Color me impressed! My four-year old recently finished a beginner course with Fairfax Ice Arena and now has the confidence to try to run away from me on the rink during a busy public skate session Honestly, I had no idea what to expect because my daughter is so small but our instructor Melinda was absolutely awesome with keeping our little ones safe, engaged, and learning on the ice! She knew everyone's name and was able to keep track of a bunch of toddler/early elementary old crazies which she deserves a gold medal for in itself. We would definitely join in on another session with her in the future. The prices of the lessons were really affordable and they also included several public skate admission/rentals so the kiddos could practice their skills which made the package a great value. My only suggestion is more formal information via email on what to expect before the first class so we as parents can prepare better. read more

I know it's an older ice arena but it's got everything an ice arena needs. It's got a decent size rink, it offers a generous 3.75 hour session on the weekends for $10, the ice gets cleaned every 1.25 hours, and we switch skate directions every 20ish minutes. There's also often a Groupon for 2 for the price of 1. I also really enjoy the music they play - it's got me moving to the music as I skate. I know it's not as new as some places but I like the convenient location and I like that I almost always see a friend there since lots of people go to this arena. read more

We had my younger daughter's birthday party here. Staff was excellent and went above and beyond to help address a disastrous situation involving a collapsed table and ruined homemade cupcakes. Good service happens in the reaction to bad circumstances, and their reaction - helping find a place to get a new dessert fast, cleaning up quickly, giving us some extra time in the room - was top notch. It's easy to be good at customer service when everything is going right. The test is when things go wrong, and they passed with flying colors. Also, Amelia is the best party buddy ever. She was so good with the kids. read more

Came here with a friend on a Groupon. The entrance was quite strange and felt like if you're not buying a ticket they won't let you in, so service felt strange. But thankfully my friend was there and passed off my admission bracelet. The inside upon walking in is cozy with a nice fireplace...however there are no seats for spectators once inside -- parents and partners beware. Definitely one of the oldest rinks I've ever been to. The ice quality didn't feel that great compared to Medstar Capitals Iceplex. It felt...thin? For a $5 session I felt it was worth it's price. Other than that I'm not sure if I would make the 30 minute trek with traffic out here again. Thanks to my Yelp Elite friend LeAnn for showing me this place though! read more

Fairfax Ice Arena - Me and my Yelp friend LeAnn :) - Skating Rinks Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Just an FYI about group lessons. Lesson start dates are frequently bumped back and coaching is very inconsistent. Frequent subs during the class. We had 4-5 different instructors over a 7-week course with testing by a substitute and not the supposed principal instructor. Has happened now for 3 levels. Skate quality has been poor but they are starting to replace some with newer skates, which is an improvement. Staff is generally rude and unhelpful. It's been a frustrating and subpar experience. read more

I come here all the time. I'm not an amazing skater, but I'm learning. Today I was skating with a friend when a worker told me, "You can't stop here," even though I was just doing spins. I moved to the middle--where others were spinning--but she followed me, called me over, and asked my level as if this was an interrogation. I said I didn't have one, and she replied, "Yeah, you seem VERY beginner." I've been skating for over a year, I can do a few tricks, and I don't fall. Still, she insisted I could only practice on the side, while my friend--who is not a professional--was apparently allowed in the middle because she claimed they were "professional figure skaters." Then she told me to move back to the same side she'd just kicked me out of, which was blocking people skating in lines. She must be new, because I've never had this issue. The rules don't justify anything she said, and this was a public skating session I paid $15 for. On top of that, she kept staring at me and was bothering almost everyone else too--making up rules and even going after the so-called "professionals." read more

Experience: 5/5 Ease: 5/5 I have always loved ice skating, and even had my own skates! When I moved to Falls Church, I was in search of a nearby rink. This rink was the cheapest price in the vicinity and offered indoor ice skating, so that I could ice skate regardless of the weather (it's been rainy recently)! They also offer custom ice skate sharpening, which they recommend sharpening your skates every few months if you consistently skate. I'm not an expert at skating, but I feel quite free and ready to fly on ice! I'm in the process of learning how to do tricks. On Friday nights, they also have fun pop music playing. The later you go, the less likely there are going to be young children. The 5:30 pm time normally has quite a few young kids, but the 8/9 pm time is often more teenagers or adults. Parking: plenty, especially in the back of the rink. Note: they also have discounted college nights for their Wednesday night sessions! Bring your student ID, and get ready for a jam packed session! There's still plenty of room to skate, but I was surprised that there were that many people on a week night. read more

