We go every year and this was our 3rd year going to the Central Park Ice Skating. We usually go to the late afternoon session but we decided to try earlier session this time. I am not sure they are really controlling the crowds as the ice link looked quite crowded. Can't quote on the quality of ice link but I know they do resurfacing ice between sessions. If you need skate buddy, make sure to book ahead of time as they have limited quantity. The line for the skate rental can be long and it could take up to 20 minutes to rent one. No outside food allowed. They sell snacks and drinks. For the little kids, I think 2 hours are plenty for them to enjoy. read more

A fee of $25 includes skate rental for a 2-hour time slot during the day, with free community skate days on select Tuesdays in Nov/Dec. Though it's purportedly the largest ice skating rink in the bay area, I wasn't impressed. The crowds on black friday somehow made it feel miniature. Even though pre-purchasing tickets is a requirement (according to the website), there was a long line at entry in the beginning of the afternoon session, with just two staff members scanning tickets and placing bracelets on people's wrists, not the most efficient system. Service was strangely slow at the concessions stand too, even with a just a couple of customers waiting to order hot chocolate, candy, and other snacks and goodies on their very limited menu. The seating area had no shortage of lockers (locks available for puchase at the concessions stand) and shoe cubbies along one side, and was covered by a large tent sheltering skaters as they put on their skates. There were also a few porta potties hidden behind the tent but no restroom signs anywhere (I had to ask someone to find out). They don't offer half sizes so the worker recommended sizing down, and that was good advice as these skates happened to run large, especially at the forefoot. The skates were also seemingly in brand new condition and a bit uncomfortable, hard inside and not quite broken into. I didn't mind the classic christmas music playing in the background, a great way to get into the holiday spirit. String lights were hung above the rink, and I noticed a single christmas tree standing just outside the ice rink. But otherwise there was not much holiday decor on display the day after thanksgiving. Puddles formed on the sunny side of the rink during daylight, and the surface was rough along the edges, so much that I almost fell when I first tried out the ice. It reminded me of why I enjoy rollerblading on smooth ground more than gliding on ice in dire need of a zamboni. It also took a bit of time to get used to dodging the kids and inexperienced adult skaters, especially with a multitude of skate aids in use (giant plastic walkers which they really should limit, cuz how can people get around on the ice with so many of these taking up space on the floor at the same time?!?). To make matters worse, the staff does not enforce the rules here, so you'll find kids going in the wrong direction, people chain skating, and 4 or more teens holding hands while barely moving (cuz they don't know how to skate) interrupting the flow of traffic. My experience here was less enjoyable than I imagined it would be, but I still made the best out my time on the ice. I was glad to find easy parking too (street parking was free for the holiday weekend, but there's a parking garage on site as well). read more

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This was honestly a pretty nice place to skate depending on how many people there are. My friends and I came here on a Sunday for their 5-7pm session. We were able to buy tickets on-site using a QR code at 5:30pm and there was no hassle on getting our wristbands. There was a longish line to grab skates and the ice was really crowded. As more people got on the ice, it was a little hard to skate if you arnt supper confident in your abilities but as the session went on, more people left the ice so it became a little easier. The ice seemed pretty well maintained aside from the normal wear and tear of having people on the ice. At 7pm they made an announcement that the session had ended and had everyone exit. Overall a pretty good Christmas skate experience. read more

San Mateo On Ice - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Girl Scouts had an amazing time at the ice rink. The girls had an absolute blast !!! They loved the delicious hot cocoa too !!! Thank you sooooo much - we look forward to seeing you again next year. read more

San Mateo On Ice - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

This was pretty unpleasant as far as holiday activities go. It's chaotic, it's probably more dangerous than it needs to be and just poorly organized. To be fair we came as a backup plan when winter lodge in Palo Alto was sold out. We arrived and it already said closed for private event which was really strange bc then the kids at the register said it wasn't. Ski buddies (those plastic guide things) were already on a waitlist (like every other child related resource in the bay). Next, skates in my size were out, I settled for half size up. What a mistake bc their skates are ginormous in width so as soon as I got on the ice I knew this wasn't working. And helping my son around the rink was also... not working. The wait list for the skate buddies never let up (even though they were just kind of stranded in random areas or being tossed around by rowdy teens) and basically I could have had more fun setting $80 on fire than the riot-level crowds and strangely skating the counter direction of most ice places (which didn't help every right handed person in the room). I'll give them 2 stars for being one of very few all-in-one ice skating places and having cup o noodles for sale. read more

