Whirl & Glide: New Skating Rinks to Open at Oculus, Brooklyn Bridge Park
Two new skating attractions are coming to the denizens of Lower Manhattan this winter. The Winter Whirl Holiday Roller Rink will be open at the Oculus from November 24 to January 31. Meanwhile, Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park will host skaters from November 15 to March 1.
| 13 Nov 2023 | 05:19
The Winter Whirl Holiday Roller Rink will open at the Oculus on Friday, November 24. It will run until late January. (
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A digital rendering of Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park, a skating rink that is set to open on November 15. (
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It’s time to lace up your skates, denizens of lower Manhattan. Two new rinks are opening to the public in November: Winter Whirl Holiday Roller Rink–an indoor venue opening at the Oculus, the famed World Trade Center transit and shopping hub–and the outdoor ‘Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park.’ The former will be open from November 24 to January 31, while the latter will run from November 15 to March 1.
Winter Whirl will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as on Christmas day. On Christmas Eve. and New Years Eve., it will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Otherwise, regular hours will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with last admission at 9 p.m. Tickets for adults will sell for $30, with minors getting in for $25. One ticket is good for 45 minutes of rink time. All skaters will be required to sign a mandatory release form, while customers under the age of 18 will need an additional signature from a parent or guardian. No skaters younger than 8 years of age will be allowed. Additionally, skaters under the age of 13 will need to remain supervised by an adult.
The Winter Whirl rink is ADA accessible. Strollers, food or drink, and oversized bags are not permitted on the premises. Customers may bring their own skates, and protective gear will be available on a first-come first-served basis. Up to 75 guests may be booked at a time, meaning that rip-roaring roller rink parties are not out of the question.
Glide will be open at the Emily Warren Roebling Plaza. Skating can begin at 10 a.m., with last admission at 8:55 p.m. Adult tickets max out at $25. NYC residents can get in for a mere $13.50 during peak hours. Depending on residency, “off-peak” tickets will only cost between $9 and $15, while admission for kids aged 2-12 won’t be more than $12. What’s more, a skating session will last 50 minutes. A food menu is reportedly in the works.
The cost of renting skates is folded into the ticket price at Winter Whirl at the Oculus. However, skate rentals will come with extra charges at Glide: $12 for a pair of blades, $15 for skate aids, and $5 for storage locks (lockers are free).
Winter Whirl has the advantage of being situated alongside the upscale retailers of the Oculus, and features plenty of grand views of the majestic transit hub to boot. Many of these stores will offer complimentary gift-wrapping services during the holiday season. Nearby dining establishments include Eataly, Gansevoort Liberty Market, and Épicerie Boulud. Reservations are recommended.