People have been moving on ice for a long time. Thousands of years ago, they glided on animal bones. Back then, people skated out of need. They had to travel to survive. But today, ice skating is fun. People zip around and do tricks. From rinks to lakes, there are cool places to cruise!
People make ice rinks in famous places. One is at Rockefeller Plaza. That’s in New York City. Skaters can look up at skyscrapers. They can see the Rockefeller Christmas tree.
In 2023, there’s a rink at the White House. That’s where the U.S. president lives. This is the White House’s first rink in 43 years. First lady Jill Biden showed it off. The rink will be open to local students, military families, and .
Near London, England, there’s a rink at Hampton Court Palace. King Henry VIII used to live there in the 1500s. London has another rink outside of Somerset House. That’s an art gallery. The rink has lights and music!
Austria takes ice skating to another level. Vienna Ice Dream lets skaters scoot on two stories. Ice ramps connect the levels. There are ice paths through a park.
Other skating spots are made by nature. Lakes, rivers, and can freeze. If the ice gets thick, it can be safe to skate on! Russia’s Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake. Skaters zip around it!
In Canada, people can go on Lake Louise. That water is usually famous for being blue. But in winter, it gets icy! There’s another skating spot in Ottawa, Canada. The Rideau Canal freezes. It becomes the world’s largest skating rink! It is 4.8 miles (7.8 km) long.
Back at the White House, Jill Biden thought of frozen canals from her childhood. “An ordinary town ,” she said. “Glittering as if it were covered in magic.”
Will you experience the ice magic?
Updated December 5, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Ashley Morgan
