Where to Go Ice Skating in Atlanta With Friends (2026)
Five rinks, one session time, and hot cocoa after.
Why ice skating works for a group of friends
Ice skating is the rare workout nobody calls a workout. Your legs burn, your core works the whole time, and everyone is laughing too hard to notice. Nobody needs to be good at it. The friend who has never skated and the friend who played hockey as a kid can share the same rink, and the wobbly laps are usually the best part.
It also comes with a built in deadline. Atlanta's outdoor rinks open in November and close in January or February, so "we should go skating" has an expiration date. Use it.
Skate the Station at Atlantic Station: the big outdoor rink
Skate the Station is Atlantic Station's annual outdoor rink in Midtown. This season it runs from November 13, 2026 through January 18, 2027, according to Atlantic Station's announcement. Tickets, reservations and hours all go through the link on that page, so book your session before you head over, especially around holiday weekends.
It is the easiest pick for an intown group: skate first, then stay for dinner at Atlantic Station without moving the car.
Skate City Springs: best for beginners and bigger groups
Skate City Springs sets up an open air rink on City Green in Sandy Springs from November 13, 2026 through January 18, 2027. Free Skate Helpers are there to help nervous skaters balance, sessions last an hour, and every ticket includes skate rental, according to the City of Sandy Springs. As of November 2026, adult tickets are $15 Monday through Thursday and $18 Friday through Sunday, with discounted group rates for parties of 10 or more.
If your crew likes a theme, Fridays are Disco Slide nights starting November 20, and Saturdays from 8 to 10 p.m. are DJ theme nights where skaters who dress up get a free hot cocoa. The city strongly recommends reserving ahead.
Miracle on 10th Street at Park Tavern: skating by Piedmont Park
Park Tavern sits at the edge of Piedmont Park, right on the Atlanta BeltLine. Its Miracle on 10th Street ice rink and Christmas bar runs from November 28, 2026 through February 7, 2027, per Park Tavern's events listing. That makes it the longest running seasonal rink intown on this list, and the easiest one to pair with a BeltLine walk.
Skate the Sky at Ponce City Market: the rooftop rink
The Roof at Ponce City Market turns part of its rooftop into a winter ice rink above the city. Its holiday page lists ice skating from November 27 through January 3, added to general admission with a $5 skate rental, first come, first served. The rooftop games, rides and mini golf are sold separately. Check that page for this season's hours before you go.
Atlanta IceForum: year round skating in Duluth
When the seasonal rinks close, the Atlanta IceForum in Duluth keeps going. It is open year round with public skating seven days a week, figure and hockey skate rentals, and group lessons for all ages if someone in your crew wants to actually learn. As of November 2026, public session admission is $15, plus $5 for skate rental, per its public sessions page. Session times change, so the rink asks skaters to call and confirm.
The rink details above come from each rink's official page as of November 2026. Dates, prices and hours change, so check before you book.
How to plan a skate night your friends actually show up for
First, pick one rink and one session. "Skate City Springs, Thursday at 7, tacos after" is a plan. "We should go skating before the holidays" is not.
Second, book together. Several of these rinks sell timed sessions, so one person reserving for the group means nobody ends up on a different slot.
Third, plan for beginners. Pick a rink with help on the ice, like the Skate Helpers at City Springs, and agree up front that slow laps count.
Fourth, plan the warm up after. Hot cocoa, dinner or a drink is what turns one skate into a tradition.
Turn one skate night into a winter habit
The outdoor rinks give you about two months. Pick one night every other week and rotate rinks. That keeps your group moving through the darkest stretch of the year, when most workout plans quietly stop. For the full playbook, read how to keep working out with friends through winter.
The invite that gets a yes
Send a specific plan with an easy out: "Atlantic Station rink, Friday at 7, dinner after. I am going either way, come if you want in."
That is what amiqo is for: post the skate night, your friends tap in, and you can see who is actually coming before you book.
Download amiqo free: https://amiqo.life/download
Post the rink and the time. Your friends tap in. Sometime becomes Friday at 7.
More ways to get active in Atlanta with friends
Try this with your group this week
Pick one from the table, post it before its last day, and let a friend tap in.
The best free classes in Atlanta end in weeks. The invite takes seconds.