- November 18, 2014

Where to Find Snow & Ice Skating in Austin: 2014

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Austin doesn’t get snow and ice very often. When you have the chance to play in real snow or skate around on ice, we say take it! Bundle up, remind the kids to tuck their fingers in if they fall on the ice to prevent any unfortunate accidents, and ball up some snow for a wintery good time!

Snow:

Hill Country Galleria Snow Days (Bee Cave) – Saturday, December 6; Sunday, December 14; and Saturday, December 20 from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Real snow will be delivered to the Hill Country Galleria! Toss a snowball, build a snowman, make a snow angel, and take fun family photos. Enjoy live holiday music, holiday carolers, and more every day that it snows. FREE! Hill Country Galleria, located right outside the Bee Cave Library, 12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave. The Sunday, December 14 event has been canceled due to the possibility of thunderstorms in the area.

Battle for a Cure Foundation Presents: A Snow Spectacular (Cedar Park) – Saturday, December 6 from 4-8:00 p.m. This event is going to be one of a kind with 30,000 pounds of REAL SNOW blown over a 1,300 square foot area for the kids to play in! There will be light snacks, a visit from Santa, hayrides, hot chocolate/coffee bar, cash bar for adults, live music, a silent auction and more. Proceeds benefit children fighting cancer and their families. Cost: $20 adult, $10 child. Purchase tickets online here. Twin Creeks Country Club, 3201 Twin Creeks Club Dr, Cedar Park.

Snow Hill in Fisherman’s Park (Bastrop) – Saturday, December 6 at 3 p.m.

Come join the City of Bastrop Parks and Recreation Department for an afternoon of fun at Fisherman’s Park on December 6th, with festivities starting at 3 p.m. Help turn on the Trail of Lights, play on a snow covered hill, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while roasting marshmallows, and watching Arthur Christmas under snow flakes. For more information contact the Parks and Rec Department at 512-332-8920. Fisherman’s Park, 1200 Willow St, Bastrop.

Christmas Dreams & Snowy Things (Round Rock) – Saturday, December 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be real snow activities as part of the fanfare for the Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships Christmas Dreams & Snowy Things event. This event will feature snow-filled activities (truckloads of snow are being delivered on-site) as well as giant slides, paintball, tango tower & zip line, horse-drawn wagon rides, Blue Santa donation station, train rides, interactive holiday booths (including decorating your own stockings, Santa hats and cookies, writing letters to Santa), inflatables and rides, concessions, live music (with choirs from eight area elementary schools) and appearances by Santa himself. (See photos from last year’s event here.) FREE! Boles Family Sports Complex, 1605 N Mays St, Round Rock.

Ice Skating:

Chaparral Ice – Public skating times are available year-round but Chaparral hosts four special events throughout the holiday season:

  • Christmas Kickoff – Friday, November 28 and Saturday, November 29 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Evening skating Thanksgiving weekend only. Skate by the glow of twinkle lights!
  • Christmas in Austin – Sunday, December 7 from 6:15-8:00 p.m. Figure skaters, singers, and dancers “Keep Christmas Weird” by performing Austin’s unique holiday traditions on ice. (FREE standing-room admission with canned good donation.)
  • Santa Skate and Ugly Sweater Party – Sunday, December 14 from 1-4:00 p.m. This event features free photos with Santa (bring your own camera), Christmas-themed skating exhibitions, holiday tunes, a hot cocoa bar, and festive treats.

Cost: Admission is $6 and skate rental is $4 for children and adults. Kids 5 years of age and under skate for only $5 on Saturday and Sunday, including skate rental. Kids 5 and under skate for FREE Monday-Friday with paid adult admission. Chaparral Ice, located inside Northcross Mall, 2525 W Anderson Ln, Austin.

Eisbahn Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg) – Friday, November 28 – Sunday, January 4. Hours vary. Eisbahn (“ice rink” in German) returns to Marktplatz in downtown Fredericksburg for its tenth consecutive year. Open daily (except for Christmas), you and your family can enjoy outdoor ice skating on real ice in the Texas Hill Country. Special refrigeration units keep the ice frozen even when the weather is warm outside. Cost: Enjoy a come-and-go all-day pass for only $10, including skates. Marktplatz, Downtown Fredericksburg.

Whole Foods Downtown – Saturday, November 29 – Sunday, January 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Skate on top of the world…well, at least on top of Whole Foods downtown. Cost: $10 per person, includes skate rental. 525 N Lamar, Austin.

Sights & Sounds of Christmas (San Marcos) – Wednesday, December 3 – Saturday, December 6 from 5-11:00 p.m. Experience four full nights of family fun during the Sights and Sounds of Christmas. Enjoy skating round and round the large, simulated ice skating rink with family and friends while surrounded by millions of Christmas lights and holiday music. Other attractions include a carnival, FREE photos with Santa, live music, arts and crafts, FREE petting zoo, Town of Bethlehem exhibit, and more. View full entertainment schedule here. Admission: $5 per person; kids 12 and under are free. Additional cost to skate: $5 per person for a 20-minute session. San Marcos Plaza Park, 401 E Hopkins St, San Marcos.

Winter Wonderland Ice Skating Rink (Bastrop) – Friday, December 12 – Sunday, December 14. Hours vary. Feel the holiday spirit as you visit with Santa Claus and whirl around on the rink! Brought to you by Frontier Bank, a synthetic ice skating rink will be set up in the Marketplace for all to enjoy. Cost: Individual Skater $8/20 minutes; Family of Three $20/20 minutes; Family of Four $25/20 minutes. Main Street Marketplace, 921 Main St, Bastrop.

Holiday Lights and Ice at Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa – Friday, December 19 – Sunday, January 4. Hours vary. Get in the holiday spirit with s’mores, games, twinkling lights, and so much more. This year, Austin’s largest outdoor ice rink is twinkling even brighter. The 4,100 square foot ice rink will be accompanied by a display of over 200,000 twinkling lights and festive activities for the whole family to enjoy. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Central & South Texas, benefitting local children in need. Guests can enjoy the skating rink with individual skate session tickets or season passes. Open to the public. Cost: $25 adult, $20 child; Season Pass, $150 adult/child. Barton Creek Resort and Spa, 8212 Barton Club Dr, Austin.