San Ramon's Holiday Rink Has a Roof This Year, and a Few New Neighbors
November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
The Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink is back at City Center Bishop Ranch, 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, and for the first time it has an overhead canopy. The center's ticket page puts it simply: skate, gather and celebrate "all season long, rain or shine." The season opened November 6 and runs through January 3, 2027.
In past seasons, a December storm could cancel a skating plan. With a roof overhead, the weather mostly drops out of the decision. What's left is the rink's own schedule, and that schedule has clear favorites: the cheapest days, the weeks that open early, the busiest Saturdays, and a few evenings set to music. City Center also added new places to eat this year, so a skate can turn into dinner without moving the car.
Standard admission is $23 for a 90-minute session, skate rental included. The rink's "Weekday Value" rate is $16. It covers every session on Mondays and Tuesdays, plus the 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For a family of four, a Monday session costs $64 instead of $92. That's a $28 difference for the same 90 minutes on the same ice.
Early in the week used to be the riskiest time to plan a skate, because a rainy Tuesday just meant no skating. The canopy takes that risk away, which leaves Monday and Tuesday as the easiest days to fit in a skate.
| Day | Session start times | Posted price |
|---|---|---|
| Monday and Tuesday | 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. | $16 all day |
| Wednesday and Thursday | 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. | $16 at 1 and 3 p.m., $23 standard after |
| Friday and Saturday | 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 p.m. | $23 standard |
| Sunday | 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. | $23 standard |
Regular hours are 1 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets are highly recommended, and the rink notes that hours and schedules can change.
Rinkside fire pits can be reserved during select sessions starting at $50, with a s'mores kit for four included. The rink bar serves beer, wine, sodas and hot cocoa, as The Mercury News reported ahead of opening night.
On a regular weekday, the first session starts at 1 p.m. That changes for two stretches of the season. From November 23 through 27, and again from December 21 through January 3, the rink opens daily starting at 11 a.m. It closes on Thanksgiving and on Christmas.
Thanksgiving week works out like this:
The winter-break stretch is longer, two full weeks of 11 a.m. openings, with Christmas Day, a Friday this year, as the only closure. If you're hosting relatives over the holidays, a late-morning skate is now on the table every day of that stretch except the 25th.
Saturday is the busiest day at City Center, and this season's calendar adds even more to it. Here's what's scheduled from morning to afternoon:
December 5 is the most crowded Saturday on the calendar. The City of San Ramon's Bah Humbug! 5K starts at 9 a.m. at San Ramon Central Park Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd., and it finishes there too. Registration is $40 through December 4 and $55 on race day, or $160 for a group of five. Race-day sign-up runs from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. The city has posted road closures along the course from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Santa's square opens at noon that same day, so a runner can finish the race, go home and still make it to City Center for the afternoon. Details are on the City of San Ramon's Fitness Races page.
Tonight, Thursday, November 12, is the first of two Family Photo Nights. A professional photographer takes pictures of families on the ice during the 5 and 7 p.m. sessions, and each booking includes one digital file. Photo slots are limited, and you'll need a skating ticket too. The second Photo Night is next Thursday, November 19.
The next night, Friday, November 20, City Center holds its Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony from 6 to 7 p.m. The Monte Vista Band and a group of singers perform, and the evening builds to Santa's arrival.
December adds three themed skating nights, all on Thursdays:
All three are evening sessions on a Thursday, so they fall after the 1 and 3 p.m. windows where the $16 rate applies. Tickets for the themed nights are sold through the rink's ticket page.
This is the rink's first holiday season with two newer tenants in the same complex. Rico Rico Taco opened at City Center in late July, in Suite 1207 at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road. The Mercury News covered the opening with a focus on its handmade tortillas and carved al pastor. City Center's directory lists it as open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The other is lil sweet treat in Suite 1108, open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On a Monday through Thursday, the rink closes at 8:30 p.m. and lil sweet treat stays open until 10, so a 7 p.m. session leaves time for dessert afterward.
Put the pieces together and an ordinary Tuesday works as a full evening: a 5 p.m. skate at $16, tacos at Rico Rico before it closes at 9, then dessert at lil sweet treat. All of it is at one address, and none of it depends on the weather.
A short drive from City Center, the Market Place shopping center got two notable openings this year. Erik's DeliCafe moved to 159 Market Place after 37 years at its old San Ramon location. The East Bay Times reported that the potbelly stove and historic local photos made the move too. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 7 p.m. on Sunday. CEO Brian Johnson told the paper the space gives the restaurant "the best opportunity to remain in San Ramon for many years to come."
A few doors away, Oke Poke soft-launched at 188 Market Place in late July and held its grand opening on August 1. It serves poke bowls, pokerritos and poke nachos, as Bay Area Telegraph reported. Its listed hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Across Interstate 680, the former Clementine's at 18070 San Ramon Valley Blvd. is becoming Casa Mia. DanvilleSanRamon.com reported that it will be the brand's first East Bay location, joining its restaurants in San Jose, Mountain View and San Carlos, with Mexican and American food on the menu.
The rink's last day is Sunday, January 3, 2027. Until then, Mondays and Tuesdays are $16 all day, with or without rain.
Michael Forkas works out of Walnut Creek, and part of advising clients across the East Bay is knowing how each city's calendar actually plays out, from the rink's cheapest nights to the newest tables near Bishop Ranch. If you're thinking about where San Ramon fits in your next move, Michael Forkas is glad to share what he's seeing around City Center and beyond. Let's Connect.
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