You know you want to skate the sky on The Roof at Ponce City Market, right? It is one of the poshest places to have some winter fun this year!
Updated November 14, 2022
My family and I had a blast circling the rink, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying The Roof games. I love that the ice skating ticket includes some extras so you can make it a full night (or day) event. This is one of my favorite winter activities!
Looking for more family-friendly activities in Atlanta? Check out this post on where to find Black history here.
The tickets for ice skating include:
- General admission and re-entry to The Roof
- Skate rentals
- 50 min of ice skating time
- Unlimited games and rides at Skyline Park (when available)
Adult tickets are $30 (13 and older), and child tickets are $22 (5-12 years old).
Skate The Sky Tips for Families
While we had so much fun experiencing the ice skating rink on The Roof at Ponce City Market, we ran into some pitfalls. Most of them were totally my fault for not allowing enough time…for everything. Luckily, they were able to accommodate us but there is NO guarantee that they would have been able to do that. To save you time and energy, here are the tips I learned firsthand.
15 Skate the Sky Tips for Families
1. Allow time to park. You must use the Park Mobile app to pay so if you don’t have it download it beforehand.
2. You must check-in at The Roof kiosk with your whole party.
3. If you are ice skating you will get two wristbands. Don’t let your kids think that they “didn’t need the purple one”.
4. Allow for time to take the gigantic freight elevator up the 10 floors to The Roof. It moves slowly and they will not crowd people in.
5. When you reach The Roof of Ponce City Market, you will get your skate cards which tell the workers which session you will be in. Save yourself the trouble and hold on to all of them for your family.
6. Be prepared to sign the waivers for you and your children. (Kids over 16 sign for themselves though.) You use your phone to sign them so make sure you aren’t on 1%. It takes a bit of time to get through this step if you have a bunch of kids. Anyone under 18 must have an adult (18+) to sign their waiver.
7. Help your kids put their skates on before you put yours on. Make sure they are the right size and are tied tight around their ankles. They do not have half sizes but the skates run a little big.
8. Kids must be accompanied by an adult on the ice rink so don’t think you get to sit this one out.
Hang out with the ‘cool kids’ at Ponce City Market!
9. If your reservation is for 5p, get there at 4p. If you are late you may simply lose your skating time (and your money). The Roof allows limited visitors. The rink is small and also limits skaters each session.
10. Each skating session is 50 minutes long. It seems short but it’s actually the perfect amount of time for kids and people like me who don’t ice skate much.
11. It can be chilly on The Roof. Dress in layers.
12. I suggest you get off the ice 5-10 minutes before the end of the session otherwise you will have to wait in a long line to return skates and get your shoes back.
14. Be patient and have fun!
13. Wear tall socks. Thick ones that keep your feet warm are also good and make sure you’re not afraid to show them off. There are times when you don’t have your shoes back but you want to take your skates off.
15. Buy tickets ahead of time. There is usually NO walk-in availability. On weekends, kids aren’t allowed on the rink after 5p. Plan accordingly.
Bottom Line: Skate The Sky on The Roof is a fun family time.
Yes, this is a little expensive but it will definitely be a memory-making activity. Enjoy the Ponce City Market Food Hall afterward for a delicious treat.
Want more winter activities? Check out this list of 14 places to find snow in the South!
