An open-air 8,000-square-foot downtown ice rink at 5th and Arizona — running mid-November through mid-January as Santa Monica’s signature winter tradition, two blocks from Third Street Promenade.
ICE at Santa Monica is the city’s signature winter tradition — an outdoor 8,000-square-foot ice rink at the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue in Downtown Santa Monica, open daily from mid-November into mid-January. The current run is the rink’s 17th season, which makes it one of the most reliably-returning seasonal installations on the Westside.
The rink runs daily with skate rental, locker rental, lessons, themed nights, and family programming weaving through the season. Past programming has included weekly themed evenings, birthday-celebration nights, and a New Year’s Eve East Coast countdown for families wanting an early-evening rollover. Beginners welcome — adult and kid lessons run alongside open public sessions.
At 5th and Arizona, ICE sits in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica’s December atmosphere: Third Street Promenade‘s tree-lighting ceremony and holiday performances are two blocks west, and the Santa Monica Pier‘s waterfront programming is a few blocks south. The corner is one block from the Downtown Santa Monica E Line Metro station, which makes the rink one of the easiest Westside winter destinations to reach without driving.
The corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue, two blocks east of Third Street Promenade and one block from the Downtown Santa Monica Metro E Line station. Open-air; the rink is visible from the surrounding sidewalk and walkable around the perimeter without a ticket.
Open daily through the season — mid-November opening into mid-January closing. Weekday afternoons are the lightest sessions; weekend evenings are the heaviest.
Yes — the rink is ticketed: skate session and skate rental are bundled at the door. Locker rentals available; lessons priced separately. Spectators can walk the perimeter without skating — the rink is fully visible from the surrounding sidewalk.
Built for all levels — open public sessions run all day with rental skates, and lessons for both kids and adults sit alongside the public sessions through the season. First-timers comfortable; experienced skaters have space; the rink is large enough that experience levels mix without pressure.
Yes — ICE sits one block from the Downtown Santa Monica Metro E Line station. The E Line connects from Downtown LA through Mid-City to Santa Monica, with the Downtown Santa Monica end-of-line stop directly adjacent. This is one of the most transit-friendly outdoor seasonal rinks in the LA basin. If you do drive, the Downtown Santa Monica parking structures along 4th and 5th Streets are within a block.
ICE at Santa Monica is the outdoor 8,000-square-foot seasonal ice rink at the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue in Downtown Santa Monica — two blocks east of Third Street Promenade and three blocks from the Pier. Run by Downtown Santa Monica Inc., the program brings the rink to a temporary downtown footprint each winter, then strikes it after the season. The site sits one block from the Downtown Santa Monica Metro E Line station, making it one of the more transit-accessible outdoor rinks in the LA basin.
The official City of Santa Monica tree-lighting ceremony — performances by local ballet, choirs, and middle-school groups along Third Street Promenade, with Santa lighting the official city holiday tree.
Brian J. Cook
The iconic Santa Monica Pier glows with a 55-foot Christmas tree atop the Ferris wheel, free Holiday Cheer on the Pier nights with marionettes and Santa visits, and a snowman-lit Pacific sky.
Brian J. Cook
Venice’s official holiday lighting tradition — the historic Venice Sign changes from white to red and green for the season, with live music, photos with Santa, and the surrounding Windward Avenue activation.
Brian J. Cook
After the January 2025 fire, Palisades Village is set to reopen in August 2026 — and with its return, Pacific Palisades looks forward to the homecoming of its cherished holiday tree lighting: snowfall, Santa, and a towering plaza tree, a free family evening and a symbol of the community’s resilience.
Brian J. Cook
Southern California’s holiday lights and festive outings are pure magic — but nothing compares to Santa Claus himself stepping through your own front door. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded, professionally trained Santa to homes and gatherings across SoCal for an intimate live visit your family will treasure for years.
Check Availability
Have a date in mind? Tell us when and where, and we’ll let you know whether Santa is open. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded Santa Claus to Live Visits and Group Experiences across Southern California, and December fills quickly, so the sooner you check, the better your odds of locking in your first choice.
This is a quick availability check, not a booking. Nothing is reserved and nothing is owed until we’ve confirmed your date and you’ve placed your retainer.