My kids had a really good time, but if you get the wrong type of skates then it can be really uncomfortable to skate. 100%, Reserve a skate buddy in advance if you don't know how to skate. Also, there was one employee who was really making the experience unpleasant for a lot of the attendees. He had a really rude attitude and wasn't very helpful. Luckily, all of the other employees were very accommodating and nice. There at least 3 different types of rental skates. The worst ones by far were the all plastic ones. They were easy to get on, but had no arch support in them whatsoever. I tried to return them for a different pair of skates and that one rude employee wouldn't even go check and said there are no other skates. Eventually, the rude employee rotated to the concession stand, so I went back to the rental booth and asked the kid who was working back there for a different pair of skates and he went back there, no problem and found them for me. He totally saved the day for me. The rude employee was also rude at the concession stand. Besides rushing people to order when there wasn't really any line. If there was an item that had run out, he would say "nope...all out". There was no way to tell what was actually available and he wouldn't say what was available and what wasn't. Then you were trying to make comments about customers under his breath to other employees, but it seemed as if the other employees didn't think he was very funny. It was a little sad to watch. When you're skating on the ice you do feel grooves that have been cut into the ice by previous skaters, so it won't be completely smooth. There are lockers and cubbies for your shoes and personal items. If you get there right when it starts for your session, you can use the locker. If you bring your own lock, that would be best as I didn't see anywhere to get one. Overall it's a fun experience if you bring kids or go with friends. Make sure to ask for different skates if yours aren't comfortable and you will have a good time. read more

San Mateo On Ice - Skating rink before the session started. - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Right after I booked a last minute spot for 5, I checked the reviews. Immediately set the expectations low as there were poor reviews about the skates, the ice and the staff. We booked their first spot at 5. They didn't start checking people in until 4:50, that's fine. Super nice at check-in. Went right to the skate rental since some reviews said the line took forever. Had to swap 4 times between the five of us. The rental skates weren't high end but what do you expect.... They worked. Ice was fresh from the Zamboni, didn't notice any issues other than some of the perimeter edge only. Definitely saw enough staff on the ice checking on anyone who fell. For the value it was fantastic, $22 for 2 hours on ice, good hot chocolate too. I would think later evenings might be busier or more beat up ice but our trip was great! read more

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When you reserve the skate buddy online, it's paired with the session with no mention that it's only for an hour. So when the buzzer went off, it was somewhat of a surprise and disappointment to the child. With only 20 minutes left in the session, who would rent it again... just create a price that makes it last the entire session! read more

They double booked our reservation and bumped a group of kids for a corporate event. The kids were so upset as well as the parents. Terrible customer service. The guy at the booth was rude and so unyielding considering it was their mistake!!! read more

Had so much fun here! It's invigorating and fun for children but also fun if you're going with friends, loved ones or your partner! There are lights all around, it was beautiful.. read more

Came here Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It was mostly families with a few teenagers. We specifically chose the San Mateo skate rink as we were coming with our 5 year old and it's her first time skating. There were a good number of other families with young kids on the ice. Their smallest skate size is kids 8. They have ~2 hour open skate windows -- on the day we came, it was 12-2, 2:30-4:30, 5-7pm. You have to buy tickets digitally, but you can do so once you arrive. It was ~$22 per skater (including skate rental) and +$11 (e.g., $33) if you'd like skater + skate buddy option. The skate buddy is great for my daughter. Overall, it adds up quick -- was ~$79 for 2 adults + 1 child. But, it seemed to be priced about the same as other places (like Winter Lodge in Palo Alto, Union Square, San Jose). The front desk and skate rental seems to be run by high schoolers? college kids? Basically, young and polite people, but not particularly empowered if you have any issues / complaints about their rules/facilities. Overall, had a good experience. I'd recommend for families looking for a casual skate outing -- just be aware of the prices as it is a bit pricey for an afternoon. read more

