Ice Skating!
Adventures in Okoboji – Ice Skating
Rebecca Peters, Okoboji Tourism Director
Each year thousands of people visit the Iowa Great Lakes. They come to enjoy the natural resources, attractions, museums, restaurants, and shopping. They take pictures to remember the fun moments spent in our backyard. They go home and share stories of a great vacation. They look look forward to returning to enjoy the amenities that we get to enjoy all year long. But do we actually enjoy the amenities that attract so many visitors? Join me each week as I become a tourist in our backyard to explore the spots that make the Iowa Great Lakes special!
There’s a first time for everything. Today it’s ice skating! We’ve got over 15,000 acres of ice each winter to glide across when not covered with snow, and until today I’ve never laced up a pair of skates give it a try. Thankfully, The Fish Shack at Okoboji Boat Works makes it “easy” to try. Each winter they clear a skating rink outside the Fish Shack and rent skates of all sizes.
Because of the holiday, they had extended hours. I arrived a little after noon on New Year’s Eve, rented my skates, and hit the ice. I moved (slowly) across the ice, but it was a fun and successful skating afternoon! I highly encourage everyone to give it a shot and spend an afternoon ice skating on Lake Okoboji. It’s really fun to glide across the ice on a sunny day and appreciate how lucky we are to live here!
Our community is also home to the Lakes Ice Arena in Spirit Lake. They host “Open Skate” every weekend in addition to numerous tournaments. After today’s fun on the ice, I can’t wait to visit the Lakes Ice Arena soon.
I hope you use these quiet months of winter to explore in our great community. I bet you’ll have fun! Try ice skating on the lake or find other ideas at www.VacationOkoboji.com.
Want to hear more? Listen to our podcast about this ice skating adventure!