It's been a while since I've dropped an Events in Toronto x Tourist Tings post for you all, but I got to experience ice skating for the first time in Canada FINALLY after four years of living in Toronto and I wanted to talk about it a bit!
I talked about going to Soca on Ice in my post here , but that time I was too afraid of actually getting on the ice myself. This time around though, I actually did!
Have you ever wanted to try ice skating in Toronto, not sure where the ice skating rinks are located or unsure about how to rent skates? Or maybe, you just want to hear about my experience?
Read more below to find out!
The crisp, unpredictable, dry weather paired with those below 0° temperatures associated with the winter season, that we usually encounter in those chilly months of December - March (up to mid-April sometimes) bring many nuances.
That cold weather making you feel like your fingers and ears are about to fall off if you don't have on the proper winter gear, snow falling and blowing into your face, the dreaded dirty, greyish brownish snow slush everywhere after a fresh snowfall that people have continuously walked and driven through, and special mention for that horrible winter breeze and cold dry air that makes you feel like you're inhaling daggers sometimes. These are just some of the 'joys' we encounter in the winter time.
However, winter does bring for some exciting seasonal activities, and one of the most common ones of them all, is ice-skating!
As the city gradually begins to re-open after being on yet another temporary lock down, there are a number of ice skating rinks and locations open all around Toronto and even in the GTA.
For most of these locations, you don't need to be an experienced ice skater - but if you're like me, with little to no ice skating experience, it's always good to go with at least a friend or two, and it's increasingly helpful if one of those friends actually knows how to ice skate.
If you want a list of ice skating rinks within Toronto, and to be able to find the one(s) closest to you, you can tap here for a link to the City of Toronto's website to see the locations, hours of operation, and more of the various ice skating rinks.
One of the most popular ice skating rink locations, is at Nathan Phillips Square.
For anyone who may be unfamiliar, this is where you can find the big 'TORONTO' sign, just in front of Toronto City Hall and is less than a five minute walk from Eaton Centre (the exit closest to the Starbucks.)
Every year, this popular tourist location becomes a huge ice skating rink in the winter, where you can get together with friends and/or family while some of your favourite musical hits play in the background as you ice skate around (or slowly shuffle about, inch by inch, if you're an inexperienced, novice skater like myself, who's also terrified of falling flat on your ass.)
If you don't have your own pair of ice skates, don't worry!
At Nathan Phillips Square, you can rent ice-skates for a maximum of two (2) hours, at a price of $15.00CAD. For children 12 and under, it's $10.00. There are also other aspects, such as skate sharpening, and helmets, hats and mitts rentals (that come with additional fees.)
The Nathan Phillips Square ice rink is open daily, from 10am - 10pm. (Note that any rented skates have to be returned by 9:45pm.)
If you are going to rent skates, it's a bit hard to gauge the wait times, especially over the weekend since there are no required bookings or reservations required at this location.
Be prepared for some possibly long wait times, because it's likely that there will be a bit of a line up any day as there are no bookings required. If it's one those extra chilly winter days where the temperatures are running in the -10°s, waiting in a line outside for too long can make you feel like your legs are freezing up before you even get a chance to use them to skate about. We went a bit after 4pm on a Saturday, and there was a decent line up we were in for about 15-20 minutes.
When in the line to rent skates, whether it's just you, or if you're with a group of people, a staff member from the rink will come around to everyone in line to ask how many people you're with, your shoe size(s), and will hand you a piece of paper with the information you've just confirmed.
Once you get to the front of the line of the skate renting booth, you'll have to hand them the paper you just received, and one person from your group will have to provide them with a piece of government issued-ID.
Note: Student IDs are not accepted.
They hold the ID you provide them with and will only return it once you return all the skates you (and your group) rented (ideally in the same condition you received them in.)
We all paid the $15 renting fee in cash also, since I don't believe there are any debit machines on site.
Another piece of advice here, is dress for the weather! By that, I mean add another layer to your usual winter get up. Even if it's a 'warmer' winter day with the temperatures being in the low positives - on the ice, it's still relatively colder, so you'll want to bundle up to avoid feeling like you're freezing.
Make sure your ears are covered too, since that's the first thing the cold winter breeze tends to hit, and that you wear some thick socks because those rented skates can be a bit painful on the feet from my experience - And don't forget the gloves! In case you fall and your hand comes in contact with that ice, it could sting a bit.