We hosted a birthday party and rented both tents. Maybe because it was the first weekend of the season, we didn't find it crowded. Also, reserving a private space and skater buddies ahead of time was really helpful and made our experience great. Outside food isn't allowed, unless you're renting a tent. At check in, all of my party wristbands and skating buddy tickets were ready and organized for me in a bag. None of my guests had problems getting skates and skater buddies. The skater buddies are only supposed to be rented for an hour. But it seems they allow the private parties to keep them the entire session since they were reserved and prepaid for. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. There some string lights and lit up trees that add to the ambiance. It's also in a nice little park that's pleasant to walk around. Parking can be tricky. There's a small pay garage underneath the tennis courts which is next to the ice skating. I'm not from San Mateo, so I didn't know that the ice skating is on top of the baseball field, next to the tennis courts. There is also free 2 hour street parking (no restrictions after 6pm) further out along the perimeter of the park. But the walk isn't too long, unless you're pulling a wagon full or party food and supplies like I was. read more

Too much water in ice. And the staff who are supposed to be removing it are not efficient.

Had a TERRIBLE experience here. Reserved (and paid for!) 50 tickets for a Cub Scout children's event months in advance and on the day of the event, the management decided to push out our reservation so they could host a higher paying corporate event. The kids were crushed and the management did NOTHING to address the issue. STAY AWAY. read more

The rental shoes are disastrous; we had to go three times to get shoes for my son (one was fixed shoelaces that were stuck in position, the next was a ratchet style shoes with 2 of the six ratchets stuck, so the shoes would not open). Compared to the Ice Oasis in Bridgepoint mall, it's inferior in every category (shoes rental, ice quality, crowdedness) read more

This place is great!!! Omg love love love all of it! Very easy to check in and get your ticket for your skates Staff is very nice and welcoming Ice rink is very clean Skates were great! I had a lot of fun Over all 5 stars can't wait to come back read more

San Mateo On Ice - Ohh I'm excited - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Holiday outdoor ice rinks have a certain charm to them that draws people in. I've seen the one in Central Park go up each year around November and come down in early January. Every time I walk or drive by, it's full of people (except when it's raining) - many families, young children, and teenagers or 20 somethings. Last year, I stopped by one unseasonably warm and sunny day and saw kids falling into the melted puddles, watched them get up with wet pants and thought, nah, not for me. This year, I finally went to check it out on a nice chilly evening, no puddles. I overall had a good time but there's room for improvement. The check-in process is fairly straightforward and simple. Make sure to complete the waiver online before getting in line to pay/get your wristband as they'll ask you for your name to check the status of your waiver. I can't speak to the skate rental experience since I brought my own skates. There are many seats where you can put on skates and cubbies to store your shoes. Unfortunately, it had rained the few days prior and most of the seats in the uncovered section were still a little wet. it would have been nice if they had wiped down the seats before the session so there would be more seats. The rink was pretty busy but not so crowded that you can't skate around people. As expected, there are traffic jams at the two doors to get on/off the rink. Many people hug the walls so if you're wall hugger, anticipate possibly needing to skate around someone or wait. It's a decently sized rink, but if you can skate fairly well, it doesn't take long to go one lap around. They don't zamboni often, if at all during a session. I was there for almost 2 hours. The ice got pretty rough after the first hour but the zamboni wasn't used at all. I might go back next year just for funsies, but I would go early while the ice is smooth and in the evening when it's hard and not puddly. read more

We had fun as there was a nice prep area with storage bins and the ice was well groomed for skating. The rental skates were actually pretty good. We all had fun. The skate buddy was perfect for my younger one who didn't know how to skate yet. read more

Not great for kids or inexperienced folk. The kids skates don't have the front divots to help push off and stop. The rink isn't cold enough so there is a thin layer of water that covers the ice making it extra slippery and no way to stay dry if you fall. My daughter was so disappointed in her skills after having a great time at a different rink. read more

