This rink has been around for 30yrs. They have exceptional front desk, staff and a high-quality cleaning team and a good rink management staff to keep the ice in good shape. Some of the nuts they use in games are a little worn out and needs to be replaced but for the most part, things are pretty good here. I would recommend and I will return. 4/5 stars. read more

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Probably been at least 15 years since I went ice skating, but it really does come back to you. Since I'm in my 50s, I decided to rent the little helper--basically a walker on ice--and honestly it was the best idea. No need to risk breaking anything, and getting up off the ice at my age would've been a whole event! It also let me race my grandson who was learning, which was way more fun than I expected. We were at the Pettit for our granddaughter's 10th birthday party and had our own room. The kids had lemonade, hot dogs, and chips, and we could bring in our own dessert, which made things easy. I'll definitely be more sore than the 10-year-olds for the next few days but it was an absolute blast! read more

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I have been skating at the Pettit since I was 2 years old. I have watched the place blossom into what it is now. It is a family friendly place. Between their public skating on the oval in winter, learn to skate classes, run/walk track, figure skating ice time, short and long track speed skating, and their youth and adult hockey leagues, the place is always busy. Especially between September and end of April. read more

I haven't be ice skating since my injury ~10 years ago, and this was a great place to try again. Open skate is hosted on the speed skating track instead of a traditional rink. There's plenty of benches around the track to stop for breaks. Pricing for open skate wasn't too bad. Including skate rental, it worked out to $15/person. They also have rentable skate helpers and were willing to double-stack them. read more

Let's hear it for Dan Jansen! I've been to Pettit for their walk/run track, as well as recently this winter for the ice skating loop. Skating on a Friday night is popular, but that's cool! I'm glad this place gives families and teens something to do other than play in the streets! Rental is easy, or BYO! There's a small entry fee, but you can't beat the HUGE (did I say YUGE) ice track! I mean, it's like 10 lanes wide! There were two youth hockey games going on in the middle ice. Highly recommend for ice skating and walk/running. read more

It's been over 10 years since I went ice skating so I felt nervous coming here. It ended up being a lot of fun! There are tons of people here but there is plenty of room and everyone demonstrates various level of skill. My husband and I mainly stayed near the center (which is slower) but occasionally we were able to work our way towards the outer rings which are faster and more fun! Pricing isn't too bad and they have good hours. I hope to come here again before I leave Wisconsin! read more

Amazing space to ice skate and the ice seems well cared for, but the rental skates need help. We went here on New Year's Eve and it was packed!! The staff handled the crowds well (as far as skate rentals and ice maintenance went). They did not have an easy job as the place was swarming with people. When we arrived there was no line to buy tickets. I believe it was $9 for entrance to skate and $4.50 to rent skates. The price has gone up since the last time I was there, but it seems reasonable. The line for skate rentals was really long. It was a zoo in that area and there were only two people working this section. It seems like they could have used another person, but they worked quickly to shrink the line and get people their skates. The one big disappointment about the night was the condition of the skates. The boots were ripped to shreds with the padding exposed all over the skates. It didn't make for a comfortable skate. Also, the laces were chewed up so badly, it was like trying to weave a handful of limp angel hair pasta trough a tiny hole. It took me a good 10 minutes just to lace my skates. I believe these skates should have been retired long ago. Also, without any knowledge in this area, I would guess the blades were dull. I roller blade and just went ice skating somewhere else (also with skates that were in bad condition) but was able to get my bearings within a few minutes. By the end of that previous night, I was trying out little tricky things and was pretty comfortable on the skates. I never got my bearings on the skates at the Pettit center, so my guess is the blades were dull. I just can't confirm that. The ice was pretty chopped up when we got there. It was tough to skate on, but it was also extremely busy so it made sense the ice would be chopped up. Within 15 minutes, we were ushered off so the Zamboni could come in to clean up the ice. It was much better after that! All in all it was a really fun evening! I'd definitely go again, but would probably find some used skates to bring to avoid renting their skates again. read more

I was verbally harassed and berated by an older woman receptionist today. Kindness goes a long way and this employee did not exhibit any. I will avoid this Ice Center going forward. read more

Family friendly, casual and self paced. Get the kids the skate helper, you will appreciate the flexibility for the new skaters

