Tag Archives: Boston Guy

Great for a date or fun night out with friends

While I’m no fan of the cold, there are certain activities that I do associate with the winter, my search for the perfect cup of hot chocolate, ordering a hot toddy at my favorite bar, visiting, and outdoor ice skating – which is usually bookended by grabbing a hot chocolate up front and a hot toddy following the misadventure (I’ve never really got the hang of ice skating).

Evenings out visiting one of Boston’s many outdoor skating rinks makes for an ideal date (it really can be quite romantic if you can avoid the screaming children) and is also a lot of fun to do with your friends. Below are a few skating rinks for you to check out this winter.

Boston Common Frog Pond located in the heart of the Boston Common and considered one of the best outdoor, public skating rinks in America, this is an obvious choice. The rink is open til 9PM on weekdays (except for Monday) and 10PM on weekends.

Following a few rounds on the Frog Pond you can walk to any number of places for a beverage. Two suggestions include visiting 75 Chestnut for their spiked hot apple cider or visit Emmets Irish Pub for an Irish hot coffee. Both drinks will warm you up.

Rink @401 Park in the Fenway / Kenmore neighborhood this outdoor rink is smaller but still a lot of fun and considering it is next to the Trillium Brewery Pub and TimeOut Boston market, there are more options for warming bevvies for you to try. This rink is open until 9PM on weekdays, 10PM on Saturdays, and 8PM on Sunday.

In addition to the two great choices I shared above to grab a drink or bite to warm up, I also wanted to give a shout out to Tatte Bakery and Cafe for something on the sweeter side and a delicious hot chocolate.

DCR Kelly Rink is in Jamaica Plain near the Stony Brook T station and is open until 7:30PM each evening. It probably closes a little too early to be a viable date place on the weekdays but can make for a great place to check out on the weekend.

This public skating rink is a 5-10 minute walk to the Sam Adams Brewery. I recommend trying their Winter Lager.

Canal District Rink in Kendall Square (Cambridge) is comparable in size to the Rink @401 Park. The hours vary by day so check ahead. If you work in or near Kendall Square, this is the place to head after work for some laughs with colleagues followed by something to drink.

Similar to the Fenway, there is a Tatte Bakery and Cafe nearby for a hot chocolate and a treat, but if you’re looking for an adult-beverage, walk to Sumaio Hunan Kitchen and order a sake or one of their Baijiu cocktails.

Should you decide to head out for some fun at the rink, don’t forget to bundle up. It is going to be a chilly few months until spring, but have fun.