York has two ice rinks this Christmas, both open 13 November to 3 January: a new one in Museum Gardens from £12 and Winter Wonderland at the Designer Outlet.
York has two ice rinks this Christmas, and both open on Friday 13 November 2026 and close on Sunday 3 January 2027. One is new: THOR’S on ICE, a covered rink in Museum Gardens behind York Art Gallery, which its organiser says will “bring festive magic back to York’s city centre”. The other is the long-running Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland at Designer Outlet York, now in its 21st season. Both have tickets on sale, and both run 45-minute sessions on the quarter hour.
The quick answer
- Dates: both rinks, Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
- Cheapest: THOR’S on ICE, adults from £12, children from £11, families of four from £42 (THOR’S on ICE).
- Biggest: Winter Wonderland, 975 square metres of open-air ice, £16.45 adults and £15.45 children with skate hire, plus a funfair (Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland).
- Rain: THOR’S is covered with a clear roof; Winter Wonderland is open-air.
- Christmas Day: Winter Wonderland is closed. THOR’S has not published its Christmas Day hours.
THOR’S on ICE, Museum Gardens
The new rink is behind York Art Gallery in York Museum Gardens, YO1 7FR, run by THOR’S Events, which also runs THOR’S tipi bar nearby, and the site credits York Museums Trust. It is outdoors but under a transparent cover, so it skates in any weather, with an Alpine Terrace bar beside it (THOR’S on ICE).
Prices, all “from”, which means they can rise at busy times:
| Ticket | From |
|---|---|
| Adult, 17 and over | £12 |
| Child, 9 to 16 | £11 |
| Child, 3 to 8 (must be booked with an adult ticket) | £11 |
| Concession or student, ID on arrival | £10 |
| Family of three | £31.50 |
| Family of four | £42 |
| Family of five | £52.50 |
Sessions last 45 minutes and start at 10.15am, 11.15am and then every hour on the quarter to the last at 8.15pm, ending at 9pm. The 10.15am and 11.15am sessions carry an asterisk on the rink’s page with no footnote; at Winter Wonderland, the same asterisk means weekends and holidays only, so check before booking a weekday morning. Skaters must be 3 or over, under-13s skate with an adult, and penguin skate aids are first come, first served (THOR’S on ICE: the ice rink).
Getting there: about five minutes’ walk from Parliament Street and ten from the station over Lendal Bridge. Taxis drop off on Museum Street by the main gate. The rink and the main entrance are step-free. The organiser suggests the Marygate or Bootham Row car parks, or park and ride (THOR’S on ICE: find us).
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland, Designer Outlet
At the South Entrance of Designer Outlet York, St Nicholas Avenue, YO19 4TA. It is free to enter and free to park, with separate tickets for skating and for Santa’s Cabin, and tokens for the funfair, which includes Waltzer and Twister rides, 1937 Brooklands Dodgems and four children’s rides. The rink has a 30ft Christmas tree in the middle (Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland).
Prices, skate hire included, with booking fees on top online:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, 16 and over | £16.45 |
| Child, 15 and under | £15.45 |
| Family of three | £44.85 |
| Family of four | £59.80 |
| Family of five | £74.75 |
| Concessions | £15.45 |
| Parent and toddler, 4 and under | £16.45 |
| Disabled skater (carer free, with proof) | £16.45 adult, £15.45 child |
Penguin and snowman skating aids are £5, on site only. Groups of 20 or more get £1 off each ticket, and a sixth session is free after five stamped visits.
Sessions run 45 minutes from 12.15pm to 9pm, with extra 10.15am and 11.15am sessions at weekends and every day from 12 December to 3 January. Arrive 20 minutes early for skates. Over Christmas: closed Christmas Day; last session 7.15pm on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day; 6.15pm on New Year’s Eve. Quiet sessions for autistic skaters run on Tuesdays at 12.15pm from 17 November to 8 December (Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland: times and prices).
Santa’s Cabin at the same site is on our Santa in York page.
Which one?
For a cheaper session in the centre with the Christmas Market a few minutes’ walk away (it opens on 12 November, see York Christmas Market), THOR’S on ICE. For a bigger rink, a funfair and free parking, Winter Wonderland. For a wet day, THOR’S, because it is the covered one.
Parking and getting around
The city centre is busy from mid-November. Council car park prices and the park and ride are on our parking in York page, and any closures that week are on roadworks and travel. For the rest of the season, see what’s on in York.
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