Outdoor Holiday Ice Skating Rinks are always festive!!…read more No, I didn't ice skate, I was just people watching. There were a lot of people here, and the Ice really made it very cold around the rink. Christmas music blared through the speakers around the rink. Located in Justin Hermann Plaza at the Embarcadero Center, not far from BART, maybe, one day, I'll give it a go again!!

Public service announcement, just so people know, there was no holiday rink this past year at…read moreEmbarcadero and there was no info about it online. The Embarcadero Center website had a number to call, and I did, but there was no answer. I don't know if they'll have it this coming winter. Fortunately, Union Square still has a holiday rink, but you need to buy tickets online, and they're sometimes sold out. But if so, Yerba Buena is a few blocks away, and I've never known them to sell out.

signed my 3 year old up for group ice-skating lessons, and we are so pleased with the experience so…read morefar! The teachers are very kind and supportive. I was nervous at first to send my daughter with zero skating experience on the ice, but she was met with such qualified and gracious instructors that made her feel really supported! she is thriving and I'm really glad I signed her up here. The only downfall is that the ice rink lobby area is not well kept. It could be that it was impacted from the pandemic, which I understand, but hopefully, as the economy picks back up management will be able to invest more in the cleanliness and organization of the lockers, food options, cleanliness, party area and overall appearance of the lobby to make it more appealing to visitors and improve the quality of the experience here.

It's a decent rink, clean with the necessary amenities. The thing it's got going for it is that…read moreit's one of the only indoor rinks on the peninsula. However, because it's the only rink around for miles, it's booked up with lessons, freestyle skate time, hockey games and private events. Public skate times are rare and usually during working hours. For those on hockey teams, the schedule can be all over the place because ice time is at a premium. The price for public skate is also the most expensive one in the Bay Area if you have your own skates. As of 2024, its $20. For reference, Yerba Buena in SF is $14 for GA and Sharks Ice in Fremont and San Jose are $16, Snoopy's Home Ice in Santa Rosa is $8-$14 depending on the day of week, and Oakland Ice is $16 with an additional 10% off for Oakland residents. In addition, the other rinks have passes for frequent skaters that drops the price more. Now if you factor in the cost of skate rentals, then San Mateo is in line with most places but Ice Oasis doesn't give a price break for not renting skates. That being said, because I live in San Mateo, this is my best option for now and I don't want them to close. I just wish their economics and schedule could more closely mimic the other rinks.

Ice Skating....In a huge ballpark... Amazing? sort of. When you enter the field, of course you're…read moretotally excited that you have this rare opportunity to actually be on the field. But the novelty ends there. Once you walk over to the rink you realize that 60' X 120' isn't as big as you thought it was and you're left wondering where the other half of the rink has been placed. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for kids, which i think is a bit much compared to other ice rinks, but it was definitely a unique experience. They also make you fill out waiver forms before you get to skate; you know, just in case the ice collapses or you lose any body parts. I thought one of the most entertaining things were the abundance of, what i like to call, Ice Walkers that help new skaters balance, but i think they're just plain fun for everyone. Make sure to bring your camera, as being in the park will definitely lead to many photo opportunities, but make sure to wear something with lots of pockets as they do not have any lockers for your personal items. Overall, i thought it was a great location for a Ice skating rink, with great music playing in the background, but the rink could be a little larger, and the price is a tad expensive for what you get. All in all, i think i'll go to the Embarcadero the next time.

I came in thinking this would be a subpar rink but it's definitely better than I thought. I've been…read moreto some crappy rinks since my son plays travel hockey and this was actually one of the better facilities. The rink was in good shape and it didn't have a board in place of a broken glass. That's a plus. I'm talking to you The Rinks Yorba Linda.

Oakland Ice Center is a great spot for ice skating!…read more I was in town and my friend takes lessons here so she brought us during one of the public open-skate times to practice and also for us all to skate since my partner and I LOVE ice skating. We went during the day and it wasn't too crowded. There was just a kid's birthday party and a few other skaters for a bit so it was nice. For birthday parties, they separate part of the rink, which might not be the best for public skate but I think is super cool! Back at my home rink, the parties kind of skate with everyone and it gets a bit rough, especially during crowded times. For beginner skaters, they have both the seal/dolphins(?) that you can use to skate and even stacks of buckets, which I think is genius, to adjust to height. It was easy to pay for a public skate session and grab rentals. The rink is a good size and layout was pretty cool. The skate shop was okay. Overall, a cute ice rink in Oakland!