I felt it was a bit sloppy with requesting the skates as well as getting the skate buddy. It was overly crowded and they should really just cap the times by age groups? It would of been more enjoyable. $33/skate buddy with skate rental including a surcharge on reserving it online. read more

San Mateo On Ice - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Was a very fun experience for my inexperienced 8 year old who wanted to try ice skating. Don't know if it was because we came late to our 5-7 pm session that we experienced no wait to get skates or skate buddies. Make sure to reserve your skate buddy they were in high demand. I always saw staff on the ice checking in on people that fell. Had like one rude adult skater encounter, but overrall everyone young and old was having a good time. Would definitely come again. read more

Here's very detailed and fairly contrary review to most others here: the rink overall is a pretty good experience and I think it deserves a higher rating. I'd certainly go again. TL;DR tips: show up 15 min early, otherwise you spend an insane 30-60 minutes in line for skates, and the rink is far less crowded the session's first half. Try on skates near the window and immediately replace any that collapse at the ankles. Skates: 3.5-4 stars. I thought the skates were just fine! A little dull? Probably. Tended to collapse at the ankle? The off-white/grey ones yes, which was annoying but only my right skate was collapsing; if it's bad for you (see Annika's photo 2023-12-10, I imagine staff would be happy to replace. Smelly? I didn't notice anything. Damp? Ever so slightly, which was whatever. Laces wet? Yes, which wasn't awesome but they're very long and get dragged all over the floor...it's to be expected. I think people are coming in with expectations of high service; save that for the indoor rinks and the Winter Lodge in Palo Alto, or maybe not even then. This is a seasonal rink presumably without a permanent staff and manned by random teenagers. Ice quality: 4 stars. it's about average; it's about the same as at Winter Lodge and, from what I could see, is far better than Union Square's in SF. I didn't see standing water as noted by others; in sunlight I could imagine it being a problem though. The ice is a little beat up with some un-Zamboni-able grooves and divots, as to be expected, but I skated aggressively for 2-3 hours and didn't fall a single time because of surface quality problems. As for others' experiences, perhaps those less steady on their skates will have a more challenging time. Skate rental staff: 2.5 stars. Pretty whatever. There's a 3-5 person team of high schoolers, sans supervision and clearly doing their job perfunctorily, handing out skates to like 150 adults and children. Not that young employees can't do good work, but you'd think these folks were working the counter at the Gap on a Tuesday morning based on their pace and sense of urgency. Which leads me to the line... (On-ice supervisors: 4.5 stars. They never failed to skate to someone who fell and ask if they were OK, and they were consistently polite, if supremely lifeless, when asking people to not sit on the side barriers.) Line: 1 star. This alone would usually downgrade my overall experience to 2-3 stars. I showed up at 5:10 pm for my 5-7 pm skate session, waited several minutes for ticket scanning, then a maddening FORTY MINUTES to get skates. I wasn't skating until 6 or 6:10, by which time I had less than an hour to skate and the ice was already worn. Granted this was the Friday night before Christmas weekend, so maybe it was especially bad, but other Yelpers have also complained. Psst it's possible I waited throughout the 7-7:30 pm Zamboni session and got back on the ice at 7:30... Rink crowding: 3.5-4 stars. This is not nearly as bad as Union Square, and somewhat more crowded than Winter Lodge. This rink sells probably a few too many tickets, but if you're a slow skater, you're going with the flow of traffic anyway and if you're speedy, skater density is such that you not only can skate your way through others but it's a lot of fun. The line for skates is so damned slow that, if you get on the ice right on time, literally 75% of the rest of the skaters are still in line and only slowly trickling in, so the rink feels veery spacious. i.e., get there early if you want elbow room! Rink size: 5 stars. Bigger than Union Square and Winter Lodge. Gives you straights to pick up speed and more center area for spins, turns, and other shenanigans. Other comments: -Yes, they have walkers for beginners, and plenty of them from what I saw -Sure, there are some annoying skaters but nothing you won't find at every single other rink. Probably 30% are wallhuggers, 30% are teens ranging from polite to traffic-inducing Insta queens, 30% are kids ranging from stationary inepts to uncircumspect speed demons, and some normal people. -Parking isn't a problem -The rink isn't as well illuminated as I think it should be, but it wasn't a problem -I wish they'd alternate direction of travel with sessions but they don't. Let that be an indicator of the attention to detail at this establishment. All in all, would recommend. If you follow a couple pro-tips, you'll most likely have a great time! read more