Everything over all was okay I suppose, but there was this man that was really rude to me for no reason. I've fallen on ice a lot, I feel on my head once so I'm a bit scared when ice skating. I won't say my exact age but I'm not super old I'm a teen. I asked to rent one of those things where you hold on to it whilst skating the man selling it was acting like he was doing me a big favor and being short with me. I walked away and he came up to me without warning and pulled my ice skate lace and said "it's to loose." I don't really like people getting in my personal space so this was not the best. Then after a lap or two I decided that I was just going to give the thing back after getting dirty looks from passing people. He took it back in which was fine that after maths but he was still acting like he did me a big gustier after for one I payed to use it. Now I had fun with my friends but this dampened the energy of the whole trip. P.s the photo is not me but how I felt. read more

Well, I'm not a skater; ice, roller or otherwise. I am, however, a jogger and a walker. Used to be a runner, but the 'ole knees and back...well... I digress. I've come to appreciate the Petit National Ice Center for the three-laned walking/running track that surrounds the two ice rinks in the middle of the facility. I've used it now only five times in the past couple of weeks, but it will from hereon always be my go-to jogging venue when the weather is just too d--n cold or wet to walk outside, which is my passion. (How I hate aerobic machines and tread mills!). Admission to the facility, for the day, is $4.00 if you pay as you go, or they have passes you can buy for multiple visits at a fair discount. The track is a professional, hard rubberized surface and very easy to walk on. So far, each time I've been there, piped in music has played that, appropriately, one can keep time to when striding... almost akin to dancing. There is plenty of room on the track, which I figure is roughly a quarter mile around. Rules are that if you are a slower runner/walker than others, you are to use the outside lane(s); walkers are asked to use the outermost lane. Everyone has been considerate, nice and has followed the rules each time I've been there. Just a suggestion: When using the track, make sure you are dressed appropriately because I'm guessing the temperature inside the ice arena/track facility is about forty degrees or less. There are, sometimes, events on the weekends during which time they close the running track to the public, so you may want to give them a call before your first visit if it is on a weekend. Otherwise, before you leave the location, you can check the schedule(s) to plan your next visit. Parking is aplenty in the large lot. read more

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I participated in the 2018 marathon relay and it is an incredible place to run. It is little longer than the conventional track at 443m (inside lane), but it is a good distance to work on any speed work or even so long runs. It is definitely cold it being an Olympic ice track as well as holding two hockey rinks. During our relay we would run two laps then switch between four runners. It definitely got cold waiting for our next lap, but I would imagine if you were running for some distance you would warm up much better. I run hot so I think it would have been ok for me, but since I was only doing two laps at a time, even I got cold. So bring some layers. There is a spectators section upstairs called the Hall of Fame room that is warm and just have some windows overlooking the entire arena. I was glad since I didn't want my wife and daughter freezing next to the ice. There is an elevator that will take you up, but it's a little scary. The bathrooms up there do not have a changing table so my wife had to go back down to the main level to change then go back up. That was kind of annoying. The concession stand is on the lower level beneath the track and ice rinks. Kinda small but it's something. Nothing too impressive there. Overall a great arena with some things I wish were better like the temperature (which might be hard to control) and the bathroom/food (which is in their control) read more

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Love coming here with my family! We come here a couple times a year. Great for kids! Snacks available for purchase as well.

Great experience, got personal help. Def coming back!!! Prices are reasonable and it's just a great community!

We've come to the Pettit a few times over the years for open skating and recently decided to sign our kids up for skating school. The facility itself is amazing and lots of fun for the whole family! We found a few hiccups in the skating school process, for example they didn't give a lot of advance direction as to where to go on the first day or when to get there (the first day was chaos and it would've helped to be a bit early), however once we got the routine down it was great. Also, the skating school is part of a national program and there are a bunch of perks to joining it, but they didn't explain any of those perks, and we first found out about them when we got a packet in the mail almost 4 weeks into the 6 week session. Overall, our kids had a blast in the first session and their progress has been amazing. We found the skating school to be well worth the cost and plan to go back for the next session. read more

"This is Olympic ice. There are only 11 similar facilities in the world. It is 1/4 mile around the track." These were some of the first words out of the mouth of our ice skating instructor. After our daughter completed the Basic 1 skating class and begged to do the second class, my wife and I figured we should get some ice skills as well. So, here we are standing on the ice in Adult 1 learning how to fall. Yep, you heard right. Before you learn how to skate (not to fall) you have to learn to how to fall. The good news for both of us was that the only times we fell were when we were told to fall. We were able to advance to the next level right away.... What's great about the place? Well, there is much going on. The outside of the quarter mile speed skating track is a running track. On one visit there was an indoor relay marathon being held. There are two full size ice rinks on the inside of the track. There are usually hockey games or ice dancers playing/performing. The lessons are great. There are literally dozens of lessons for virtually every age and skill level. The teachers we've encountered are great. They make the time you spend feeling like a completely uncoordinated fool fun. Once again, another great Milwaukee gem. Take advantage of it! read more