This place should be the skatepark that all skateparks compare themselves too when they are in the…read moredesign phase! I love how tucked away it is in the middle of the City. I love that they allowed for artists to come and adorn the walls and overpass posts with color, culture and names of visitors past. There were a wide range of ages skating, biking, watching. Parents sat with their chairs outside of the complex looking on. There was even a gentleman whom sat by the entrance whom had set up a table and was streaming music. Everyone was very aware of their surroundings and there seemed to be this unspoken understanding of skatepark etiquette everyone was abiding by. It was a mixture of skateboarders and BMX enthusiasts. My 14 year old son has gotten really into skateboarding. It's what he got into during quarantine and this whole Covid thing. It was a way for him to incorporate some physical activity and something to concentrate on and hone in his skills with. I can tell he feels good and feels like he's in shape. He is mindful of what he eats on a daily and ensures he is drinking plenty of water. Not bad for a 14 year old huh? I think what has become a true passion has also helped him in the area of time management. Since he homeschooled for the 18 months or whatever it was he knew he has a set time frame to get school and school work done so that he could get his time in daily to skateboard and then still get online and play a few rounds on his gaming console. I really like how he evens out his time and prioritizes the way he does. I know some adults that cant get a hold of their time and here is this 14 year old in the middle of a pandemic crushing it. He continues to amaze me that one. Anyway, this skatepark. Since my son is passionate about skateboarding I've told him we should make an effort to seek out new parks for him. I sit and read or scroll through my phone and he does what he does and admires other people and their talents. It allows for him to see what he needs to work on and what he wants to accomplish. Every City needs these. They need a place for kids and adults to be able to do something positive and do what they love. There was no charge for this place. Parking is a little daunting as it IS SF but when you are in a City like SF you are aware of the "walking culture"..lol! We parked a couple blocks away. Place is clean and I assume since it is fenced in there is a closing time and someone comes and locks it so the park doesn't become a homeless encampment. It's a great place to visit if you need a place to let off steam, live and let go of all your cares getting some cardio in!

Nice people, fun place to skate and hangout. As a woman it is a relief to find a safe place to…read moreskate with my friends. Lots of restaurants and other things to do in the area.

My experience here was awful. My girlfriends have also had terrible experiences. We've stopped…read moreskating here altogether because every single one of us has been harassed and had our personal space violated by some of the older men who skate here regularly and act inappropriately.

Best when you roll in with your friends…read more I have a strong love/hate relationship with this rink for many reasons (in the short 5 months I've started roller skating). I'll start with the negative; With any public place, you really have to watch out for yourself and your safety. I've gotten physically shoved by one of the older white men who felt like he owned the rink. There are times where you have sketchy people who don't skate and are eying your valuables or may be harassing people. There are some older folks you may need to watch out for, as they are extremely territorial and not friendly to beginners and new skaters. I will say that it is only a tiny percentage of the folks that skate here. On the positive side; It's generally pretty welcoming. If someone is working on something cool that you're interested in and you ask, some people are pretty cool with showing you the ropes and love working on it with you! I've made so many good friends just showing up and working on my own moves and people chatting me up. In general, you just gotta show up and assess the vibe, as it really changes depending on who's skating there. Generally I'd advise going on: Tuesdays and Fridays anytime from 4pm - 10pm (solid group of skaters who watch out for each other and bring lights and music when it gets dark) Saturdays and Sundays anytime from 12pm - 6pm (A lot busier and crowded. Your experience may vary depending on who you know and feel comfortable skating with on the weekend). I typically always go with friends for safety.

Lollyland came out earlier this year and is located in the Palace of Fine Arts next to the…read morepickleball courts. I'm familiar with the Palace Escape Games, but this venue added a nice whimsical and colorful mini-golf experience with an escape room twist to it! The experience can accommodate groups of 2-6 players, takes about 75 minutes or more to play, $30/player, and no experience required. You can make reservations in advance or do walk-in. I first became familiar with Lollyland through social media and thought it looked really cool. When I arrived, Lollyland didn't look as big as I had expected, and I thought maybe there were more courses behind the walls. Unfortunately, there were only 8 holes but what made this place unique is everything was run by tech. You get to select the appropriate club for your height and it notifies you when it's your turn by lighting up. Each hole had a special mission that players can achieve and after completing the hole, the team would receive a secret clue, which will be used later on. As a true Yelp Elite, I read other Yelp reviews stating Lollyland gave free candy. This wasn't quite the case during my visit - they had a vase of Dum Dums, but as soon as those were out, they did not refill them. I asked one of the staff members where the free candy was and they said management changed it and it depends on when they get a shipment. This was disappointing when the mini-golf theme is "Lollyland" and mimics a "Candyland" theme. I docked a star for this and the limited number of courses. It's a great spot to take kids, hang with friends, date night, or spend with family. If any of the staff members read this, please consider expanding the number of courses and incorporating more variety of candy and having it more available as part of the experience.

I was very excited at the aspect of mini-golf and escape room. It was a fun experience and it did…read moretake about a hour and half to finish (we had a big group) There's 8 holes, with the size and space of the venue, I was hoping to be 18 holes or so. The section you play in is pretty cramped. It's not quite traditional mini golf, it's really more like arcade mini golf. It was a nice fun twist on things. You don't really do some problem puzzles til the very end. Wished there were some more of those elements incorporated into the experience. I also read from some earlier reviews that there was candy and stuff. But I guess too many people took advantage of that. There were no candies when we played sadly :( All in all it was fun. Just wished there were more holes and more spread out. Also wished it was shown more clearly who. That element was lacking a bit

New mural looks amazing and it's great to see SF flourishing with skaters, the stepping groups are…read moregetting so good, plenty of space to push and glide. Great for families.

We visited from LA after moving there and they ruined the area with the remodel. Used to be so…read moresmooth now its rough. Venice beach used to envy it, no longer. What in the world were they thinking, This place was known for being the best Norwalk outdoor surface. Must have been the city who had no idea what skaters need. how sad