Prior to entering the skating rink there's a QR code leading you to the website to complete the waiver. Must be 18 years and older or accompanied by an adult. Once completed the ladies at the front ask for your last name and each name you signed a waiver for. Once confirmed they provide you with a wristband. At the booth you purchase your skating tickets (Standard $17 Premium $20 -pricing based on dates you go) and can also rent a skate trainer for $10. I definitely recommend this if your kids are beginners at skating. This location doesn't have a height limit to rent one of these. You get tickets to get your skates at a different booth. We grabbed our skates and I've noticed each time that the workers are spraying the shoes with deodorizer and wearing gloves while handing out the skates. I've used them right after someone else had them on and the shoe was still warm. Bring extra socks to have clean socks after. I've been on the ice right at opening, after being resurfaced, and late at night. Skating in the day is hot with the sun in your face and the ice melting. Skating at night is cold but the ice is hard and not watery. The traffic tends to move in one direction (counter clockwise) but there's a few stragglers going the complete opposite direction. There's plenty of stations with sanitizer around the entire area. Theres areas to place your shoes and places to sit and rest. There's portable toilets and areas to wash your hands with water and soap. The front booth sells snacks and hot chocolate. There's parking in a garage close to the entrance or street parking. They offer several free skate days which include the skate rentals and skating. You still have to pay for the skate trainer and can only use it for one hour. The staff can improve on having people go in one direction, not stop in the middle of the ice for pictures, and just overall being more attentive and welcoming. It's a spacious skating rink and can be an enjoyable time when the staff regulate and manage the crowd. read more

San Mateo On Ice - Shoe cubes. - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Took three teenagers here. Within ten minutes of putting on the skates, two of the kids had broken laces. Then the third discovered that they had been given two different sizes of mismatched skates. When they went to exchange the skates, my daughter was told they didn't have a replacement in her size, so they gave her another mismatched pair. Then the laces broke on one of the replacement skates. I asked for a refund, and the manager immediately went and tried to track down suitable skates. But by this time the kids were frustrated and spent, so he gave us complementary passes for a return trip. I'm really not sure if we will use the complementary passes. Such a downer. read more

-skates were old, nasty, moldy, and unstable to the point where the blades were not under my feet -felt very unsafe skating, too crowded -bought tickets online only to wait in a long line getting there -understaffed -changed normal direction of skating which made it feel more dangerous especially when there are many children read more

San Mateo On Ice - the rental skates - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'm not an experienced ice skater, but I've been skating for years and really enjoy it! Unfortunately, the ice here wasn't Zamboni-smoothed and was uneven. On top of that, the skates weren't properly aligned, which made me feel very shaky as soon as I stepped onto the ice. I wouldn't come back here, even just for fun. read more

I'm a cosplayer and was looking for an ice skating rink to do photos. The staff were so nice to me and loved that I was dressed up! All of the other skaters and families in general were so kind and were so polite. The ice is pretty puddly when it's sunny, but it was a great spot for a photoshoot! A very welcoming place & well organized :) read more

San Mateo On Ice - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Cute place to come and spend an hour. They have these funny plastic things you can rent which you can hold onto if you are too scared of slipping on the ice. I don't know if it was just my feet but the skates fit fine heel to toe but were too tight on my ankles laterally. Otherwise no complaints read more

San Mateo On Ice - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Too many on the rink the same time not allowing this to skate freely . For those you are jsut learning it's impossible to skate when it gets overcrowded. They shoo limit as to how many skater can be in the ice rink at the same time to be able to enjoy the 2 hours . On Sunday they held a private event but the time they opened to the public and be in line for 20 minutes then another line for the skates took almost an hour of our time and they closed at 9 pm so I feel robbed out of our time definitely not retuning read more

This was a great time! We went as soon as they opened at 12. It wasn't crowded at all. Employees were nice and offered tips on how to skate. Very friendly. Kids were happy! read more

They charged for two hours and I only got to skate for an hour. The price reflected online was different then the actual cost that was charged. Overall it was ok, but probably won't go there again. read more

Ice is to water! If your experience hockey player don't waste your time there! Place is a joke! To many people fall!

