It’s pricey to skate at the enclosed Phillips Academy Ice Rinks in Andover (you have to be a member, which costs $35 annually, and then pay $6 to skate during open sessions), but it’s a grand experience at this classic New England prep school. Once an open-sided affair, the rink was transformed into a state-of-the-art facility used year-round by the school, youth hockey groups, and skating programs. One local notable who skated here was Marblehead’s Cory Schneider, Class of 2004 and Boston College goaltending standout, now in the National Hockey League Vancouver Canucks minor-league system. 254 South Main St., 978-684-7200, http://www.andover.edu/CommunityVisitors/IceRinkPrograms/Pages/default.aspx,rentals Marlborough’s New England Sports Center is massive - five rinks under one roof - and the absolute hub of hockey in this area. They use two rinks for public skating, but all manner of options exist, including youth, adult, and public hockey, the latter called stick time, where you show up with your gear, plunk down $6, and play pickup for an hour. 121 Donald Lynch Blvd., 508-229-2700, www.nes.com, public skating adults $5, children $3, rentals
Rhode Island
Where Boston has its Frog Pond, Providence has the Bank of America Skating Center downtown, adjacent to Kennedy Park, the Biltmore Hotel, City Hall, and some of the finest restaurants in the city. It’s open until March 20, small and prone to crowding on busy weekends when many of its 450 pairs of skates are in use. But try the less crowded off-peak times, like lunch, after work, and college night. 2 Kennedy Plaza, 401-331-5544, providenceskating.com, public skating $3,rentals
