Oakland Ice Center

We skate here multiple times a week and it’s a great place. Lots of kids having fun and folks training in their craft. The staff is great and I appreciate all of the scheduling options.

Grace and Noel are exceptional employees here at the Oakland Ice Skating Rink. They are super helpful and so nice! We stopped by to have some fun for my daughter’s birthday and because of these two ladies, we will come back!

If you decide on this place for hockey for your kid just know that they will randomly (and without any prior communication) move the class time. It’s happened twice and the room full of angry parents shows they have the upper hand since ice rinks are few (for me all other places are equally far). Some of us drive 30-45 mins to get here by the crack of dawn. They think telling you “we’ll still go for the whole hour!” will help when in reality families have other commitments they go straight to afterwards, other kids’ needs etc. Bonus— if class goes over and you don’t think to go add more money to the meter, you’ll get a nice $65 parking ticket

The shop woman is horrible. She is probably the least hospitable person I’ve met. Ended up leaving because we couldn’t get any help. Buy from Amazon instead.

My child fell and broke her arm during ice skating here over the weekend. Their was noone working their to monitor the ice in case of emergency. I did not have skates on so had to rely on a couple of other kids to help my injured child off the ice. It was stressful to see them hurt and not be able to get to them. We managed to get her off the ice and get to the hospital but no one that worked there even noticed a child had been injured on their property.

I've been playing hockey and skating here for a few years now. There is an excellent hockey community surrounding this rink and I really enjoy playing here. Drop in sessions are often full of good skaters and both goalies! Most of the rink staff are awesome too. Unfortunately, where this rink really needs help is the facilities. While playing here is fun because of the people, it always feels a little risky because of the condition of the actual rink. The boards are in rough shape with some panels separating, occasional exposed screws, and a section that leans precariously away from the ice. They've also struggled with the ice thawing and regularly re-appearing sand/gravel spots. I'm sure fixing these issues is expensive, but hopefully the Sharks Ice network can come together and support a much needed renovation soon. The community deserves it!

Perfect spot for having kids learn how to ice skate, a date, or if you’re a person who wants to free skate. They have a cafe on site and skating aids for kids if needed. The skating aids can sell out, so be there at the start of your reservation time if you need one.

Always a great time to be had here!! I love that they have the snacks and warm drinks and when it’s not peak season it is super easy to get in and skate with ease. I believe they prorate prices as time dwindles down on public skate but don’t quote me on that, I was a little confused about the pricing. Regardless, I love the Oakland Ice Center and my kids have a blast every time we come :)

Oakland Ice Center is a great spot for ice skating! I was in town and my friend takes lessons here so she brought us during one of the public open-skate times to practice and also for us all to skate since my partner and I LOVE ice skating. We went during the day and it wasn't too crowded. There was just a kid's birthday party and a few other skaters for a bit so it was nice. For birthday parties, they separate part of the rink, which might not be the best for public skate but I think is super cool! Back at my home rink, the parties kind of skate with everyone and it gets a bit rough, especially during crowded times. For beginner skaters, they have both the seal/dolphins(?) that you can use to skate and even stacks of buckets, which I think is genius, to adjust to height. It was easy to pay for a public skate session and grab rentals. The rink is a good size and layout was pretty cool. The skate shop was okay. Overall, a cute ice rink in Oakland!

I have been coming here for many years with my family and have never had an issue until recently. I, along with several other parents, witnessed an employee named Colton get into a heated altercation with a family of young children. The situation began when Colton confronted the family because their daughter, who appeared to be around four years old, was eating a snack. While I understand that outside food may not be allowed, the way this was handled was completely unacceptable. No warning was given, instead, Colton immediately began shouting in front of the children. Several parents attempted to calm him down, but he continued to escalate the situation and began swearing. The young girl became visibly upset and started crying, and the family ultimately left shortly after. When others tried to speak with Colton afterward, he repeatedly stated, "No outside food," and said that if anyone had a problem, they should take it up with his boss, Brad. The entire interaction came across as a power trip and was absolutely disturbing to witness. My family and I love Oakland Ice and consider it a second home. We have met many wonderful people there, including members of the staff. However, this incident left a very negative impression--not only on me, but on many others who witnessed it as well.

