For a first Denver-area skate, the admission price is only part of the decision. Rental skates, a young child’s ticket, a possible skating aid and the difference between a public session and a class can change which outing works best.
Apex in Arvada, Ice Centre at the Promenade and South Suburban Sports Complex provide three useful comparisons. This guide focuses on the practical decisions before a recreational visit, with each rink’s own current program rules as the starting point.
Apex for a public skate with a route into lessons
Apex’s ice-skating program separates public admission from its lessons and other activities. For ages 6–61, public skating is listed at $8 for district residents and $11.75 for nonresidents. Skate rental adds $4 or $5.75 respectively. That makes the listed adult admission-and-rental combination $12 or $17.50, before any other purchases.
Children ages 2–5 and adults 62 and older have different admission rates. A Tier 1 membership includes public skating, so an existing member should check their benefit before buying a separate ticket.
Apex also has parent-and-child instruction for ages 3–6 and adult lessons for ages 16 and up. A lesson offers instruction that a public ticket does not. The adult Coffee Club is another distinct option: the published $5 drop-in offer includes rental skates and coffee. It should not be mistaken for a general family-session price.
Plan your visit Prices, rentals & more
- Admission
- Public skating fees: ages 2-5 resident $2.50, non-resident $3; ages 6-61 resident $8, non-resident $11.75; ages 62+ resident $5.50, non-resident $7.75. Public skating is included with Tier 1 passes and insurance-based memberships. Adult Skaters Coffee Club admission is $5, which includes skate rental and coffee (free for SilverSneakers). Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Skates & rentals
- Skate rental is $4 for residents and $5.75 for non-residents. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Booking & check-in
- Freestyle (figure skating) sessions have no online registration: pay at the ice desk when you enter. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
Ice Centre for clear rental and beginner-aid choices
Ice Centre at the Promenade lists general public admission at $10, or $9 with the qualifying Westminster/Hyland discount card. Children four and under are $2 with a paying adult. Skate rental is another $5.
Its named Cheap Skate sessions reduce admission to $6, but rental remains an additional charge. For someone borrowing skates, that means comparing an $11 listed combination with the ordinary $15 combination, rather than reading “$6” as the entire outing.
The operator lists skating aids at $5 and says children under ten must not be left unattended. The ticket window opens 30 minutes before a public session. Build that preparation into the visit, particularly if several people need rentals. Helmets are not available to rent, so bring suitable equipment instead of expecting a full kit at the counter.
Plan your visit Prices, rentals & more
- Admission
- Regular public skating admission is $10. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Skates & rentals
- Skate rental is $5. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Booking & check-in
- Figure skating sessions must be registered online. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Skating with children
- Children under 10 may not be left unattended in the facility. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Parking & arrival
- Turn right on Promenade Drive North to enter the parking lot; the rear lot behind the green rink is for employees. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
South Suburban for a visit to the newer sports complex
South Suburban Sports Complex contains three ice sheets alongside other sports facilities and a restaurant/bar. Its public-ice fees are separate from court, turf and fitness admission. Buying access to another part of the complex does not automatically describe the skating ticket.
The public-skating table distinguishes weekdays, Friday evenings, weekends and holidays, as well as district residency. The listed weekday admission is $8.50 for residents and $11 for nonresidents; rental adds $2.50 or $3.50. Those weekday combinations are $11 and $14.50. Check the applicable session’s rate instead of carrying that total into every weekend or holiday.
The complex also advertises introductory hockey activities. A program involving hockey equipment and a participant limit is a different experience from an ordinary family public skate. Choose the activity first, then compare its cost.
Plan your visit Prices, rentals & more
- Admission
- Public skate: weekday days $8.50 resident/$11 nonresident; Friday evenings $9 resident/$12 nonresident; weekend days and holidays $9 resident/$10 nonresident. Children younger than 3 skate free (skate rental not included). Freestyle is not sold as a single-session admission; it is only sold as punch passes, 10 for $90 resident/$100 nonresident or 20 for $168 resident/$190 nonresident, expiring one month after purchase. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Skates & rentals
- Skate rental adds $2.50 resident/$3.50 nonresident; rentals are also separate for skating classes. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Booking & check-in
- Take-A-Shot has 25 spots; reserve and pay by calling 303-347-6968 on the day. Future-day reservations are not accepted and goalies pay too. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
- Skating with children
- Take-A-Shot requires full hockey gear, with full face masks for players younger than 18. Source · 2026-10-11Review due · confirm the current policy
Make the first outing easy to finish
Use the Denver public-skate schedule to find an opening with enough time for arrival and rentals. A lower ticket price is useful only if the session, equipment and journey fit the people coming along.
For a first attempt, a manageable visit is a reasonable goal. Public ice can be a chance to discover whether someone enjoys skating; a class is the next thing to compare when they want structured help. None of these listings is evidence that a session will be quiet, so avoid planning around an assumed empty rink.