Something I learned, when you're lacing up your skates - The laces don't go in the holes like you would lace up a pair of sneakers, rather the laces go around the metal studs to the side, you have to loop them around. I was there sitting down for a good couple of minutes trying to figure out why the laces weren't fitting through the holes till another friend explained you had to loop them around, so if you didn't know either, now you do!
My last note, is that not all ice skating locations may have locker rooms, or places where you can store your shoes and other things. At Nathan Phillips Square, there are no lockers anywhere. The shoes we had on, that we had to take off to put on the ice skates we rented, we had to set them to the side, while still being in the open.
Luckily for us our shoes weren't taken, but there are so many stories of people having their shoes stolen from ice-skating rinks, especially if they're an expensive, or name brand type of shoe. - Don't wear your nicest shoes to go ice-skating if you don't know, or aren't 100% sure that the location has lockers, just to avoid any possible disappointment!
Ice skating is always such an interesting experience, seeing people of all ages skate circles around you. Something else I learned for the first time, is that you can actually stand in the skates, off the ice. It's almost like wearing high heels, but the first time I actually stepped foot on that ice, it took me a while to find my balance.
If you're not comfortable on the ice yet, it's always good to link hands with a friend and you both can skoot about the ice while everyone skates past you. That's what my friends and I did.
We were incredibly focused on not falling, especially after seeing a number of random people bounce into one another and all come crashing down. I've only been ice skating once in my life back when I was like six or seven, but I remember how hard it can hurt falling down on that ice.
I'm pleased to say that the majority of us made it a whole lap around the rink. Some of us made it like 50% around the rink before turning back (like me), but no one fell down! So overall, it was a success!
All in all, it was another really fun Canadian touristy adventure I've always wanted to try, and I'm happy that I was able to experience it alongside some great people!
I would love to learn how to ice skate, but I think it'll start by trying to learn how to rollerblade first. 😅
After ice skating, my friends and I treated ourselves to some milkshakes from a place called Holy shakes Toronto. (I know what you're thinking, ice skating, and then milkshakes, in -10° degree weather? Crazy right? Maybe just a smidge.)
We went to the one located at 465 Queen's Street West, but there are other locations around the GTA.
The milkshakes from Holy Shakes were amazing, and this is coming from someone who isn't a big fan of milkshakes myself - it tasted like ice cream!
They boast of having over 100 flavours to pick from, and they don't stop at milkshakes - You can can get cheesecakes, ice cream, and lots of other sweet treats and deserts. Check them out @HolyshakesToronto.
If you reuse the glass container your milkshake comes in, if you return, you can get a discount on your next milkshake. I had the I love churros milkshake, it was sooo good.
Since indoor dining wasn't open when we went, we had to take our milkshakes to-go, where the folks at Holy Shakes will pack your order in a way that it's easy to carry, and they'll pack your toppings separately so you can re-assemble the total milkshake elsewhere.
Milkshakes on their popular menu go for $15CAD before tax, and their smaller drinks start at $7CAD.
Could never pass up a photo opportunity.
I forgot to take a photo of my milkshake so thanks to Verne for the milkshake group shot!
All in all, it was a pretty successful day!
I'm not sure if I'll go ice skating again anytime soon because I'm still pretty afraid of falling over, but it was so much fun finally getting to experience it in Canada.
If you're looking for tourist-y activities to try, no matter how long you've been in Canada, I would highly recommend trying ice-skating.
It truly felt like a Canadian experience, and something new I can cross off my list of things to try and do in Canada.
Have you ever tried ice skating? If yes - would you say you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level skater? Share your experience in the comments below!
I'm definitely a beginner. 😥
Check out my 60 second ice-skating + milkshake reward 'mini vlog' Tik Tok here!
Thanks for reading!
THINGS TO NOTE:
❄️ Price/Entry fee: If you're not getting on the ice/have your own skates - FREE!
❄️ If you're renting skates - $15.00 flat for a two-hour skate rental
❄️ Time of year: December - February (could stretch to March)
❄️ Average amount of time expected to spend here: 1-2 hours
❄️ Location: Nathan Phillips Square, Downtown Toronto
❄️ Location: (Holy shakes Toronto) - 465 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2A9