This place was a huge disappointment. The person working the counter was really unhelpful and plain rude, giving us different rules that weren't on their website. For context, my friends and I are old enough to drive, but not 18. We were told that we can still skate if we are under 18, but we need to be 18 to make an account for ourselves, which is obviously unrealistic. What really got us was that we know some much younger people that were there just a few weeks ago for public skate and didn't need to make an account to get in at all. We figured we'd need to sign a waiver for liabilities, but we were told to do many more things than that which is not fair just to get into a public skate session. Because of all that, we had no choice but to leave.

Oakland Ice Center is such a fun spot for both beginners and experienced skaters. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the whole space feels well-run and safe. My kids had a blast during public skate hours--it was a great way to burn energy and try something different. The rental process was smooth, and they had plenty of sizes available. It's a little chilly inside (as expected!), so definitely dress warm. We'll definitely be coming back--it's a great year-round activity that's active and indoors, especially on hot or rainy days.

Buying tickets online was easy. The venue was old but clean and easily accessible. There's no parking on site so we parked on the street - metered parking space. The kids enjoyed the indoor ice skating and had lots of fun. The concession needs a renovation because it's so dated and not inviting at all. There's one person behind the counter serving the customers so there's always a wait. In summary if the organization can get the inside looking comparably modern to the outside and improve the ambiance, I think the customers wouldn't be so shocked when they step inside and make the experience more enjoyable.

Very disappointing. Booked birthday party. Rescheduled on us but the event people were unreachable for days at a time. Had to call olus email and would be days before they graced us with a reply. Birthday room not available on time. Vending machine broken. Total chaos on the ice. Supposed to have a lesson - no such thing happened. I would not recommend this place for a birthday party for children.

Fantastic experience! Came here as a group of 4 for a friend's birthday party and had a blast. We did the intro to curling class and everything was breezy. Directions in email were concise, plenty of parking, easy check in, and wonderful instruction on how to curl. The instructor's were patient and gave us all multiple chances to work on our technique. Afterwards, we were able to scrimmage and we all left hooked on the sport. If only we lived closer!

Great rink itself, and the ice is always smooth but it's hard to give the ice center a good review. Biggest con are the lines on weekends and even sometimes weekdays. They really should staff more people to check people in or at least make a line that's just for people who reserved online tickets. Otherwise you're missing so much of your skating time while standing in line. Staff is also not welcoming at all as they're so overwhelmed.

It was amazing! My kids went for the first time and they're 8 and 11. We went on a Sunday and they did not let us use the buckets to practice skating. That was a bummer. Parking is limited but on a Sunday you can park on the streets easily

Staff here makes this place amazing! From the pro shop staff Simon and Nat are incredible. The front desk staff are all great that I can't name them all but they are all amazing. All of the teachers in the various skate classes have been fantastic and have gotten me completely addicted.

As always outstanding care and professional service from The Pro shop. Simon did super on sharpening then doing the heat moldable feature of my figure skates to dial in control of the inside and outside edges plus better rocker control for 3 turns and jumping. This Pro Shop also cared for skates of Junior now Woman's Champion Figure Skater Alysia Liu. Yet does not matter what level or anything else Everyone gets the Same High Standards of service. PS a shout out to Rink Manager Glen Martin for some simple yet great changes in the restrooms, New Kimberly Clark automatic soap and towel dispensers. And great work by OIC maintenance team for installing.

We just held a birthday party at the Oakland Ice Center. It was such a great experience! From the initial email contact from Allison to get the ball rolling, through the party day when Zachary and others set things up, gave a lesson, and kept everybody safe, it was wonderful. They made it easy, they did all the work, and we had all the fun. Six stars out of five! =)

I had a great experience here!! Was able to book my public skate session online through the website and it made it seamless to start skating right away. You can also pay for your rental online. The public skate rink is pretty spacious and the ice was really fresh when I came. So many diff levels of skaters here from recreational, to comp, to ice hockey players, to just casual ice skaters! Really great facility. A little outdated in terms of things like the bathroom and stuff, but other than that, really great! Be aware that it is only street parking available here!

Best staff ever! snacks and beverages available for sale. Management team is excellent.

