Deep
South residents feel pretty darn lucky this time of year. We’re not scraping
ice off the windshield nor shoveling snow up to our knees. We may have to cover
the plants once and a while when a hard freeze arrives and we usually complain
about it so northerners can have a good laugh.
 |
| Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation |
But
even with our mild winters and the ability to walk around barefoot in the
middle of December (albeit with frosty toes) we could use a little winter
wonderland. That’s why temporary ice skating rinks and the occasional snow
mound appear, offering kids a chance to see how the other half live.
In
Houston, for instance, folks flock to Discovery Green for outdoor ice skating
on Kinder Lake. Discovery Green is the city’s new central park, located
downtown and offering a wide variety of fun. They freeze up the “lake” every
year to offer ice skating from Nov. 17 to Jan. 27, 2013. Admission is $12 and
includes skate rental and tax, but limited to 1 1/2 hour sessions. A portion of
the tickets sale helps support the park’s year-round programming.
The
Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation outside of Atlanta features all kinds
of holiday packages for all ages, including ice skating at the AAA Five Diamond
hotel. The 5,000-square-foot rink is open daily with two sessions until Feb. 24
in the lodge’s Pavilion. Skating is complimentary for resort guests; non-resort
guests pay $30 for children 12 and under and $40 for adults, including skate
rentals, if needed.
The
Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum turns a section of its popular attraction
into Santa’s Christmas Village, and that includes holiday events, “the world’s
largest snow globe” and an ice skating rink! Cost to skate is $10 and open
Thursdays through Sundays during December.