Pettit National Ice Center - Skating Lessons for all ages! - Skating Rinks Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

If you're stuck in western Milwaukee in terrible weather, this is a fantastic place to run. It's only four dollars, less if you buy a package of tickets. The track is slightly more than a quarter of a mile, and while you run you can watch all kinds of interesting things. Two skating ranks in the middle, and a speedskating oval with Olympic athlete training. read more

Pettit National Ice Center - The indoor running track. With speed skating oval in the middle - Skating Rinks Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We came here for the I-94 Sprints, which is an annual speedskating competition where they hold a short-track race on a long track. My little guy is a PeeWee skater (age 8), so this was our first time racing in this place. There is no shortage of parking when you get here. It's a huge lot that borders the expressway. Inside, there's a small lobby considering the size of the skating venue. Inside, you are immediately taken by its vastness. There are 2 hockey rinks in the middle, surrounded by a huge oval speedskating track. The ice is pristine, a seemingly thin but glass-like sheet that is superb to any local skating rink you've been to. There is a running track around the ice perimeter and there are indoor joggers in their shorts running laps even while skating is taking place on the ice. A small metal bleacher section of seats is off to the right, but there is no main seating section considering that this is a premier ice rink. You have to bring your own chairs since the bleachers are not a great place to be. Nobody sat in them during the Sprints. Getting to the skating area means taking a stairway down through a tunnel that goes under the long track and passes by all the hockey locker rooms before you go up some stairs and emerge in the middle of the ice facility. There are benches for the skaters and their gear, but those are not for spectators. The long track has padded sidewalls since skaters going at full speed can have a serious injury if they hit a wall on a turn. These red pads are the thickest mats I've seen at any venue. The ice is beautiful and it made the racing here that much better. Where my Peewee is about 18 seconds for a 100 m lap on the ice back home, he made 100 m in 16.2 seconds on this surface. Though they had 2 resurfacings during the competition, the condition of the ice was good even without the extra Zamboni time. If there is any complaint, it is not a spectator friendly venue. A grandstand area above the ice would be beneficial since you can't observe the entire race. You see the skaters coming around the turn, go past the bend and disappear for a while. Then you briefly spot them going by on the opposite side before disappearing again. The track needs an elevated viewing area where you can see the skaters from above. Also, the halls and the tunnel look dingy, considering this is a world-class facility. Brighter walls and floor would make a huge difference. But when it comes to the skating, there's probably no place like it in the Midwest. read more

Great place to skate or run. They have two full sized rinks and a speed skating loop, many classes to explore different types of skating for all ages. read more

As an Olympic training and qualification site I suppose it's a five star place as there's nothing else around here that can compare, but I don't ice skate. In spite of my family being Sri Lankan, I do have a couple of nieces that skate, and they were impressed with an event they had here, but I think that was more because they recognized some regionally famous skaters working out here. I was oblivious. I found the place crowded and the staff to be rather indifferent. They do seem to favor people who know what they are doing, but it's the confused newcomers like me that actually need the most guidance and assistance. I'm more of a low-involvement spectator type for winter sports, and the choices for observing are very limited and not at all comfortable. Restrooms need updating. Concessions are not all that enticing. If you're a jogger or training for a running event, there's an indoor track around the skating rinks which is probably very nice in the middle of Milwaukee winter but also not really my cup of tea. read more

Pettit National Ice Center - Skating cute - Skating Rinks Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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My go to place for running in bad weather. Which in Wauwatosa means five months out of the year. During those months, the three lane track is a godsend. And I am use myself watching the speedskaters, hockey players, or figure skaters as I run. It makes the time go quickly. Most people are pretty good about sharing the space on the three lane track. No small feat, considering sometime throughout college students during their speed workouts along with people walking fairly slowly. But it all works out. read more

This is pro athlete stuff, right here. Olympic style! It used to be outdoors, but now is enclosed, and is a hive of activity on a Saturday. There are speedskating meets going on, people running, classes, lots of stuff for kids. Good, clean, icy fun! Milwaukee is lucky to have an asset like this. read more