Fairfax Ice Arena - Skating Rinks Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This is honestly my favorite ice rink as they really have the most flexible hours, and I always wanna go all the time. They're also super cheap and provide all sorts of deals with classes and even measure you for when you're buying ice skates. They really have everything. The only thing is that the kids here get a little chaotic, so it can be scary for newer skaters. It gets a little confusing when we all switch directions and people don't listen well. I wish they were a bit more regulated on that, but it's usually fine when you don't go during the same hours the kids go aka the more busy hours. Overall though, they host really cute events and you know they really care about us just having fun and learning how to ice skate. read more

Fairfax Ice Arena - Skating Rinks Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

See all

This is the closest ice rink to my home and they have ample public skating hours which are their biggest pluses. I just come here for general public skating. Unfortunately the ice surface itself is not all that well maintained. It is not even close to uniformly smooth and skating on much of it feels like driving over a bumpy road. It is just OK and reasonably close by. I wish I had better things to say about it. read more

The staff was rude, my 3 year old child was scolded for not being a good enough skater that he had to stay on the side which apparently isn't allowed and they would rather him fall. Many of the other parents had similar issues and unless you are an olympian, don't waste your time or your money. read more

12/26/21 Coronavirus and its variants on the loose, things will never go back to the way things were before. The Cronavirus has changed thing forever. Still, this virus will not stop people from having fun and living their lives. This is where Fairfax Ice Arena comes into play, and play people will. Even if you fall on your butt literally, you get up again, over and over. Taking private lessons at Fairfax Arena is one way to learn what to do and what not to do on the ice. I saw a private lessons brochure for a 15 minute private lessons for $19.00. How much will you learn in 15 minutes? It depends on the individual. Still, there are other longer private lessons that can be taken, but the price will be different. Once you grasp the fundamentals of ice skating, the world is your oyster. From flying down the ice rink with a hockey stick in my hands and performing The Triple Deke on the goalie, I win the game. A memory a girl or boy could end up doing as they learn the fundamentals about hockey. If hockey is not your thing you could learn the fine arts of figure skating like Tonya Harding and Scott Hamilton. You might even end up like Nancy Kerrigan Coming in second place. Who knows. Bottom line, I have passed this ice arena for decades and never once walked I side. Today I decided to check out out. The prices looked fair, but I did not go ice skating alone. I would rather do that with my partner. I did see a number of people not wearing masks inside the building, so this is something one should keep in mind during these Coronavirus time. Parking may look tight in the front, but there is plenty of space in the rear. The walk to the front of the arena doesn't take to long. While walking to the arena, I thought about the ice skating obstacle courses I have seen on television and though if I ever did that type of skating, skating in a large circle would bore me to tears. If you are not sure what I mean, look up "Ice cross downhill (formerly known as Red Bull Crashed Ice or Crashed Ice), is a winter extreme sporting event which involves direct competitive downhill skating on a walled track featuring sharp turns and high vertical drops." Like I said, if you do watch this on YouTube, the skating around a circle might change your outlook on skating. Still, you need to know the fundamentals of skating first, before you can do the extreme. The idea of seeing what kids might excel in some form of skating from a young age is much to be admired. I have learned to skate, but it has been a long time since I have done this. I hope to come back here with my way for an hour and have some fun. Will will have to see in a week or so. read more

See all

First off I am glad it's here. There aren't a lot of ice rinks in the area. This one has been here, for as long as I can remember. Like me it's looking dated, and I miss the hockey pro shop that used to be here. Occasionally I'll ice skate, but usually I watch my son and others have fun. Aside from this needing to be modernized, it'll work for these purposes. There's some basic foods for sale, and rentals/skate time are reasonably priced. If you want classes, heck I probably should, they are available in a number of ways. Very nice staff here. They showed my son how to increase his abilities, and were patient and positive with their approach. Do be sure to check their calendar for free skate times. Parking can be a challenge. Plan accordingly and you should be okay. read more

Came here last week for our first toddler ice lesson and was SUPER nervous after reading reviews.... But boy was I surprised and happy or see how great this place was! It was pretty empty when we arrived (early for orientation per the directions; but apparently that's a lie and they give you the orientation after the kiddos hit the ice). Check in was a bit chaotic and you can tell technology isn't their strong suit; we had to call to confirm our registration birth he employee on the phone and in person told us that their email system frequently doesn't work; but apparently there's no plans to fix it?! I guess it's not important for business? A little customer service at check-in and at the skate rental could definitely help; but we were thrilled with our daughters teacher and hope she continues to enjoy ice skating here; it may not look like much from the outside the instructor really hit it off with the kids! I'll update the review as we continue our weekly lessons; also wanted to add that the lessons came with a free skate for our little ice skater to use to practice (a nice touch and also ensures some extra income since the adult still needs to skate with her-and is as cost). Interested to see how busy this place is during public skate as after our class it was almost zoolike with people coming and going! read more

