Ice Skating at the Beach Waterpark - Dec. 2009
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ICE SKATING
My girls got a chance to ice skate and they loved it. We did a free skating lesson by the Learn to Skate program at Sports Plus (see below for details). Now, we have another fun family activity we can all do.
Googin Ice Center at Miami University - www.ice.muohio.edu. Oxford, Ohio (513-529-9800). If you want to head to one of the prettiest college campuses around & then do some ice skating, you'll want to check this place out. Please see their website for public skate times. Then head to High St. and get a bite to eat. Most restaurants have to be kid friendly, I mean it is a college town after all. :)
Northland Ice Center - www.northlandicecenter.com. 10400 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513-563-0008). Well, we did try to get here once but when we arrived there was a hockey game going on so we weren't able to do it. They were nice enough to give us free passes to come back so we'll try it out soon. The rink is older but ice skating is ice skating and it reminded me of a rink I used to skate in Jamestown, NY where I grew up so it brought back some good memories.
Sports Plus - www.sportsplusohio.com. 10765 Reading Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513-252-2320). In addition to being a mecca for all things fun (arcade, small indoor amusement rides, large indoor play tunnel/slides, b-ball courts, mini bowling, etc.) this place has ice skating - not one rink, but 3 rinks. Check out their website for skate times. There prices are higher than Northlands but they also have other things going on if some of the family decides that skating is not their thing. We went there to skate (again) and we just missed the public skate time so we played games instead. If your kids need skating lessons, sign up for their Learn to Skate programs at www.learntoskatecincinnati.com. A Pizza Hut is also onsite.
Mason Metu Tip: Learn To Skate - Free skate lessons are offered before the start of their next skate programs. Go to www.learntoskatecincinnati.com for more details. (My girls had a great time at their free lesson. I think I'll put them in lessons at some point but at least I now know that we have another family activity we can all do.)
The Beach Waterpark - Through Jan. 10, you can ice skate at the outdoor ice rink at their annual Holiday Fest. See my article on Family Friendly Cincinnati for more information.
US Bank Ice Rink on Fountain Square - www.myfountainsquare.com/icerink. Visit Fountain Square to enjoy this great outdoor skating facility - it is constructed every holiday season. It's sort of magical to see skaters spinning around the rink but remember to dress warm. They also have Santa Skates during the week so check the website above for more information.
MasonMetu Tip: If you head downtown, head to Palomino's bar area for their awesome happy hour - 1/2 price appetizer specials, $5.00 pizzas and drink specials. There's a seating area sort of outside the bar area that might be good if you have little ones with you. Palomino's is located in the Macy's building.
ROLLER SKATING
Castle Skateland - www.castleskateland.com. 980 Loveland Maderia Road, Loveland, Ohio 45140 (513-683-6666). Check out their site for times & prices but it looks like they do a family skate night for $7.00 for a family of 4. That seems like a pretty good deal to me.
Fun Factory Roller Skating - www.FunFactoryRollerSkating.com - 1631 Sherman Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45212. (513) 613-1311. Located in Norwood this looks like a fun place to go. They have family skate, Radio Disney Skate, Recession Buster (free admission for ages 14 & under on Wed from 6-9pm.), Kids Fun Skate, and more. They also have some great birthday party packages starting at $99 for up to 10 kids. Skate lessons also available. See their events calendar for more information.
Orbit Fun Center Inc. - www.rinktime.com. 762 Columbus Ave., Lebanon, OH 45036 (513-282-6292). The rates here seem really reasonable and your skate rental is included. This one is up North in Lebanon but I thought I'd throw it in the mix. I need to check it out.
Sawyer Point Skating Pavillion - www.cincinnati-oh.gov/crc/pages/-5713-/. 705 East Pete Rose Way Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513-352-6316). This is an outdoor roller rink located in beautiful Sawyer Point along the Ohio River. "Sawyer Point is open daily 6:00 a.m.- 11:00 p.m. year-round. Admission is free and convenient low-cost parking is available at the park's main entrance, located at the intersection of 801 East Pete Rose Way and Eggleston Avenue". Make sure you call before going since I'm not sure if the roller rink is seasonally operated.
Skatetown USA - www.skatetownusa.us. 8730 N. Pavillion, West Chester, Ohio 45069 (513-874-9855). Check out their website for times but it looks like admission is around $5.00 for most of the family skate times. They also have a "learn to roller skate" program that I've been debating to try out. Read more on Associated Content.
SKIING
(Snowboarding & Snow Tubing Too)
We haven't attempted skiing yet as a family but the closest place to go around here is actually a fairly short drive away in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Perfect North Slopes - www.perfectnorth.com. 19074 Perfect Lane, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 (812-537-3754 or 513-381-7517). This seems like a great activity for the family if you're ready to bundle up and enjoy the some brisk fresh air. If you get too cold then a cup of hot chocolate does wonders. If you're snow tubing, my friends said they had a fire pit close by where you can warm up. They recently went and had a great time tubing down the slopes.
SLEDDING
Ahhh, with snow comes the possiblity of no school and the hopes for many kids of sledding. There are actually a few places in Cincinnati that have actual sledding sites beyond the local hill your kids might find. If you can believe it, I actually found a website devoted to sled riding in Ohio - www.sledriding.com/Ohio. There are "designated" sledding areas which I assume to be safer than the ones that aren't. Here are some designated places in Hamilton County:
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Designated sledding hill at Ault Park, 3600 Observatory Ave. - Mt. Lookout
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Designated sledding hill at Devou Park, 1600 Montague Rd. - Covington. Near the amphitheater and Glenn O. Swing School, 19th and Jefferson
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Designated sled riding hill at Dulle Park, 10530 Deerfield Rd. - Montgomery
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Designated sled riding hill at Voice of America Park, Hamilton-Mason and Cox Roads - West Chester Township.
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Designated sled riding hill French Park, 3012 Section Rd. - Amberley Village
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Designated sled riding hill at Mt. Airy Forest, 5083 Colerain Ave. - Westwood
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Designated sled riding hill at Mt. Storm Park, 660 Lafayette St. - Clifton
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Designated sledding hill at Harbor Overlook in Miami Whitewater Forest, 9001 Mount Hope Rd. - Harrison Township
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Designated sledding hill at Rapid Run, 4450 Rapid Run Parkway - West Price Hill
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Designated sled riding hill at Cardinal Crest in Sharon Woods, 11450 Sharon Rd. - Sharonville.
- Designated sled riding hill at Stanberry Park, 2221 Oxford Ave. - Mt. Washington.
MasonMetu Tip: If you do go sledding, it might be a good idea to wear a bike helmet.