It's a nice little getaway in the middle of downtown Oakland. Came here for the UC Berkeley hockey games and at times it was free at times it was just five dollars for students. It's got everything you need to enjoy your time watching an ice hockey game. The concession stands are pretty standard. I did not see any alcoholic beverages but that was not my main focus. As it gets pretty chilly inside, there's many hot foods and drinks. There's two rinks in the venue. Going in from the entrance to the right is where I've seen the common people recreationally skate and to the left is where the clubs, colleges, and I think the NHL half way owns it, not too sure but it's what I've observed while attending games. There's plenty of rental skates to rent for your use and freestyle on the ice. Very easy to get to by train or bus.

Friendly staff, skaters of any age always feel welcome, excellent ice conditions and even a good snack bar for hot chocolate, pastries and chocolate! Great hockey program and figure skating classes.

On February 24th I went with my daughter and her father to get some hockey gear. We went into the pro shop because we were told that someone would help size her. The person who we asked obviously had a problem he was very strange and he actually appeared intoxicated. He was very Hands-On with my granddaughter more than I appreciate it. He was also making remarks as I should kick you in the balls. He was overly friendly. We just told them we'll do it ourselves and proceeded to try to size my granddaughter. He was very unprofessional he was very over friendly with my granddaughter and we left I did not want to make a scene in the store because there was a lot of other people there. I also noticed he has a young girl working with him and I don't think that's appropriate. My granddaughter's father left a message and has not heard back from this organization. I don't know why they haven't called back why they haven't contacted him we're considering filing a police report. Just wanted to warn everybody about this person who's in the pro shop around young girls. And hoping that maybe someone from this Oakland Ice Center will respond and get back to my granddaughters father

Had my nieces bday party here over the weekend. We had a great time. Scarlett was our host and she made sure we had everything we needed and helped with the kids on the ice. They also had cute animal shaped assistance for the little ones who are learning how to skate. That was a HUGE help! Good times and good fun. Make sure you coordinate with the host on entry for the party as opposed to just walking up to the front desk since they could mistakenly charge you admission when you don't need to pay.

Took my child to get hockey gear and sized up with the right sizes and the old drunk stumbling guy in the pro shop crossed the with odd remarks and improper touch of my child. My child felt violated and uncomfortable the whole 10 minutes this drunk man was supposed to be helping us. I had to hurry and try to size my child up with no knowledge of what the proper fit should be and get the heck out of there before something would go down. I've contacted management and left a small summary of the incident and that it's un called for aswell as this guy was currently intoxicated in the pro shop as I left my message. " time and dated I might add" very discouraging to know that this man is around young boys and girls. Totally out of pocket. Never go back there. The neighborhood outside is a dump. There services was horrible on top of the guy being drink and trying to feel up on my child. There is a young girl working in there with him too. Poor child.

I started coming here for ice skating lessons. If you're interested definitely sign up a month ahead of when the classes start. There is a parking lot around the corner that they validate for but it seems like most people just park on the street. The check-in process for skate rentals is very easy. And if you're a resident of Oakland you get a discount. The facility is well maintained. I know there's a snack bar but I have not seen it open in the weeks that I've been coming. The class is for 45 and they give you 15 minutes for free skate. The instructors have been very helpful and give useful tips. I've seen great improvement in both myself and my fellow classmates.

Favorite ice skating rink in the Bay Area. A lot of street parking. Also many garages if you want a more secure location. Price on average $20 a person with the ice skate rental is well worth the price. Facility is clean. Definitely a place to bring friends and family.

I love ice skating and am really happy that this ice rink is open year round! There is a huge ice rink for lessons, events and public skating, as well as a separate rink for the Sharks to practice. It's been around for ages. My bf and I went with some other friends on the Tuesday discounted night. We (well I for sure) had a blast flying through the rink- I felt alive again, like I was in the "Olympics" when I was pretending to be Kristy Yamaguchi or Michelle Kwan. If you had rollerbladed in the past, (which was most of my childhood), you can just bring your technique on the ice. Skate rental is pretty straightforward- make sure to get ones that fit and lace well so they are not too loose on the ice. The rink is also pretty cold so dress in layers, but once you get gliding it can get warm. There are paid lockers you can put your belongings in as well, but we just put our shoes under the public benches. There is street parking- free after 6p! Highly recommend this rink if you love to skate!