My kids love to ice skate and this is one of the few places I can take them but the public skate ours are restrictive and infrequent and the rink itself is pretty old and basic. There's really nowhere to sit and watch your kids skate either. You're just standing around near the rink. But my kids had fun. read more

A lot of times i have come to this place theres always a figure skating thing happening and has no say about it on their website on when those are. It is very aggravating to drive there just to see you cant skate. The arena it self is pretty mediocre compared to ones ive seen and is more centered on figure skating than hockey which explains their not great ice quality as it feel like wet grass with craters from toepicks. read more

This place is manipulative! I called for trial lessons for my kids. They told me they have a special for $22 for 20 minutes and if we decide on group lessons, they would apply the money towards the group lessons amount! When we showed up, they told me we had to pay $27 for the entrance and rentals + the $22. When we finished the lessons, I told them that one of my boys wanted time to decide on the group lessons. They said sure! When I called them after 3 days, they said that they could only apply the amount in the same day! Is this 2022 customer experience? Is this customer communication? I gave the lessons manager and opportunity to fix this for me, but he wasn't interested. When I asked him to transfer me to someone where I could escalate this, he said sure and just kept me on hold. When I called back, I asked for the General Manager. I was told that he's call me back, but he didn't! read more

Fairfax Ice Arena is and feels dated. Especially if you are accustomed to other newer ice rinks in the region such as the Ion Training Center, the Ashburn Icehouse or the MedStar Capitals Iceplex. One might say the arena's dated feeling could give the place a certain nostalgic charm, except it also has maintenance issues. In particular, the quality of the ice: its BAD. They don't resurface it with the frequency they should. And even when they do, the ice is still easily the worst in the region, closer to the quality you'd expect from an outdoor rink than what you can find in other more modern indoor rinks in Northern Virginia. On the bright side, the Fairfax Ice Arena is cheaper than most. A public skate pass is $8.50 without skates, making it the cheapest of all privately owned local rinks. read more

We all had lots of fun. Plenty of other skater's but not crowded. Having skating aids would have been fun for the littles but no such luck.

I'm not sure I'm qualified to rate this place given that it's my first ice arena and thus have nothing to compare it to. I feel okay saying that the process for paying, getting skates, and getting on the ice was pretty smooth though. If you have the Abenity app, you get BOGO pricing. I think the local coupon book has this offer too. That's a good date deal - two adult skaters and skate rentals for ~$18. The parking was okay too. The coin machine wasn't working, but the snack booth worker happily gave me change. It seemed a lot of people didn't lock their things up though. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect, with all of the constructive reviews being so old. But an ice rink is an ice rink... right? Hrm, apparently not. The most egregious problem here is the condition of the ice. This was the worst condition of ice I've ever seen at an ice rink. I hoped that it would be better after the zamboni did it's job, but sadly that wasn't the case at all. The entire ice rink's ice is so chopped up, with very deep grooves and chips. To me, that is dangerous, as I was unable to truly skate. If you've ever skated on the fake ice (plastic pads, for people who live in hot climates... it's so fake and not fun), that was how bad this ice is. The facility is tiny. Teeny tiny. The ice rink itself is very small (not a lot of room to skate), and there's only 1 ice rink. The skate changing room, restroom, pro shop, skate shop... they're all very small. The rental skates and helmets are in good condition. Not the most comfortable, but average for rentals. The music is from the 90s & early 2000s. Even though it's my fav kind of music, it's slow & depressing to skate to. The food & drinks at the snack shop were decent, actually. Pizza, hot dogs, corn dogs, nachos, bagels, muffins, cookies; hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee, smoothies, milk shakes, etc. Overall, it would be fine, but the condition of the ice makes this a terrible experience. I won't ever come back here, as the poor condition of the ice makes this a waste of money and a danger. Also, other reviewers have commented on the cracking underneath the skating-layer of the ice. I've never seen this before, but the reviewers are totally spot on. I took a pic so you can see. read more

See all

This is a great classic ice rink that caters to kids, families, teens, and the skating enthusiasts alongside people out for a good time. There is ample parking adjacent to the rink. Upon entering, you wait in a tiny entryway to check out at the single-booth and turnstile. Long lines before open skates can mean a few min wait on the sidewalk but nothing bad. Inside, a dj plays oldies like Jessie's girl and I got the power from a cd booth. This place truly takes you back to roller rinks of your childhood, in a refreshingly non-hipster, authentic way. read more

