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When I was a kid, I wanted to be an ice skater.  Unfortunately for me, the nearest ice rink was 35 minutes away and my mom was not willing to shuttle me back and forth for lessons.  On second though, given my lack of coordination, it was probably a blessing in disguise.  Nonetheless, I still love to skate and look forward to when my kids are old enough to take interest.

In my opinion, there is no better place to ice skate than out in the fresh air.  After all, ice skating began on frozen ponds in Switzerland 5000 years ago!  Modern times have traded in bone for steel and regions without frozen ponds now make due with artificial rinks, but the fun and exhilaration of gliding across the ice is still the same.  So where can families find outdoor ice rinks?  Count on Lydie and her fabulous lists to provide you with the answers!  She put together a list of the 10 Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks for Families.  Here is a sampling of what made the list:

The Ice Skating Rink at Curry Village:

I am definitely going to add this rink to my bucket list.  Imagine skating in Yosemite Valley with views of Half Dome and El Capitan.  Its hard to find a more beautiful scene on the entire planet.

Mellinnium Park in Chicago:

Photo courtesy of Culture Mob

Home of the world famous “bean” sculpture and  spitting fountain, this park gives you free access to their ice skating rink, provided you bring your own skates (you can rent skates for $10).   Practice your double axles with the Chicago skyline in view.

Squaw Valley USA:

Just off the north shore of Lake Tahoe is the home of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley.  Visitors can take an aerial tram up the slopes and skate on an Olympic sized rink with incredible views of the Sierras.

Read about the other seven rinks that made the list of the Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks for Families.

One of the newest outdoor rinks to hit the country is the ice skating rink at The Strand in Huntington Beach.   Families can ice skate within view of palm trees and the Pacific Ocean directly across the street from December 22nd through January 5th.

Do you know of an outdoor rink that you think Trekaroo families should visit? Then tell us about it by writing a review.

Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?

Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about.  Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo!  Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below. 

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)

Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)

Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.

We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

Just yesterday, at the playground our 3 year old who normally would be clambering across the tree house playground was lethargically sitting on my lap in the shade. With beads of sweat trickling down his little face he sighed, “I’m roasted like a marshmallow!” One of the best things about summer is finding fun places to cool off our kids close to home or a road trip away.

Photo by: www.flickr.com/photos/23826464@N04/3479116232

Beach Bumpkins

Kids and beaches are a winning combination. Tidepooling is a fun and educational way to cool off and explore the beach.
Kid-Friendly Tidepools Along the California Coast

Trekaroo families know which beaches are best for kids. Read their reviews:
Kid-friendly Beaches in Miami & Palm Beach, Florida
Kid-friendly Beaches in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Kid-friendly Beaches in South Carolina
Kid-friendly Beaches in Oahu, Hawaii
Photo by: Brennan Pang

Fun Escapes into Cool Museums

Not in the mood for getting wet?  Escape to an air-conditioned museum instead!  Get cool and develop new interests.  Lydie Thomas tells us How to Make a Trip to a Museum With a Kid a Pleasant Experience.

Ready?  Start exploring kid-friendly museum exhibits for summer 2009 Across the US | San Francisco Bay Area
Museum Free Days in the San Francisco Bay Area – GrandmaDot
Photo by: www.flickr.com/photos/emeryjl/1317616335

Wonderful Water Parks

River Head, NY: Splish Splash Water Park
Martap112 loves it because it has “a lot of rides to choose from”.
Denver, CO: Water World
One of the largest water parks in the nation with more for young kids than most.
Lydie Thomas reminds us to play hard, but stay safe:
Kid Safety TIps at a Water Park or Public Pool

Water Parks in Florida
Water Parks near San Francisco
Water Park in Washington
Photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/papalamour/206475271

Livin’ it up at a Lake

Yosemite, CA: Lake Tanaya
Escape the crowds at this lake with it’s “stunning views, large beach and shallow waters” according to TravelPangs.

Oakland, CA: Lake Temescal
A neighborhood swimming lake that’s a “great place for kids” according to mitchguez.
Jim Thorpe, PA: Mauch Chunk Lake Park
Christine O’Toole recommends it because it “offers more than a vacation’s worth of activities”.
Photo by: Brennan Pang

Splash Pads, Fountains and Pools

Chicago: Splash at Millennium Park
asmpman says, “This whole park is fabulous!”.
San Francisco Bay Area Public Pools
The City | Peninsula | East Bay
San Francisco Bay Area Splash Parks
Peninsula | East Bay
Photo by:www.flickr.com/photos/brian-m/233359192

Unexpected Places to Cool Off

Jacksonville (Florida) Zoo & Gardens:
Splash Ground is a “perfect midday break” from walking around the zoo -  BarnesFam
California: Universal Studios
Yes, there’s a splash park!  Gretchen “took along swimsuits and watershoes and hung out in the splash park” with her kids all summer.

More Lists for Cooling Off By Trekaroo Familes:

• Places to Cool Off in Texas by romar

• Places to Cool Off in the Chi-town Area by asmpman

• Fun Summer Activities in the Tri-State Area by michipo

(This is an excerpt from our July 2009 Trekaroo Newsletter – Don’t miss any issues: SUBSCRIBE to the Trekarooo Newsletter)

Trekaroo is a reviews website dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.