If you must know the history of skating at Rockefeller Center New York, reports say it was an accidental creation. The Sunken Plaza, as the area was originally called, was lushly landscaped and boasted high-end shops and restaurants, but few people could be enticed down the stairs leading from the Channel Gardens. In the winter of 1936, in an effort to attract attention to the Plaza, Rockefeller Center’s managers contracted an engineer from Cleveland to build a temporary rink. It became a permanent fixture.
With a skating surface that stretches just 122 feet long and 59 feet wide, the rink can only accommodate up to 150 skaters a time with many spectators looking on with delight.
Address: Fifth Avenue (Between 49th and 50th Streets) New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-332-7654
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 9:00am – 10:30pm Friday – Saturday 8:30am – Midnight Sunday 8:30am – 10:00pm
Website:
www.therinkatrockcenter.com