Atlanta Ice Forum: Your Guide to Ice Skating Near Atlanta, GA

If you’re looking for an ice rink near Atlanta—whether for public skating, youth hockey, figure skating, or just a fun weekend outing—the Atlanta Ice Forum is one of the best-known options serving the metro area.

While it’s technically located in Duluth, Georgia, the rink is a regular destination for people from Atlanta, Gwinnett County, and beyond. Here’s how it fits into Atlanta life and what you should know before you go.

Where the Atlanta Ice Forum Is and How It Serves Atlanta

The Atlanta Ice Forum is an indoor ice rink complex in Duluth, a northeast suburb that’s closely tied into the Atlanta metro area.

Location (primary facility commonly referred to as Atlanta Ice Forum):

• Address: 2300 Satellite Blvd NW, Duluth, GA 30097
• Area: Just off I-85, convenient to Gwinnett Place and about 25–35 minutes from many parts of northeast Atlanta in light traffic.

Many Atlanta residents use this rink for:

• Public skating sessions
• Youth and adult hockey leagues
• Figure skating lessons and ice dancing
• Birthday parties and group events
• Seasonal skating (school breaks, holidays, summer camps)

Even if you live in the city, this rink is often easier to access than trying to track down temporary or seasonal rinks that appear only during the holidays.

What You Can Do at Atlanta Ice Forum

Exact offerings and schedules change over time, but most visitors from Atlanta will find some or all of the following:

Public Ice Skating

Most days, the Forum offers public skating sessions, where anyone can pay an admission fee, rent skates, and get on the ice—no membership needed.

Common features:

• Open skate blocks throughout the week
• Skate rentals for adults and kids
• Beginner-friendly environment during less crowded times
• In-rink music and lighting for a more fun atmosphere

If you’re coming from Atlanta, it’s smart to check the day’s schedule in advance; public session times sometimes change around hockey games, lessons, or tournaments.

Tip:

• 🕒 Weekday daytime or late-afternoon sessions are often less crowded than Friday nights or weekends.

Youth and Adult Hockey

The Atlanta Ice Forum is a major hub for ice hockey in the north metro.

You’ll typically find:

• Youth hockey programs (various age levels)
• Learn-to-play hockey classes for beginners
• Adult recreational leagues
• Ice time used by local high school teams or travel programs

If you live in Atlanta and want to get into hockey, this rink is one of the most accessible options, especially if you’re in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, or anywhere along I-85.

Figure Skating and Learn-to-Skate

For residents interested in figure skating or just learning basic skating skills, the Forum usually supports:

• Learn-to-skate programs for kids and adults
• Private or semi-private figure skating coaching
• Ice dance, jumps, spins, and advanced training for dedicated skaters
• Early morning or midday freestyle sessions for practice

Families from Atlanta often make the drive to this rink when they want more structured skating instruction than they can get from short-term or seasonal rinks.

Birthday Parties and Group Events

Atlanta Ice Forum is also commonly used for events such as:

• Birthday parties for kids (skating plus party room)
• Team-building outings for businesses
• School and church group trips

If you’re planning an event from Atlanta, consider:

• Travel time from your side of town
• Likely traffic on I-85, especially weekday afternoons
• Parking availability (the Duluth area location generally has ample surface parking compared with in-city venues)

What to Expect as an Atlanta Visitor

If you’re coming from within the city or visiting Atlanta and staying in-town, this section covers logistics that matter most.

Getting There from Atlanta

Common driving routes:

• From Downtown / Midtown Atlanta:
  • Take I-85 North toward Greenville
  • Continue past the I-285 interchange
  • Exit near Pleasant Hill Road / Gwinnett Place area (exit numbers can change, so follow current signage)
  • Short drive on surface roads to the Satellite Blvd area

Approximate drive times in normal conditions:

Times can increase significantly during rush hour or game days, so plan a buffer if you’re heading to a scheduled class or league game.

Parking and Arrival

At the Duluth facility:

• Parking: Large, usually free surface lots
• Entrance: Main lobby usually includes skate rental, concessions, and viewing areas
• Spectator areas: Bleachers or seating around rinks for parents and guests

For families driving in from Atlanta with kids:

• Aim to arrive 15–20 minutes early for public skating to allow time for check-in and skate fitting.
• Younger children may need help with skates and an extra few minutes to get comfortable.

Costs and What to Bring

Pricing can change, but you can generally expect:

• Public skating admission: Per-person fee
• Skate rental: Additional per pair
• Lessons or league fees: Program-based, usually billed by session or season

To make your trip smoother from Atlanta, bring:

• Comfortable long socks (helps with rental skates)
• Gloves and a light jacket or sweatshirt
• Helmet for children or beginners if you prefer extra protection (some families use bike helmets)
• A change of clothes for very young kids who might fall frequently and get damp

Seasonal and Holiday Skating in the Atlanta Area

During winter, Atlanta sometimes has temporary or outdoor rinks set up at locations like town centers, parks, or mixed-use developments. These can be fun, but they’re usually:

• Smaller than Atlanta Ice Forum
• Weather-dependent (especially for outdoor setups)
• Seasonal, operating only for a few weeks or months

The Atlanta Ice Forum, by contrast, is:

• Year-round
• Indoor and climate-controlled
• A consistent option for residents who skate regularly or are in structured programs

If you want a reliable, predictable rink near Atlanta any time of year, the Forum is one of the main places locals turn to.

How Atlanta Residents Typically Use the Ice Forum

People in and around Atlanta use this rink in several common ways:

• Families with kids in hockey or figure skating
  • Regular practices, weekend games, early-morning training
• Adults looking for a unique workout or hobby
  • Joining an adult hockey league or regular public skating
• College students from nearby campuses (Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, and others)
  • Casual group trips, especially on weekends
• Visitors staying in Gwinnett or northeast Atlanta
  • An indoor activity option that works in any weather

If you live closer to the west or south side of the metro, the drive will be longer, but many still make the trip if they’re serious about hockey or competitive skating, since options can be more limited in those parts of the metro.

Practical Tips for First-Time Visitors from Atlanta

Here are a few Atlanta-specific pointers if you’ve never been:

• 🚗 Avoid the worst traffic windows.
  From Atlanta to Duluth, late afternoon on weekdays (roughly 4–7 p.m.) along I-85 can be heavily congested. If you can, schedule around that.

• 📅 Check schedules before you drive.
  Public skating, stick-and-puck, and lessons may shift around tournaments or special events.

• 💳 Bring a payment method that works if systems are down.
  Many rinks primarily use electronic payments, but having a backup (like a card with a chip or some cash) can be helpful.

• 🧊 Dress in layers.
  You’re in metro Atlanta, but the inside of the rink is cold year-round. A light jacket is often enough, but small children may want thicker layers.

Other Ice Options in the Greater Atlanta Area

If you’re exploring multiple rinks, the metro region includes several ice facilities in different suburbs. Many Atlanta families compare options based on:

• Commute time from their neighborhood
• Program offerings (hockey vs. figure skating emphasis)
• Coaching staff and league structure
• Facility size and atmosphere

However, the Atlanta Ice Forum in Duluth remains one of the best-known and most frequently used options, especially for people living or staying on the northeast side of Atlanta along the I-85 corridor.

In summary, if you’re in or around Atlanta and you search for “Atlanta Ice Forum,” you’re usually looking for this Duluth-based ice rink complex that serves much of the metro with public skating, hockey, figure skating, and events. It’s a practical, year-round choice for Atlantans who want consistent ice time within a reasonable drive of the city.