A great rink and place to skate! Took lessons here for the first time!!! How did I do? I did great!

I'm so happy to have an Ice Rink nearby, right in Downtown Oakland! They offer many public skate sessions, as well as skate rentals. Many classes are also available. A public skate discount is offered for Oakland residents. Don't use the restroom sinks! They run for about 7 minutes and almost overflow. So sad when we're in a drought. They're the type where you push the handle and it stops when it comes back to the top. Ice condition is okay, but there's some areas on the ice that look odd that I'm hesitant to skate over. The ice over it is fine, but it just kind of psyches you out. Rentals were uncomfortable. I have my own skates now that I bring that are much better. Overall, it's a decent sized arena and there's not much competition in the area! Hope they make some improvements on the sinks and ice.

Natalie in the pro shop was one of the best salespeople I have encountered as of late. She was very attentive and helped us find the beat-fitting skates. Shaw went above and beyond to answer our question. Even with a growing line of people also needing help she never once got flustered or impatient.

This review is for the Oakland Ice Center Pro Shop only--located inside the Oakland Ice Center. My daughter started figuring skating lessons there and I searched for hours trying to find a place buy figure skates in Bay Area/online not realizing the Pro Shop sells skates (!!!) I always thought they just did sharpening so never bothered to walk in. After failing to buy a pair of skates online that fit, I stopped in today with my daughter after her lessons today and the clerk measured her feet and fitted her into a beginner skate. He also conveniently sharpened them in only minutes after purchasing (tip for newbie parents: new skates anywhere require sharpening!). We also bought blade protectors. Prices were very similar to online. They seem to have a strong selection of figure and hockey skates. We were in and out in 20 minutes. Thank you Oakland Ice Center Pro Shop!!

Rude Cynthia I called to ask about the summer camp. Because they overcharged me, the supervisor who answered the phone was Cynthia. The attitude was really, really bad, I've never seen anyone so rude, it was a nightmare. She should look for a new job. Maybe fighting would be better for her. Avoid her when you go skating

It's amazing that there's an ice rink in Oakland, as I love skating and have done a few adult hockey clinics here, but management leaves a few things to be desired. First, they don't Zamboni halfway through public skate (contrary to standard practice at well-run rinks) even when it's extremely busy at weekend sessions. This leaves the ice a snowy, dangerous mess (and frankly, a liability for the rink). It would be easy for them to address this issue. Public skate on weekdays is also extremely limited with very few sessions outside of normal working hours--not sure if this is a relic of Covid, but it would be nice if there were some evening or early morning sessions Mon-Thurs. Second, when I did adult-hockey clinics here a few years ago, it was not an inclusive environment. Staff refused to open a women's locker room for the 2-3 women players. I had to email multiple different people in rink management begging for a locker room. When my campaign was finally successful, I constantly had to remind staff to unlock another locker room. Then, all the men were squeezed into one locker room that was crowded far beyond capacity, and we were told that we had to self police the women's locker room. Needless to say, this created a lot of tension, and the rink could easily have opened a second locker room for the men and put up signs, but they chose not to. Additionally, a large number of male players were also more skilled than appropriate for a low-level adult clinic and should have been divided into a separate group rather than catering the programming towards them. I used to play hockey with multiple clinics and also on a rec team in NYC, so I was really disappointed with this unwelcoming experience.

I can't believe there is a full-sized ice rink right in Uptown Oakland! It is so easy to get to and convenient and way more affordable than the one in Yerba Buena Gardens. We skated during a public free skate, and there were plenty of other parents with kids scooting timidly along the perimeter. There are stacks of buckets available for kids during some public skate times. The people who work there are very kind and helpful. I didn't feel judged or self-conscious for not being a great skater. The music selection was not what I would have put together, but ah well, that just means I am getting old. Bring extra quarters for the lockers and for a round of air hockey.

My new favorite place in Oakland. The staff is always very helpful and willing to answer any questions. I appreciate the resident discount too.

The rink is good. The reason why I'm giving low stars is because the girl that works at the front desk is rude as fuck..rude enough to ruin your whole experience.

