Ice Skate at the Utah Olympic Oval

I often find myself wondering what family activity we can do in the winter that won’t break the bank. I also wonder what the kids will actually enjoy, since each of the five have very different opinions. A couple weekends ago, we decided to ice skate at the Utah Olympic Oval. Everyone had a great time, and I didn’t feel the cost was prohibitive.

A couple hours ice skating at the Utah Olympic Oval is a great family activity. It’s way better than sitting in front of the TV to watch a movie or play video games. My teenage daughter was especially keen to go ice skating as that’s one sport she feels she can do – she doesn’t have the best hand-eye coordination when it comes to many sports (Shhhh. Don’t tell her I said that).

If you’re looking for a way to get our kids out of the house and enjoy some time together, plan to visit the Utah Olympic Oval.

Here’s a little rundown on the venue and what you can expect as you plan for some family fun.

History of the Utah Olympic Oval

The Utah Olympic Oval was built near Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The building was host to the speed skating events for both long and short track. Some 53,000 spectators watched as athletes from around the world took to the ice for gold.

Even today, the venue is known as having “The Fastest Ice on Earth.” They even have it colored into the ice near the ice access point. But why is it the fastest? Elevation.

At higher elevations – like here in Utah – there is less air resistance. That means skaters can cut through the air quicker. The ice also has less oxygen in it than other rinks, so it’s harder and easier to skate on. So if it’s great for Olympic athletes, it’s gotta be great for the average skater, too.

The Utah Olympic Oval still holds a few Olympic records. In fact, Derek Parra (USA) took home a gold medal after completing 1,500 meters in 01:43:95. Parra was also the first US Hispanic male to win a medal or gold medal at the Winter Olympics. I met him a few years ago and he has a great story you should check out.

Getting to the Utah Olympic Oval

The Utah Olympic Oval may seems like a long drive from Salt Lake City. We leave in Draper (southeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley) and our kids always ask – how long will it take us to get there. For the youngest, even 10 minutes seems too long for him. But we assured him the 20 minute drive there would go quickly. He managed to survive. 😉

There are several main roads running north and south through Salt Lake County. If you’re traveling on I-15, you’ll want to exit on 5300 South and head west. If your driving on I-215 or Bangerter Highway, you’ll want to exit on 5400 South and head west. When you reach 4800 West, turn south and follow the signs to the Utah Olympic Oval parking area. Once parked, walk to the largest building and enter through the glass doors.

Checking in, Getting Skates and Finding the Rink

Once you enter the building, check in at the admissions desk. It’s here where you will pay your entrance fee and the fee for renting any skates. We paid $56 for six of us to ice skate (which included one at a children’s rate and skate rental for everyone).

After paying, you’ll receive a wristband and you’re all set. Find your way to the stairs that take you down to the skate rental pick up area. There are windows on either side of the stairs, so find whichever line is shortest. You can ask for either hockey skates or figure skates. You’ll exchange your shoes for your skates, so be sure you have socks you don’t mind walking in.

Once you’ve got the skates, find a bench and lace em up. The laces can be pretty long, so don’t be afraid to wrap them around the angle area before tying them.

Once you’re ready to go, walk down the hall and up the stairs to the center of the ice rink. You are now ready to skate.

Summary

My kids tend to hover near the wall. It’s padded, so when they start to fall, they try really hard to fall toward the wall. And my kids weren’t the only ones doing that. So it’s okay if you or your kids are first-time ice skaters.

Others like to speed through everyone. You kinda have to watch out for those ice skaters, but we didn’t find them to be too bad. Everyone was being safe and enjoying some time on the ice.

The Utah Olympic Oval staff has done a great job with requiring and reminding people to wear a mask. I kept wishing I would’ve worn my contact lenses instead of my glasses. Doing a physical activity and wearing a mask would often fog up my glasses.

The kids enjoyed a little reprieve from the ice when the ever-popular Zambonis took to the ice to resurface it. It was also a great time to grab a snack. There’s a little snack stand right where you enter the ice rink, so it was convenient. There’s also one near where we had sat to put our ice skates on. So take your pick and enjoy some nachos, a soft pretzel and more.

The Details

Address: 5662 South Cougar Lane (4800 W.), Salt Lake City, UT 84118

Cost: $6 per adult (ages 13+). $4 for children (12 and under), seniors (65+) and military / civil service members. Skate rental is $4 per person (for either figure skates or hockey skates).

Hours: Oct 4 (2020) through March 31 (2021), hours of operation are Mon-Fri, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 12-6 p.m. The Oval is closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Website: https://utaholympiclegacy.org/product/oval-public-skating/

Phone: (801) 968-6825

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