Ice Skating on the Frog Pond in Boston, MA

This weekend Kendra and I took Addie, and 18 members of our school’s Outdoor Adventures club, ice-skating on the Frog Pond in Boston, MA. Somehow, despite having both lived in Boston for years, neither Kendra, nor I, had ever skated there before! (Well, to be honest, being from the south, Kendra’s not really much of an ice-skater, but having played on the ice-hockey team in high school, I had no excuse.) So, when the kids suggested ice-skating as an activity, we thought the Frog Pond on Boston Common would be a great place to take them.

We were right! Frog Pond + Teenagers of any skating ability = Awesome time! When we arrived, we snagged a table for our stuff, laced up our skates, and headed onto the ice. There were a few spills, but even the kids who couldn’t skate had a blast hanging on to each other as they learned to steady themselves. When the Zamboni resurfaced the ice, we sipped hot chocolate and munched chicken fingers, fries, and onion rings.

We were also wrong… Frog Pond + Toddler who can’t skate = Not as awesome. It was Addie’s first time on skates, and though she enjoyed herself (especially when we were eating french fries!), the rink is rather small and crowded, which meant it was almost impossible to teach her without being run over by other skaters.

Though it may not be the best place for little ones, skating on the Frog Pond is a fun, relatively inexpensive activity for teens and adults. (Though I would consider it more of a novelty – not something I plan to do again anytime soon. Skating is much cheaper at local ice rinks.) If you bring your own skates, it’s just $5 for admission (kids 13 & under are free). Skate rentals will set you back another $9 ($5 for kids). The Frog Pond Café has reasonably priced food, and serves everything from soups and sandwiches to chips, candy, and hot cocoa.

Be prepared for a 30-60 minute wait in line on busy days. Once you’re inside the gate, there’s another line to pick up skates. (Yet another reason NOT to bring a toddler.) There are lockers to store you stuff ($2), but it’s safe enough to leave your sneakers under a bench rather then spend the extra money.

The rink generally opens at 10am everyday, and closes between 9pm and 10pm, however check the website before you go for any changes to the schedule.