This was the go-to ice rink for me growing up, and I've been here many times over the years. Most recently, I went back for the first time as an adult in what must have been over a decade since I was last here. All the arcade game machines are gone--I remembered the fighting, shooting, and driving games, so I'm kind of sad they're no longer here. My friend and I wanted to come ice skating. Both of us in our twenties, we were probably the oldest people there who didn't come with children. Adult admission is $17, though you get a discount if you prove you live in Oakland, like providing an Oakland address listed on your ID. The skate rental staff told me to size down from my normal shoe size. I normally wear 6, so I asked for 5. They didn't check their skates, and gave me size 6. Definitely WAY too big, and when I first stepped onto the ice and skated for one round, I was kind of wobbling and at first I thought it was just that I wasn't used to wearing skates anymore, but I definitely knew something was wrong when my wobbling wouldn't stop, and it wasn't the rough ice nor my skating ability to blame. I went back to the skate rentals, and at least they didn't protest or refuse to swap out my skates. I went down to size 4, and it felt SO much better on my feet. It gets ridiculously crowded on the ice rink. My friend and I skated for about 2 hours, and during the time we skated, more and more children (and some older ones and fewer than 10 adults who also looked like they were in their twenties, or maybe they were in high school) came crowding into the ice rink. It's really weird to come back as an adult, because now I'm really wary of crashing into any children. I was able to skate just as well as I could as a kid, and I didn't fall at all, though at one point, a young boy about 10 years old fell in front of me, and thank goodness I stopped in front of him JUST IN TIME. I did have a very fun afternoon though! It was great to relive some nostalgia.

I just began my adult skate classes here and I love it! Everyone is so sweet and welcoming and they have everything you need in their pro shop. The pricing for the public session is very accommodating as well, especially for the two hour allotted time. It's spacious and the location is great for friends to go visit as it's surrounded by bars and restaurants.

I'm really bad at ice skating and could barely tie my own shoes so bless the super nice staff for helping. Pat's a king.

What a great day!! It was our first class field trip in 2 years!! Maria, Brad and Cheryl were so organized and got us in and skating quickly. Matt and Shawnday helped us get our skates and put always the likes of skates. Definitely a special shout out to Brad, I showed up with our permission slips two sided on their permission slips. He scanned all of them for me!! Super great experience. Thanks again Oakland Ice Rink!

10/27/2019 Yelp OIC Oakland Ice Center Oakland, CA Review by AVERAGE figure skating level "Free Style Figure Skater" Oh here we go........... The PLUS ++++++The Adult Intro to Syncro Team Figure Skating Class Adult Beginning Intermediate and Advanced Group Figure skating Class Next session Youth Beginning and Advanced Youth Group Figure Skating Class The COACHING STAFF Excellent Well worth the cost of the classes. IN heart to jump glide spin is the core of this Figure Skating Coaching staff, and no issue with ones aspiring to play Hockey, No issue gender change or gender,age race or skating level. SO SAD the Minus ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This HUGE ISSUE. The OIC Rink Upper Skating Management VERY BIASED "Looking for Next Olympic Gold medalist ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Rink discipline and courtesy and safe skating venue LACKING. So after class many come back and me Saturday afternoon or weekday to practice the skating lesson taught by Coaching staff. Here is where it SAD. Weekends Rink Olympic side Public skate is out of control, not very safe and very danger to public who are trying skating for first time with figure and hockey skaters trying advanced skating skills. Weekdays WORSE many advanced yet poor sportsmanship Figure Skaters and Coaches who care nothing of public skaters turn public skate time into "FREESTYLE" skating session. This came to major issue for me. It take all the heartfelt enjoyment of figure skating away. I know the skating management no like me. With that I drop out of two classes, Intro to Syncro Team Figure Skating and Int Group Figure Skating Classes both on Saturday. I had made little progress because of this. Over 2 thousand dollars wasted, in three years of lessons and public skating. Now Positive advice. IGNORE Rink management . Enjoy the Coaches. Practice at another rink Yurba Buena San Francisco has low volume crowd Wednesday Mornings, yes makes it difficult if you have to work, unless on second shift. ONLY ONE RINK IS RUN correct is Snoopy Rink up north. So if you can get practice ice AWAY from OIC do TAKE the classes. ONE HUGE PLUS + is Pro Shop Manager Brad. OUTSTANDING in service and care of skater. Figure skate blade sharpening or Hockey blade both get the highest skills from Brad with a smile. Kids Birthday @ OIC. Two sides to this YES Birthday Person gets a lot of goodies and fun for friends. Good instruction from pre Coach Rink Staff. Downside Birthday group sometimes cause issues on ice. I say OK to having birthday bash @ OIC s long as PARENTS and STAFF keep control of Birthday Group. For Parents with child or anyone wanting to skate weekdays at OIC DO NOT DO IT! BIG waste of MONEY and TIME. Your child and you will be forced to stay off open ice, you and child may also get frightened by poor courtesy of Figure skaters and Coaches. Yes I goof, should have practiced at another rink, over two years ago ver taking bully and lack of respect to me. Sometimes I can be DUMB as a BOX of ROCKS....... PS No wonder many get turned off to Figure Skating, GEE does ISU International Skating Union or US Figure Skating know about this, looks like smells like ONLY TOP GOLD MEDAL SKATERS NEED TO APPLY

