The Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink Guide.
Every winter, more than 9,000 square feet of real ice lands in Bellevue Downtown Park — the region’s largest seasonal skating rink, now heading into its 29th year. Season dates, prices, hours, and the local tips that make a visit go smoothly.
For close to three decades, the Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink has been the signal that winter has officially arrived downtown. The Bellevue Downtown Association builds a full-size, real-ice rink — over 9,000 square feet of it, the largest seasonal skating setup in the region — in the middle of Downtown Park, rings it with lights, and keeps it open daily for 67 days straight — this year from two weeks before Thanksgiving through Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The 29th season runs Friday, November 13, 2026 through Monday, January 18, 2027, presented by Symetra — open every day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day included (our season announcement coverage). Skate rental is included with admission, themed nights dot the calendar, and the rink sits two blocks from Snowflake Lane — which is why December evenings here feel like the center of the Eastside.
Know Before You Go
2026–27 dates and prices, confirmed November 2026 — hours are last season’s until the new schedule posts.
Skates Come With Admission
Skate rental is included in the ticket price — no separate rental line, no haggling over sizes at a second counter.
$12 to $24, Depending on the Day
Cheapskate Mondays $12, Tuesday–Thursday $16, Friday–Sunday $22 (weekend rate also applies Nov 25–26 and Jan 18), and $24 every day December 18–January 3. Non-skaters get in free. A $189 season pass pays for itself in about nine weekend visits or twelve weekday ones.
Afternoons + Full Weekends
2025–26 hours, until the new schedule posts: Mon–Thu 3:30–10 p.m., Fri 3:30–10:30, Sat 10 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
A Calendar of Extras
The rink runs free skating lessons, themed nights and on-site concessions through the season — the extras that turn a skate into an evening.
Buy Ahead on Busy Nights
Advance tickets and season passes sell online at bellevueicerink.com — the smart move for December weekends and holiday-break afternoons.
Downtown Park, Lit for Winter
The rink sits in the 21-acre park at the center of downtown — skyline above, canal promenade around, and free parking lots at the park itself.
Plan Your Visit
The winter-evening formula that locals run on repeat.
Getting There & Parking
Bellevue Downtown Park, 10201 NE 4th St — the rink sits at NE 1st St & 100th Ave NE, near Inspiration Playground. Free parking lots off 100th Ave NE and NE 1st St, one block from Bellevue Square’s garages if the lots fill. From the 2 Line’s Bellevue Downtown Station it’s about a ten-minute walk through the retail core.
When to Skate
- Weekday afternoons are the quietest ice of the season
- December weekends are peak — buy tickets ahead and expect a lively rink
- January, after the holidays, is the sleeper pick: same ice, fraction of the crowd
The December Double
Skate first, then walk two blocks north for Snowflake Lane at 7 p.m. — the two anchors of Bellevue’s Magic Season are close enough to do in one evening, with dinner from our restaurant guide in between.
First-Timers & Kids
Free skating lessons are built for beginners, and the included rentals lower the friction of bringing the whole family. Off-peak weekday sessions give new skaters room to fall down in peace.
Bellevue Ice Rink FAQ
When does the Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink open for 2026?
The 2026–27 season opens Friday, November 13, 2026 — two weeks before Thanksgiving — and runs daily through Monday, January 18, 2027, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The rink is open on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Last season ran November 21, 2025 through January 19, 2026.
How much does it cost, and are skates included?
For 2026–27, admission is $12 on Cheapskate Mondays, $16 Tuesday–Thursday and $22 Friday–Sunday, with skate rental included in every ticket and non-skaters admitted free. From December 18 through January 3 it’s $24 every day (the Monday and Tuesday–Thursday rates also don’t apply Nov 25–26). A season pass is $189. Tickets at bellevueicerink.com.
Where is the rink, and where do I park?
In Bellevue Downtown Park (10201 NE 4th St), at NE 1st St & 100th Ave NE near Inspiration Playground, in the center of downtown. The park has two free parking lots — off 100th Ave NE and NE 1st St — and the Bellevue Square garages are a block away. The 2 Line’s Bellevue Downtown Station is about a ten-minute walk.
Is it real ice? How big is the rink?
Real ice, all season — more than 9,000 square feet of it, which makes this the largest seasonal ice-skating experience in the region. It’s built outdoors in the park and maintained daily, Northwest weather included.
What else can I do the same evening?
In December, Snowflake Lane runs nightly at 7 p.m. two blocks north — skate, walk over, and catch the show. Garden d’Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Garden is a five-minute drive east, and the downtown restaurant row covers dinner in between.