We signed our 5 year old up for Snow Plow Sam skating lessons. I was so impressed with how organized the entire team and building were. They had to get a ton of kids and parents into the building at the same time for lessons but all the lines kept moving quickly and efficiently. The two coaches she has were great with younger, timid kids. Great job! read more

Where else can you skate on an official Olympic-trial speedskating track? I got to attend a qualifier here and it was awesome. Although no one should ever have thighs the size of the speed skaters. Ridiculous. It's like custom made jeans for life. Great group of times for open skates and such, although I've yet to come in for open hockey. Plenty of classes offered for several age groups in both hockey and figure skating (finger painting? - watch the Cutting Edge). Pretty cheap price for the name, and it's got decent access and plenty of parking. Come Halloween, you can skate and outfit your kids in costumes from the giant pumpkin outside... read more

For being someone who actively spends a sizable portion of her time on rollerskates, I really don't do well with the whole ice-skating thing. Trust me, it's not pretty. Not at all. When I was a kid, though? That was different. I loved ice-skating... I adored it and I laced-'em up and hit that frozen patch of water behind the house on the absolute regular. I thought I was Nancy freaking Kerrigan. (I did go as her for Halloween once, but that was wayyyy different. Ask me about it sometime.) At any rate, were I to want to try to relive the carefree days of my youth by thinking I could still spin and leap on those cursed, evil blades I would head to the Pettit National Ice Center. Turn and leap (then) = smash knee, face on a cruel cold surface (now). The Pettit is world-class, make no mistake. People that go to the Olympics train here, or so I've heard. The track is all regulation and whatnot, and you'll catch folks playing hockey and doing triple lutzes and skating absolutely ridiculous circles around you both on the track itself as well as in the two inside arenas/areas/rinks. There's also a running track that goes round the outside (round the outside) of the ice for those who prefer their cardio chilled, and life off blades. Kiddies have birthday parties here, folks who love ice-skating, hockey, and speed skating hang out here, and occasionally, you'll see someone like me who's on an adventure and can't stop falling down and laughing their frozen tuckus off. The Pettit = something absolutely awesome to hit up in MKE, especially in summer when it's a bazillion degrees out. (You folks on that ice may think you bad, but let me put you on rollerskates once. We'll see what's up then.) read more

You haven't been truly abused until you go into the sports store here. The secret is to ask for a skate sharpening or hockey stick cut. Put your phone on record and watch the miserable man go into action. It's a real treat to make him do his job. And don't forget story time with mr miserable . My favorite one is when he brags about sharpening skates for forty years with the same cut , no matter what is requested . Kind of touching how he brags about deceiving parents and small children . If the Ice Center management reads this , please bring him into a room with everyone he has offended and have a intervention . Going to need a big room from what I understand . Better yet an exorcism may be better. read more

Wow I really wish I could ice skate. I gave it a try and didn't fall at all but just wish I could zip around and be as carefree as the skaters I saw. In my defense, this was only my second time on ice skates and I didn't fall so I guess I did ok. Enough about me! The Pettit National Ice Center was amazing! I have never been there before and was just blown away at it's massive size. We attended an open skate on a Friday night to take our Cub Scouts out to learn to skate. All of us were very excited to see where the Olympians train. I was pleasantly surprised at all the different areas and things they offer. I now know that I can walk the outside track vs. skating if I choose to while my son can zip by on the ice. Great for groups, great for families, great for skaters of all ages. I can't believe I have never been at the Pettit before but now that I have, I will be back! read more

Great quality ice and skates the experience is as good as it gets. Yesterday me and my family went ice skating and we all had lots of fun. Ice skating is lots of fun and this was a great place to learn. I would definitely would recommend this place. read more

Food is good we came here on a sat when there were games going on. Lots of sales too! Baked good and the guy who was selling hot dogs was cheering on his sons team for selling hot dogs so they got the community involved since I don't have any kids In hockey. It was fun to cheer a team on even If it was just for hot dog sales! read more

Pettit National Ice Center - Skating Rinks Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

