I don’t know about you, but this long winter of social distancing and also staying inside has been somewhat challenging. So, enter the winter that I finally take my kids to do all the outdoor winter things they’ve begged me to do every other year. Luckily, even though we live in the Midwest, Kansas City has an array of options for great places to go for winter fun.
Here is a list of a few of my favorite ice skating and winter sports spots:
Crown Center Ice Terrace
This would not be the best of winter sports KC list without mentioning the most famous spot of them all, the ice skating rink located in the heart of Crown Center. In its 48th season, the Ice Terrace is open from November 6th to March 7th. As part of new COVID procedures, you will need to make a reservation up to two days in advance to skate. Masks are required, but hey, it’s cold anyway and you’ll probably want a mask for warmth.
Private parties are available before and after regular hours, which means you could try skating really early or really late this year for something new and have this place to yourself and your “pod.” At $150 per hour for up to 50 skaters, it might be a fun outdoor party for friends depending on your comfort level. They also offer lessons for all ages.
Snow Creek
Located in Weston, Missouri outside of Kansas City, Snow Creek offers skiing, snowboarding, and a snow tubing park. They operate from mid-December through mid-March and hours can vary based on weather conditions. Snow Creek uses machines to produce its own fake snow — something I was fascinated by as a kid when I skied there.
Reservations are required for skiing and snowboarding and priority access to reserve days is given to those who are pass holders. It’s unclear to me how hard that will make it to buy a regular day pass and make a reservation for my family this year. Masks are required to access the mountain, in all indoor spaces, in any line, in chairlifts and gondolas, and whenever you are unable to maintain physical distance.
Check the Tornado Alley website for updated information about procedures and reservations for snow tubing. I promise your kids will love it.
The Ice at Park Place
This is my own family’s favorite ice skating spot because of the smaller sized rink and charm of the area and shops in Leawood. I especially like taking my kids here because I can easily access them from the outside of the rink and often during weekdays right after school we have the ice to ourselves.
The Ice at Park Place is open mid-November through February 28. Check the website for current hours and operating procedures.
Kansas City Ice Center
Located in Shawnee, this is the place to learn a new winter sport or brush up on your best figure eight. The Ice Center offers various hockey programs for kids ages 3 to 18. Figure skating lessons are offered for ages 3 and up; if you are really brave, there is even a parent and me class for 1-and-a-half to 3-year-olds. They even offer classes for “Synchronized Skating Teams,” which looks like a dance team in costumes but on ice and would have probably been a dream of my daughter’s if she knew it existed.
Public sessions here are suspended until March so you’ll definitely need a lesson to access the center, but this might just be the year to let your kids try something new! Masks must be worn at all times in addition to other COVID protocols.
I hope you’ll give one of these Kansas City winter activities a try. What is your favorite Kansas City winter sports spot?