On public skate sessions: I like that during COVID you have to schedule your public skate session in advance so that they can control the number of people on the ice/in the building. It also makes for a more enjoyable session with less people. Masks are mandatory and I see everyone abiding by that. I was so impressed; immediately after myself and another family walked through the door, a young employee went to spray down the outside of the front door that we had touched. Taken together, this all made me feel safe. On buying skates: I am towards the beginner end but not a true beginner. I came in to buy figure skates expecting to walk out with very expensive Riedells. After talking to the staff about my needs and level, they suggested a Jackson Mystique. They fitted me and let me try on both the Jacksons and the Riedells and Caleb was right about the Mystiques being the best fit for my needs. I'm so impressed that they didn't try to make a quick buck by selling me something unsuitable - they care about getting the sizing and the boot right. I would recommend the rink for skating during COVID or for buying skates! Will be back for sure. :) read more

This place is a no the reason why is because the roof was cracked showing the installation which has fiberglass in it which is toxic to people the customer service was horrible they were rude when I told them about the fiberglass she said in a rude tone I will tell the manager. read more

The rink is decent enough. Moderately priced. WARNING FOR PARENTS OF YOUNG KIDS: They do not have skate trainers at this facility. So if you have a young child learning to skate, they will either have to hold the wall or hold onto you. Not ideal. Also, I came here with my 5-year-old son and was dismayed to hear that the music isn't censored for young audiences. We stayed for all of 10 minutes. Won't be going back -- at least not until he's much, much older. read more

Last week, I took my nephew here for his first class we signed up for through FF Recreation Authority. Immediately, a very nice man approached us and got us set up, got him his skates, explained everything to him and took great care of us. There were 2-3 other very nice and helpful staff there that I spoke to as well during my 2 hours there. All of the staff truly love the sport and you can tell it's their passion. I have been super impressed with the outstanding customer service and we've been back again and will continue. read more

Skate rentals are old and some tilted. Also, they do not sharpen the skate rentals often, making it very difficult for you to glide forward, especially if you take a class with them. Some teachers are amateurs, some are just enthusiasts and/or assistants that just started teaching and they can be replaced at any time. Old place, needs upgrades, no food court area. Ice is a mess during skating lessons/classes. Ok place if you know how to skate and need some practice, good location. read more

We are very happy with Fairfax Ice Arena! The kids wanted to go ice skating on Christmas Eve, they were all thrilled to be there & having a blast of a great time! Harry (Manager), Eric & Jessica were awesome and they made our visit there even more memorable. At first my little girl was scared to get on the ice and was hesitant to get back on the ice rink. I was showing her a video on YouTube (how to skate for beginners) and Harry the Manager approached us, greeted us and gave her a lesson on skating. The Manager Harry made my 4-year-old girl feel extremely special and she had a blast!! They cannot wait to go back!! read more

Fairfax Ice Arena is convenient for folks in Fairfax. You could drive further and find nicer rinks, bigger locker rooms and higher ceilings, but the location works for locals and sometimes "good enough" is good enough. They run a good men's hockey league and they are also a surprising hotbed of figure skating talent. The parking lot is always packed for a reason! read more

Fairly inexpensive for an evening of ice skating. Rentals are $4 and the price of admission varies from $7.50 to $8.50 for adults. Depending on when you go you can get anywhere from an hour and 15 minutes of skating time to three hours and 45 minutes to just skate around. My biggest concern comes with the ice quality, even when the ice had been resurfaced there are still visible cracks underneath the first layer of ice. I believe they build their ice over top concrete, which creates this problem. Many ice skating rinks have sand underneath which solves the problem of wavy cracks on the bottom of the ice. After a while of skating the ice is very choppy, more than i have seen anywhere I've Ice skated before. All in all if you are in the area and just want to ice skate indoors it's a great place, mainly because they have public skating sessions avaliable at least two to three times throughout the day.*NOTE* make sure you check their schedule before planning to go to check what times you will be able to skate. read more

My kids have learned to skate so amazing taking lessons and practicing here. They are also doing some improvement renovations to the place now. I particularly love that the hockey players are typically on at a totally different time from the figure skaters so I feel much safer here than at some rinks that often have both at the same time (which I think is very dangerous). The prices here are also very reasonable for both entry and at the pro shop. read more

We had a great time here! The venue is undergoing renovations and could definitely use it. However the staff is very helpful and the rink wasn't overcrowded on the Saturday afternoon we visited. My 7 year old had a great first skate here! Once the venue is updated they will earn at least one more star from me. read more