I come here for public sessions and it's great everyone is super friendly you have to register online beforehand and they check vaccination status. I wish they had more public session including in the morning

Rude unprofessional harsh people! No customer service. I just online checked and their skates store hours on phone said open from 11. But store was not open . Moreover people don't even think it's their mistake.. Beware everyone! They are not recommended

Great rink for public skating. $5 to rent skates that feel like they haven't been sharpened in years. Employees say: "Oh they sharpen them, they get used a lot." I call bullshit. I've rented ice skates at 3 places in Tahoe and Alameda in the past 5 years. The rental skates here suck every time. Sadly, not many options and my daughters are growing too fast to own for now.

A huge public rink that's close to BART and has lots of opportunity for open recreational skate? I'm all for it. Oakland residents (with proof) get 10% off. Tuesday nights are also Cheap Skate night :) The rink was not very full at 7:45 pm on a Saturday night (open session is 7:15 - 9:15 pm), which is when two of my friends and I arrived. There was very little hassle involved in getting the tickets and skate rentals. I am normally 8.5 for sandals and 9 for running shoes but had to size down to an 8 -- just an FYI. The ice was really smooth until around 8:15 pm when more people starting joining. After that I found it a little more challenging to maintain balance when there were crucial little kinks in the ice. The more advanced skaters hang out in the center of the rink while the beginners stick to the very edge. It's not too hectic if you keep a wide margin between you and other people (kids, sometimes) but you should also just be prepared to fall a few times and laugh about it. Everyone is a good sport and will help you up in no time.

Clean, friendly, and they maintain the ice really well! I haven't rented their skates so I can't comment on that, but I have had my personal skates sharpened here and they do a great job.

Place is just like any normal ice rink but they check Covid cards to skate and you must make an appointment to go. Rink is cold but a hoodie should be perfect.

In the 90s we would do birthday parties here! In December, 30 years later, i went with my kids and my senior Dad for ice skating. Lots of space, no chaos. Strict COVID safety protocols helped us feel safe. Great staff. No drama. Clean and quiet on the weekend morning we went. We were all new at skating, and enjoyed the facility, even though the skating was hard. Would recommend a lesson. Great place in the middle of Oakland.

Staff is really sweet and overall a good experience, but they recently got a new system that SUCKS. They make you create a profile and ask your birthday, address, and a bunch of other extra information. They literally do not let you skate unless you create an account. Super annoying and the whole process takes about 5-7 minutes. They need to change this, it really ruined our experience.

