Ice skating in late February? (Chicago, Grant Park: to rent, university, live in)

[HX_Guy]

I'm coming up to Chicago at the end of February and was wondering...is there a place you can still ice skate outdoors available? Of course it's still cold enough...just didn't know if they close the rinks down or what...

Whats the best place to go...somewhere right in the heart of the city surrounded by high rises and such?

[Lookout Kid]

Any place that offers ice skating will still be in its prime come late February. There is an outdoor rink at Millenium Park that is quite popular, and this is probably the coolest ice skating experience you could get in Chicago in terms of atmosphere. Lines can be quite long at peak times, however (like Saturday afternoon). And the space to really show your skating prowess can be cramped.

[JanuaryGirl]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Any place that offers ice skating will still be in its prime come late February. There is an outdoor rink at Millenium Park that is quite popular, and this is probably the coolest ice skating experience you could get in Chicago in terms of atmosphere. Lines can be quite long at peak times, however (like Saturday afternoon). And the space to really show your skating prowess can be cramped.

No thanks, I'll pass on the atmosphere of waiting in line to rent skates for 40 minutes and then skating shoulder-to-shoulder in the crowds while listening to obnoxious music being played way too loud.

Check out the rink on Midway Plaissance in Hyde Park! It is much cheaper to rent skates, parking is much easier, and it is less crowded. It's right by the University so it's pretty also!

(oops, just saw you said you wanted to be surrounded by high-rises and whatnot. In that case Millenium Park is probably better, but I still think Hyde Park beats it. I would recommend hanging out in Millenium Park to see the sculptures and stuff but head to the south side for actual skating. Too bad they got rid of Skate on State, it was much better for the "city skating experience.")

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by DNaomi

No thanks, I'll pass on the atmosphere of waiting in line to rent skates for 40 minutes and then skating shoulder-to-shoulder in the crowds while listening to obnoxious music being played way too loud.

Check out the rink on Midway Plaissance in Hyde Park! It is much cheaper to rent skates, parking is much easier, and it is less crowded. It's right by the University so it's pretty also!

(oops, just saw you said you wanted to be surrounded by high-rises and whatnot. In that case Millenium Park is probably better, but I still think Hyde Park beats it. I would recommend hanging out in Millenium Park to see the sculptures and stuff but head to the south side for actual skating. Too bad they got rid of Skate on State, it was much better for the "city skating experience.")

There should still be the rink in Grant Park by the fieldhouse a few minutes east of the millenium park rink.

[Lookout Kid]

Like I said, if you go to Millenium Park, "off peak hours" is the key. Forget weekends. Pick the most bizarre time you can think of, and get there fifteen minutes before it opens.

[coldwine]

I've never gone ice skating. There's nothing about freezing my ass off at high velocity that really enchanted me enough to pay for the high probability of pain or other casuality. With blades on my feet.

It just now struck me as very odd. I mean, I've done other things the Church would probably excommunicate me for and I still have the bruises to prove it. I've even worn thigh-high boots and walked down State in full dominatrix gear for a Halloween party with two men on leashes, which was a lot like ice skating... But despite having grown up in a cold northern climate and spent most of my life in one, I've never actually skated.

Is this weird?

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by coldwine

I've never gone ice skating. There's nothing about freezing my ass off at high velocity that really enchanted me enough to pay for the high probability of pain or other casuality. With blades on my feet.

It just now struck me as very odd. I mean, I've done other things the Church would probably excommunicate me for and I still have the bruises to prove it. I've even worn thigh-high boots and walked down State in full dominatrix gear for a Halloween party with two men on leashes, which was a lot like ice skating... But despite having grown up in a cold northern climate and spent most of my life in one, I've never actually skated.

Is this weird?

Do you live in London? You sound like a friend of mine who works for a certain large software company that everyone knows... Of course you are very likely not her, and if you met each other you would be so similar that you would probably destroy each other.

Yes, it's weird. You don't have to be good at it, but you probably should have tried it at least once or twice.

[coldwine]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Do you live in London? You sound like a friend of mine who works for a certain large software company that everyone knows... Of course you are very likely not her, and if you met each other you would be so similar that you would probably destroy each other.

Yes, it's weird. You don't have to be good at it, but you probably should have tried it at least once or twice.

I have lived in London But currently no, it is Sao Paulo. Where, alas, dressing like a dominatrix is a daily affair.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

I'm coming up to Chicago at the end of February and was wondering...is there a place you can still ice skate outdoors available? Of course it's still cold enough...just didn't know if they close the rinks down or what...

Whats the best place to go...somewhere right in the heart of the city surrounded by high rises and such?

Millenium Park (go at night on a weekday if possible).http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/...cf7e3a1e62.jpg

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thum...ce-skating.jpg

And nearby Navy Pier has an indoor rink if the weather isnt good enough to skate outside:
http://z.about.com/d/gochicago/1/0/c...iceskating.jpg

[Avengerfire]

You can skate at McFetridge Park year around (inside of course.)

Chicago Park District (http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/A5F32F28-6296-4001-9F78-A724DEEFAC03.cfm - broken link)