I love playing hockey, so much that I was willing to go along with a friend who was playing goalie for a team there just to see if I could maybe possibly play for them that evening. Yes, I rode outside of the beltway just for the possible chance to put on my smelly gear in hopes of getting on the ice for a second game of hockey in just as many days. Turns out, they needed a skater, and so I played. The rink is small compared to most rinks in the area, definitely not an NHL size rink. The locker rooms are more like storage closets with benches. No penalty box either, so my usual "saved seat" didn't even exist at this rink like it does at so many others. This is a bare bones rink, in a structure with a low ceiling, with questionable netting to protect the fans in the stands. However, it's an ice rink, and you can play hockey there or skate there. To me, that's good enough. read more

Good place to take the family to skate. There are plenty of free skate times on the weekends. The pricing is a little more than I would expect but you can usually find a bogo online easily. $9.25 for adults and $6.50 for kids and another $4 for skates. The ice is not bad but a bit choppy in spots. I enjoy taking my kids here and it's a safe and friendly environment. read more

I came here to buy skates so I can't speak for the rink itself. The last time I skated here was a decade ago when Michael Weiss frequented the facility. Everyone was really friendly especially the girl who helped me. I wish I remembered her name. She fitted me for the skates and made recommendations for what to get. She was very knowledgeable which was great. I'm really hoping the reviews about the rink itself is wrong because I really loved this place as a kid. read more

I came to buy blades at this rink. Marlon in the pro shop was very knowledgeable and professional. I think he is one of the best in this area. read more

NOT FOR NEW PLAYERS! Unless you are a developed player, strong skater and have played hockey for years, do not come here. The novice is ridiculous. It is comprised of teams with players from other leagues who come here to pummel a team of new players every year. This new team is comprised of all the brand new hockey players. Ususally, a league will place new players based on skill level based on where the team performed the last season. However this league is run with incredible laziness in that a lot of players from higher leagues play in this league for extra ice time and instead of placing new players based on skill, this league just clumps everyone together because it takes little to no effort doing that. The locker rooms are tiny, and each team has to move their gear from one locker room to another before and after games in order to have access to "showers". read more

I would have to spend a lot of money for a new skating shoes if the employee/owner wasn't honest and nice. I bought my kid's shoes used off Facebook. She had a growth spurt a few months ago so the shoes was too tight and gave her pain. We went to the shop trying to fit for a new shoes. The shop owner went on measuring her feet, inspected the shoes and told us we don't need to buy as the shoes was still very good and should be her size. My daughter was upset thinking we didn't listen to her that it was tight and painful. He talked patiently with my girl who was in pain after her class and didn't want to talk much, to understand the pain points. He took the shoes, did some works on it and then removed the inserts put in by the previous owner (I had no idea it was there). He taught my daughter a proper way to put the shoes on and made sure she was comfortable wearing it. He also replaced the screws on her old guards. He said we could do a stretch in a few more months if her feet grows. All the great service for $0.00. All the staff members I've talked to also pleasant as well. read more

Well, we had my son's 8th birthday party there.....First just making a reservation was difficult. I called and they said I needed to come in and make the reservation. So, I drove in and the girl that does the reservations was not there. There were two people walking around for about 20 min looking for her. I gave them my information, date, and how many kids would be coming. They said that no problem that she would call me that day or the next. I waited for two days and no call.....I called to make sure that we had the date reserved and when I was talking to her she acted like I was interrupting her, very short, sighing, and was just not friendly. The over charge for pizza (they order it through Papa Johns). We ordered three and two were correct the other was the wrong pizza and they did nothing. After that the kids just skated and that is one thing they did not screw up! Although I agree with some others on here.....The ice is terrible. We skate a lot and it is the worst ice we have skated on. Stay away from booking a party here! read more

I've been playing Ice hockey at Fairfax Ice Arena since about 1999. It is old and busted, and with newer facilities like Kettler Iceplex, it isn't exactly standing the test of time. They really need to knock it down and start over or do some hardcore renovation. The ice is always terrible here and very chippy, even after resurfacing. The only reason I stay is because the league is run fairly well and its location is convenient for me. read more

Went here for a mid-March Saturday evening skate (8:30 - 10:30). This place works for the 5-19 crowd (and usually their parents), but not for 20 and 30-somethings looking to do something romantic. The best part was when they announced "couples only" 5 or 6 times, and only half the kids cleared the ice. Good thing they all didn't -- it would have left maybe 6 people on the ice total, including me and my wife -- and we don't skate well enough for that much real estate. read more