The setting is lovely. The parking is easy, or at least it was for the noon session. The ice was wet and uneven, but you cant' really expect better when the air temperature is around 60 degrees. The workers are friendly and polite. The session began a little late, but probably only about 5 minutes. I brought my own skates, which were a bit tight, so i then tried the ones that came with the admission. Huge! I even went down a size from my usual shoe size. Still huge. And I couldn't skate on too-large skates, though I began skating at 5, and een trained as a figure skater for 6 years (though that was decades ago). Beware badly fitting skates! read more

The shoes is so wobbling. I exchanged for 3 times and it still not worked. After 2 hours ice skating, my feet are so hurt. Won't go again.

Staff is so friendly and my kids love this place! Go on a cool day because we went when it was warm and ice was melting. A little pricey if you have a lot of people going, but rentals were easy and they have hot cocoa! read more

The staff was very friendly and helpful. the ice skates and hot chocolate were good. the ice was terrible. it didn't seem at all like they used a Zamboni. There were clumps of ice all over and some divots as well. My wife, who is a good skater, fell hard catching one of the ice clumps. read more

I brought my daughter to this ice skating twice in a week during Christmas of 2023. My daughter loved it. After ice skating we ate ramen within a block away. This ice skating place is awesome. It's easy to find a parking spot comparing to ice skating place at Union Square of San Francisco. I highly recommend! read more

Pros - line moves quickly, cute set up, appreciate the skate buddy Cons - skates are super worn out (all our feet were in pain), shoe laces STINK, limited sizes (my son had to wear skates that were two sizes too big for him bcoz they ran out of his size). All in all, I expected more for family outing that cost over $100 for 4 ppl. read more

This central San Mateo located outdoor ice skating rink has become one of my favorites every year now with the family. You should reserve a ticket for everyone online before coming--but this is true for almost every crowded event nowadays. But at least here, it is usually not too crowded like many other rinks, and it is one of the larger sized outdoor rinks. Below are the highlights: -- parking is easy and found everywhere around this Central Park. There's a Starbucks across the street on the downtown side that has backdoor parking and bathrooms. -- In 2021, the cost is around $17-$20 per person, depending if a holiday/busy night and includes skate rental--no time limit applies -- there are large tables, and separate skate change areas to put your shoes in a cubby that you can see from the rink (just don't put valuables there obviously) -- they have the best "skate buddies" that I've seen--these large blue and heavy plastic things are like "walkers". They are great for beginners because they are big and have plenty of places to grab on to, as well as for me as the dad to help push from behind. They do a charge a rental fee additional for the "skate buddies." -- staff are Friendly and not verbally abusive like I've seen at many other rinks. These folks don't yell and berate guests for not understanding "skating protocol." -- there is a small snack stand at the front for cocoa and coffee and chips, but not much more than that. Granted, ice skating at Union Square has a really cool ambiance, but this is right in our backyard on the peninsula and we don't have to hunt for parking in San Francisco! This is easy! read more

San Mateo On Ice - As of Sunday 12/5/21 at night - Community Centers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the rink!! Knowing that this is a seasonal outdoor rink, I was not expecting fancy skate rentals, perfectly smooth ice, or white glove service. The skates worked perfectly fine. The ice was a little bumpy/rough in some spots but was also completely adequate for me as someone who has skated before but is certainly not an expert. We showed up a few minutes before our session (as recommended by the ticket) and didn't have to wait to get skate rentals. Overall, we had a lovely time and will absolutely return next year! read more