On your next beach vacation to the Space Coast, Fla., hit the ice.
What? You mean ice skating wasn’t on your itinerary when you envisioned your Atlantic Ocean getaway?
Well, it should be.
Rockledge, in Central Florida, is home to the incredible and exciting Space Coast Iceplex, (perhaps a little surprisingly) located mere minutes from Cocoa Beach.
The Space Coast Iceplex offers hockey, figure skating and more — Photo courtesy of Space Coast Iceplex
The Iceplex, Brevard County’s only ice rink, is more than just a slippery surface. It also features a snack bar, sports bar, shop, game room, fitness center, dance studio and party rooms that you can rent for private events.
Whether you’re a pro or total novice, a kid or an adult, there are activities for everyone here. Sign up for skating basics, figure skating or hockey classes. Or just rent some skates and participate in the daily public skating windows.
Open skating and skate rental is inexpensive, and kids under three years old get in for free. Helmets are free, too.
If skating isn’t your thing, the upstairs bleachers provide a great view to watch the action from above.
Kids can sign up for the Iceplex’s new Hockey Academy, with the option to join the in-house team when they reach a certain level of experience. Academy classes span stretching, skating skills and drills and puck drills; each class ends with a scrimmage, too.
The Iceplex has club lighting for parties, DJ nights and special occasions — Photo courtesy of Space Coast Iceplex
For a unique and active nightlife option – one sure to help you cool off from the Florida heat – look for DJ Skate Nights, with upbeat music and special club lighting, running until 10 p.m. on some Saturdays.
Or check the schedule to experience the Space Coast Hurricanes Theatre on Ice figure skating team. The Iceplex is one of the first ice rinks in the nation to offer this kind of program, which fuses figure skating with theater and music. Even if you don’t skate, the shows are a family-friendly and fun form of entertainment.
The Iceplex is also home to Tim’s Kids, a nonprofit program that brings ice hockey to kids between five and eight years old at reduced rates, with the goal of making the ice accessible to everyone. Tim’s Kids also offers a program for kids with special needs.
Then there’s sled hockey (also known as sledge hockey), an adaptive style of ice hockey that uses sleds and special, shorter sticks, designed for people with disabilities.
After slicing the ice, warm up with a cup of steaming hot chocolate and grab a pizza or hot dog at the snack bar. Or tip up a brew or wine at the Penalty Box Sports Bar. During the hockey season, this bar counter is popular among people who want to watch the games, in between playing their own.
See Theater on Ice and figure skating at the Iceplex — Photo courtesy of Space Coast Iceplex