If I could give zero stars I would. Signed my daughter up for a summer "sports camp". I was hesitant to leave her there because the sign in process consisted of me writing my name on a piece of paper. There was no organization and there were no adults in charge. They were all either high school or college kids who gave zero f*cks about what they were supposed to be doing. When I picked her up on day 1, I found that the children had been drawing outside with chalk. Seemed cute until I got closer and saw the outline of a dead body with the word "murder" written. My daughter was bothered by something. I asked her what was wrong. She said no one helped her to ice skate (she had only just turned 7). Then she said a boy smacked her butt. When I went in to find out what happened...the staff there didn't seem to have any idea. They did not have enough staff for the number of children there. I yelled at everyone I could find and eventually got to speak with the executive director. He didn't seem that concerned and said something to the effect of yeah that's not ok in this day and age. I demanded my money back and didn't take her back for the rest of the week. As you can see I am writing this like 6 months after the fact and it's because I literally can't even drive past this place without thinking about how much they pissed me off. Parents...do not send your kids here! They are not safe! read more

Wonderful asset to the community that has no doubt put Milwaukee on the map for speed skating excellence. However, needs critical bathroom repairs and other updates (and friendlier counter staff, please!). I still love it here for the run/walk track! read more

As far as ice rinks go... This middle of the road. If you are skating, you have to walk up and down plastic covered steps, which is never fun when you only have two metal strips to support your ankles. Additionally, this place is also so hot compared to most ice rinks. Always bring a water bottle for a long skate. If you are bringing small kids here for open skate on the overall, try to come on off hours as it can get relatively crowded. Also don't expect the workers to know what's really going on outside of their personal tasks. read more

Not an ice skater but a runner. I come here during the winter months when running outside becomes too cold and more hazardous. The run/walk track is a great asset for those of us who hate treadmills and need to log long miles for training. It is 3 lanes wide, with plenty of room for runners and walkers alike. For $4 admission it doesn't break the bank and goes to the maintenance of the track. They also accept cash or card so bonus for those who never carry cash. There are bathrooms available for any needs and can double as a changing area. There are lockers to store your stuff. But if you don't have quarters or don't care about the added security, you can put your stuff on the bleachers or against the wall and get your workout done without much fuss. There are sometimes other events happening which may affect the use of the track. Check online or call ahead to find out the hours. Make sure to dress appropriately, this is an ice rink so it is cooler than you might expect. Dress in layers and you shouldn't have any problems. Check it out if you need a change of scenery for a cardio workout. read more

The pettit is one of those facilities that if you live in Milwaukee or near it, you must go and do it. 1st of all, this is an Olympic grade ice rink. There are 2 hockey rinks in the center of the public skating. I love to skate and so does my wife and son Ty. Grant it, I haven't done it in quite some time and found myself kissing the ice at times, however we found ourselves laughing a lot. Ty when he was 4 took lessons here, so he picked up where he left off and did well. The reason for 4 stars, if you are a beginner, the inner circle which is colored for less experienced skaters has a wall that is soft and slopped, it really doesn't hold you and you can't grab on to it without falling over. Overall, this is a great time for a fun date, to take the kids, or just go and get some exercise. read more

I enjoyed coming here. The staff is friendly and helpful. The rink very clean. I hadn't ice skated in years and was able to slowly remember what I was doing! I'll be back! read more

Tons of parking, and space. They sell open skating passes for $7.50 and give you a wristband. They rent skates for an additional $2.50. You leave your tennis shoes when you grab skates and they return them once you're done. The skates are kept pretty sharp and they're in good shape. They had no problem assisting me in finding the right size. There wasn't anyone checking wristbands to be sure people had paid. The only irritating thing was that skating lessons were being held around the same ring that open skating was on, so there were several almost-collisions. read more

Large ice rink, healthy vending machines, helpful employees. I do wish people taking classes has their own area, it does interrupt the flow of the ice rink. Luckily it hasnt been too busy most times I've been there, but I do tend to steer away if I see several school buses. Good for family fun, I do wish it was more affordable for those that would like to frequent more. read more

I offically cannot iceskate, but if i could, I would frequent the Petit Center. It's huge and you can even take classes here (would probably be wise for me to do) read more

Very cool place to go and ice skate. The rink is really big and it's nice being inside. You can watch the hockey games going on if you want to see how it's really done. Only complaint is the divits that the show off's are creating with their crazy jumping. read more

Wow what to say about the Pettit. I spent such a huge portion of my childhood and teenage years here as a speed skater. Wisconsin is so lucky to have such an amazing facility. One of only two indoor long track rinks in the nation right and it's right in our backyard. It's a truly awesome facility and everyone should check it out at least once. If you get the chance, look up the schedule for speed skating competitions- seeing the elite level in person is a beautiful thing :) read more