I'm going on vacation (yay!!) this summer to a beach that is south of Wilmington, North Carolina. Since I can't live without skating at least once (or twice) during my vacation, I did an internet search and came up with the Wilmington Ice House. Is anyone familiar with that rink? If so, how is it? Are daytime public sessions pretty empty, or should I try to go the freestyle sessions?

Are there any other rinks in the area? I'll be about halfway between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, SC.

Thanks

I am from wilmington but now live in ohio but i visit down there alot to see friends. I have been to the wilmington ice house several times. Last summer i went to there summer skating freestyle sessions at there camp for a week and they were decent. I am an adult and had no problem on the freestyles i took from a coach down there while there that was good as well. I would avoid the public sessions from there at least when i have been even in the summer they were busy. I think becuase it is so hot and humid down there and people are wanting to get in out of the heat in the nice air conditioning. The freestyles werent that bad and they accomodate all levels i had no problem on them. I dont believe there are any other rinks within 50 miles of wilmington i am unsure of what is in myrtle beach though. Hope this helps.

No idea about rinks, but if you see the cast of One Tree Hill get pics and all. Please.

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The Wilmington ice house is fairly new--less than five years old. It is owned by the same group that owns the rink I skate at most of the time.

www.icehouserinks.com At least I think that's the website.

There are no rinks in Myrtle Beach. The next closest rinks would be in Greenville, NC or Garner NC (my home rink)

Have fun in the Carolinas!

Thanks guys I'm looking forward to trying out a new rink.

NCSkater02 - thanks for the website (that was the right one!). Looks like they operate quite a few rinks in NC.

gt20001 - Do you know if the freestyle sessions are run by the rink, or run by a club? I didn't find any mention of a club on the rink's website. Trying to figure out who I should call for more details...

Heehee! Is that where they film the show? I think there is a lot of filming that goes on in that area - I know they shot Dawson's Creek around there and the I Know What You Did Last Summer movie(s). And it would make sense if the movie Cape Fear was shot there, but I don't know that for sure.
I'll keep an eye out for the OTH cast for you

I was just in Wilmington for a wedding last month and it was beautiful. If you have some time, make sure you visit downtown Wilmington - there are some gorgeous views along the river walk.

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Thanks for the tip!

I dont believe that they have a club there yet. Like someone else said the rink is only 3 years old and until like a year ago or so it didnt even have freestyle sessions becuase of lack of interest. The freestyles are run by the rink unless something has changed since i was last there i see on the schedule now that they show something that says club ice so they may have a club now but they didnt last i was there. I am not sure when you are going down but the schedule that you are looking at for may will not be the schedule for june through august. They have a camp that they run through that time it offers many more freestyles you want to go to schedules and click on summer figure skating prgram if you look at that you will see that they have sessions running from morning to afternoon most days it does allow walk ons but as it says in the information the people who sign up get availablility first. I went during this time last year i was there for a week and found it was ran pretty well. I will be going down in early june if i get to make it by the rink i can let you know anything i may find out. But you can call the rink and they could give you any answers you may need regarding the summer sessions that they have. Hope this helps. gena

Actually the i know what you did last summer movie was filmed in southport, nc i went to high school there during the filming of the movie and they had all of the brunswick high school bands in the parade scene of the movie (i was the most miserable 2 days of my life having to keep going through that same scene over and over for 12 plus hours a day. Then they cut our band out and didnt even get shown.

The Skating Club of North Carolina has membership in the Wilmington rink (among others). However, the freestyle sessions are run by the rink itself, not the club. I do not believe there are any club ice sessions in Wilmington. They will be expanding the freestyle schedule this summer though.

Kelton

Thanks for all the info! I'm going to check out the site in more detail & I'll give the rink a call before I leave.

Ugh! That would have made me so mad I hope it wasn't in the summer - it's bakingly hot & humid there in the summer. I love Southport though - all the old houses and antique shops. My mom, sister & I went there and to Oak Island every summer for several years. This is my first time going back in a few years

Yes it was in the warm months. I actually found southport kind of boring. I guess southport and wilmington are great places to visit but they are boring places to live. I lived there for 10 years and was bored out of my mind i am now in cincinnati and love the bigger city i couldnt wait to get out of wilmington but i do enjoy visiting there still have friends there but i dont think i could ever live there again.

I'm not sure I'd actually want to live there either (no snow!), but I love to go there on vacation.
You're actually not too far from me - I'm in Louisville I went to Cincy last fall for the Campbell's Cup.