Go for a spin!

By Marie Benavides

The beginning of the holiday season also marks the arrival of many seasonal activities. Among these activities is the timeless classic, ice-skating.

Fortunately, there are many different places around Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. where people are able to enjoy this seasonal sport. This winter, bundle up, grab some friends and head to one of these ice rinks for a slippery time.
Starting in mid-November, the open-air pavilion at Reston Town Center is transformed from an area that hosts concerts and other events, to a full-size ice skating rink that is open to the public. This beautiful ice rink is adorned with seasonal decorations that create a magical mood for the skaters underneath.

Not only is the Reston Town Center Ice Rink a gorgeous place to go during the day, but also at night when the pavilion is fully lit, creating a glowing atmosphere. The skating rink is also surrounded by various restaurants where you can go to eat after a fun filled ice skating session.

If you are looking for a delicious and upscale meal, Clyde's is right next to the Skate Rental Shop. Do not worry though, there is also a Panera next to the rink, which offers a wide selection of soups and sandwiches at a reasonable price.

This ice-skating rink is also in the heart of Reston Town Center, which offers an array of different shops and stores for people to shop at while visiting the area. Experience a whole night of fun around Reston Town Center after enjoying the ice rink.

Another outdoor ice-skating rink is the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink in Washington, D.C. This beautiful outdoor rink boasts a state of the art sound system that people can listen to while they enjoy their ice-skating session.
In addition, this outdoor rink is larger than other ones around the area. Senior Annie Weiser visits the ice-rink at the Sculpture Garden during winter. "I love the atmosphere of this ice-rink and it's a perfect place to spend a day having fun with your friends," she said, "It's also a good place for beginners to go and just have fun because it is always so crowded that not many people do fancy tricks."

Weiser took ice-skating lessons when she was younger and values the skill greatly now. "It is a really fun, social activity that is also a good way to exercise."
While the Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink is one of the most beautiful rinks in our area, there is not much of an area to take shelter if the weather gets bad. Also, remember that this rink is completely outdoors, so blustery winter days may not be the best choice for ice-skating.

There is however, a small café next to the rink called The Pavilion Café, which offers small meals and an array of both hot and cold beverages, in addition to a place of refuge for those avoiding the cold weather. Unfortunately, there are not many other choices for food or entertainment nearby, so the Pavilion Café is one of the only options.

The last ice-skating rink in our area is Fairfax Ice Arena's Indoor Ice-Skating Rink. This indoor location makes it possible to ice-skate year round, no matter what the weather conditions are.

People of all ages are able to go here to sign up for lessons or just enjoy skating with friends. Beginners can skate around the edges of the rink, while the more advanced skaters can show off their most advanced skills in the center ring.

"The hardest trick I can do is a single axel," said sophomore Katie Bui. She followed in her family's tradition of learning how to ice-skate. "I took lessons for 6 years when I was younger because it was a family thing that my sister did too." Like many other ice-skating students, Bui took her lessons at Fairfax Ice Arena. "It was a great experience and I loved the feeling of floating over the ice."

Weiser also took a year of ice-skating lessons at the ice arena too. "I was never able to master an axel or do very fancy tricks, but I did learn how to do some basic jumps."
Ice-skating is a great way during winter to exercise and take a break from the stress of the holidays. As Weiser said, "Ice-skating during the winter is like the pool during the summer, everyone loves it."

By Alan Weintraut |  January 12, 2009; 12:56 PM ET
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