little 6yr girl. Was BB ready to hear me curse in 4 languages as I fall on my ass? Was she prepared to see a grown woman face plant in front of her? Was she mature enough to deal with watching EMS try to give me the breath of life?
OK, none of that happened… which was a miracle. The rink was actually really cool. It’s small enough that I can do a lap in under 10 minutes (a very awkward and slowly moving 10 minutes), yet large enough that it didn’t feel crowded. The rental skates didn’t stink too badly, and I liked that there were lockers for us to put our purses and shoes. Excellent!
Little BB had fun (and bumped into one of her little school friends), while JB and I skated around and gossiped and gossiped. Heh. AND because it was outdoors, I felt like I got some «fresh air» which everyone tells me is good for me (I would like to see the studies please. And the study has better undergone peer review). PLUS, because I skated, I didn’t feel that bad snarfing that pear tart and drinking that venti afterwards.

Very cool (har har) place. Dropped the kids. I wandered off to a Starbucks, walked around town a bit, then checked back. They had a great time. The ice was crowded with a lot of people hanging on to the wall and one putz dressed like a HNL player flying between people like an idiot, but otherwise, it seemed well run, and provided a memorable afternoon experience for the kids.

Ahhh winter the crisp chill in the air the bone chilling brisk wind that blows when you least expect it. What more of a perfect day than to enjoy it on… where else… ice. That’s right folks ain’t nothing like skating on ice in the great outdoors when it’s nice and cold just like nature intended. So what the ice rink isn’t large enough for a NHL game and spectators. You want that then there is a place also in Rockville that has that only thing is it’s indoors and you have to make your time around the little leaguers and the overly aggressive hockey moms. No this place is much more for me right here in the open air of a town center that has revitalize the city. Here people of all ages are encourage to join in the squared circle and engage in the artful skills of stability. Some may spill, some may trill, some may wobble but they don’t fall down. First things first get in line that’s in the little building you can’t miss it. The line is short and it moves quick so don’t fret. Tell em you’re here to skate it’s about $ 8 bucks the same as the other place. If you need a pair of skates they have them to rent only $ 3 bucks that won’t break you. Next get a locker key hey that’s free put your skates on, there are benches everywhere just don’t block the way for others going to the rink. Now put your stuff along with your shoes in the locker and get yourself onto the ice. Carefully if you are a beginner, gracefully if you are a old pro. Finally have fun cause that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Even if you fall flat on your frozen assets just have a grand olé time at it. The staff is helpful but they work fast to keep the lines short they will gladly get you set up. When the ice starts to get a bit snowy then they politely clear the ice and haul out the «Sport Ice» machine it’s like a miniature (lawn tractor sized) Zamboni. Now we’ve got smooth sailing once again. Whether you are an expert or like wife and I very much novices I’m sure that you can have lots of silly fun here. Just keep in mind that it’s not a place for serious adrenaline junkies trying to break speed records. Or for Olympic figure skaters trying to master the triple axel. Just keep the hockey tempers off the ice and chill… literally.

The service is pretty good. There are a lot of teens on the ice since it is really close to high schools and a community college. This place does hourly ice polishing so the ice isn’t too rough cut for the skaters. The rink is smaller than it appears in the pictures.
The only thing about this place is that they have staff skating on the ice to make sure that people only skate during their time limit (2hours). The skating tickets that you get to get on the ice is color coded to make sure that the time lot that you started skating. My friends and I didn’t want to stop skating so we just hid the colored portion of the ticket. If you have gotten better at skating or already a good skater, it is most likely that the staff will not notice you.
The food locations around the rink is pretty good too. There are many selections to choose from with all different price ranges.