I'm all bitter towards my parents because they obviously saw me literally play my tape of the 1988 Winter Olympics Ladies' Long Program over and over again every day, and they didn't think to pursue the possibility of skating lessons for me. To this day, I'm all bitter that Midori Ito didn't place higher because of school figures, and I'm still making fun of Kira Ivanova and Elizabeth Manley. Lo and behold, I come back from college all adult-ass, and I find out that there's an ice skating rink right next to BART, and it's hella cheap for group lessons. To think, I could have been a regional bronze medalist by now! I signed up for lessons a year ago, am with quite a few other adults, got some skates that are slightly too big cheap off EBay, and although I have NO friends from the rink, I can do four out of the six single jumps now! I hella need a benefactor to score me some decent blades and boots though . . . Point being, Oakland Ice Center is freakin' great. I'd go to Dublin Iceland maybe once every two years, and the most anyone would do is shove you out of the way with their wet, pantyhosed asses and snarl, "EXCUSE ME, I'M DOING A SITSPIN." Here, we have little 8-year-olds doing double salchows and attempting Bielmann spins, some lady who looks like she wears layers of diapers to pad any falls doing complicated brackets and rockers, and of course that one older teenager girl who roles her eyes at everyone as she takes a full rink to set up her double flip. Typical hockey guys who get in the damn way during public skate, a pro shop full of hockey equipment and little lycra dresses but nothing in between, and a handful of odd-ass muthas. The guy in the leopard skin vest with a ratty ponytail will kick you in the head as he tries to do an extended spiral across the ice, combined with weak powerpulls so that he waves back and forth without looking. He almost sliced open the skull of li'l Ben, the kid who bites his mittens when he gets nervous and tried to do Bielmanns when he first started coming to the rink. There's a second rink -- for hockey -- in the back. Ooh, and there's this crazy vending machine that dispenses full meals of soggy crinkle fries and jr. high school pizza! And one of those rotating sandwich machines. There's this vast underground network of lockerrooms, and sometimes the staff is totally loopy, and sometimes they sing over the microphone. I'm going to sneak a mix CD into their rotation -- I'm tired of all this Gwen Stefani and Kelly Clarkson. It's time for us to skate to Deerhoof and Erase Errata and Yma Sumac. Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Ooh, sometimes there are unannounced local competitions, so you get to see everyone prance around in sequins to tasteless '80s pop songs and have their photos taken and posted next to a gradient curtain. Everyone needs to support this place, as Berkeley just shut down, and the Yerba Buena Center has plenty of SF people! Just don't be all afraid to even try to glide forward (as some are), and go to the bathroom before you get there.

Great establishment! Nice to be able to expose people in the east bay to ice skating and ice hockey. We booked some time on the ice to take my niece from Hawaii ice skating. The pro shop is a great place to stock up on San Jose Sharks gear too!

The Oakland Ice Center is larger and more modern that the old Berkeley Iceland or the current Belmont Iceland. However, I'm more of an old tyme hockey kind of guy that isn't as impressed with the Oakland facility as I should be. Maybe my Midwest background makes me more comfortable in well loved and funky "dumps". And does anyone remember that long gone rink in the Sunset area of San Francisco? My son loves skating here and I enjoy a twill around the rink myself. It also gives me chance to practice my backward skating and my fake NHL Defenseman moves. At the same time, I personally find this place overwhelming, starting at the point of trying to find this place and park. Once inside, the place is usually packed and loud. And after about an hour, all I want is out! But that's not the fault of staff who I have found to be helpful, friendly, and accommodating.

Five words to start: TIM HORTONS CAFE & BAKERY. The coffee is a great start. The staff at Oakland Ice are supernice and helpful. Love the 2 ice surfaces! Pro-shop is awesome, love that Hossa leftie CCM stick! Can just say....nothin' like the smell of fresh ice.

Wow! I was surprised to walk into such a vast open space which is ample for numerous people. The Oakland Ice Center has many resources available at this location which include; two ice rinks, snack bar, gift shop, air hockey, large seating area (for each rink), "wanted / for sale" bulletin boards for skates and accessories, lockers, and skate rentals and restrooms (of course). The larger of the two rinks has music playing and is used for public skating sessions. I visited the center to check out the speedskating club. I was pleased to find such a delightful group of down to earth people. The club provided me and a few other new members such a warm welcome. The coaches and senior members provided encouragement and much needed skating tips. If you're up for a challenge and enjoy skating fast, come check out the Northern California Speedskating Association out Saturday nights from 5:00PM - 7:00PM. This two hour session provides a great workout, and the club charges a very fair price for one on one training. (The club is paid directly in the amount of $15.00 per session. There's a fee you pay the Ice Center for skate rentals in the amount of $3.00.) The members are a dynamic group of individuals of various skill levels, from beginners to national competitors. Checkout the website: http://www.ncsa.us/ to gain a better understanding of what to look forward to. Overall, a great experience. I would have rated this location at five stars, but I knocked a star off because the skates need to be replaced with new skates due to wear and tear, and there are no half sizes. Bring your own skates and get movin'!