At City Center Bishop Ranch, a skating ticket has never been refundable for rain. The rink's policy says it "operates rain or shine," and bad weather alone doesn't get you a refund, a credit or a transfer. The difference this season is that the policy and the ice now line up. The Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink opened its 2026 season on November 6 with an overhead canopy, the first in its history, so you can skate, gather and celebrate "rain or shine."
That makes two covered rinks in Contra Costa County. The other is Walnut Creek on Ice. The four outdoor rinks in the county also open and close on different dates, and that spread matters more once the holidays end. This winter, the forecast and the calendar decide which rink is worth booking more than the drive does.
What the Canopy Fixes at Bishop Ranch
In past seasons the San Ramon rink was open-air. Pleasanton Weekly described it that way when the 2025 season opened. Back in 2023, NBC Bay Area reported that organizers planned to stay open "rain or shine, unless downpours are severe." So a ticket for a wet evening was a gamble. The session might go ahead with skaters getting rained on, or it might be called off.
The ticket terms are the same as before. All sales are final, for "change of plans, illness, injury, scheduling conflicts" or anything else. You can hand a ticket to another person, but you can't swap it for a different date or session. Refunds are possible only when rink management officially closes the rink or cancels a session. With a roof overhead, a rainy Tuesday you booked a week ago is now a good night to skate.
Where San Ramon Fits Among the County's Four Rinks
All four rinks run on different calendars. Ice at The Veranda in Concord opened the same day as San Ramon. Walnut Creek and Oakley open two weeks later.
| Rink | Season | General admission | Time on ice | Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink, City Center Bishop Ranch, San Ramon | Nov 6, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 | $23, or $16 for select weekday sessions | 90 minutes | New overhead canopy |
| Walnut Creek on Ice, Civic Park, Walnut Creek | Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027 | $20 | Up to 90 minutes | Covered |
| Ice at The Veranda, Concord | Nov 6, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027 | $20 | 75 minutes | |
| Oakley on Ice, behind 3350 Main Street, Oakley | Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 | $18 with skates, $15 without | 90 minutes within a two-hour window |
Skate rental is included at San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Concord. Oakley is the only rink that prices skates separately, which helps families who bring their own. The Oakley rink is also the former Brentwood on Ice operation, which moved to downtown Oakley for the 2025–26 season, as Contra Costa News reported.
Walnut Creek on Ice opens November 20 for its 21st season. Kathy Hemmenway, executive director of the Walnut Creek Business Association, told Contra Costa News that "we've seen kids grow up on this ice and come back with families of their own." The rink also runs an Ice-Skating Academy, hockey classes and Wednesday morning Littles Skates for the youngest skaters, including a morning visit from Santa.
The Calendar After January 3
Closing dates show the split most clearly. San Ramon and Oakley both close on January 3. After that weekend, the covered option is Walnut Creek, open through January 18. Ice at The Veranda runs another month, through Valentine's Day. If your kids want one more skate after the winter break, or you'd rather skate when holiday crowds are gone, your choice is Walnut Creek or Concord.
Before then, San Ramon has the most added programming. Its 2026 calendar for the rest of the season:
- November 12 and 19: Family Photo Night at 5 and 7 p.m. A professional photographer shoots families on the ice, with one digital file included. Skating tickets are required and slots are limited.
- November 14 to December 19: The Learn to Skate Academy runs Saturday mornings, with no class November 28. Ages 5 to 8 skate from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and ages 9 to 14 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Each session is capped at 30 skaters, with no public skaters on the ice. The five weeks cost $169.
- December 3: K-Pop Music Night, 5 and 7 p.m. sessions.
- December 10: Stars & Stripes on Ice at 7 p.m., a USA-themed music night marking America's 250th anniversary.
- December 17: Olivia Rodrigo Music Night at 7 p.m.
The weekly hours run Monday through Thursday 1 to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Standard sessions start at 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. There's an 11 a.m. session Friday through Sunday and a 9 p.m. session on Friday and Saturday. During November 23–27 and December 21–January 3, the rink opens daily at 11 a.m. It's closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Where the $16 Ticket Fits
San Ramon has the highest standard price in the county at $23. It also has one of the lowest weekday prices. Mondays and Tuesdays cost $16 all day, and Wednesdays and Thursdays cost $16 for the 1 and 3 p.m. sessions. Skate rental is included either way. That beats Walnut Creek's $20 and Concord's $20. It also beats Oakley's $18 rental price, though Oakley is cheaper if you bring your own skates.
The canopy matters most here. A $16 Monday evening ticket booked in advance used to be a bet on the weather. Under a roof, it's the cheapest covered skating on any weeknight in the county. Walnut Creek is the other covered rink, at $20.
The 2026–27 season pass costs $100. At $23 a session, five standard visits come to $115. A family planning regular weekend skates through New Year's comes out ahead with the pass.
Rinkside Details at City Center
A few practical points for an evening at Bishop Ranch:
- Fire pits: Warm-Up Lounge Fire Pits cost $50 for weekday matinee reservations and $100 for weekday evenings and all of Friday through Sunday. During holiday breaks, matinee times are Monday through Thursday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Each reservation includes a s'mores kit with four s'mores.
- Skate aids: These rent for $15 per session, first come, first served. You can't reserve them ahead.
- Food and drink: The onsite bar serves beer, wine, soft drinks and hot cocoa. Outside food and drinks aren't allowed, and City Center restaurants are nearby for before or after your session.
- Payment: The rink is cashless.
- Birthdays: Party packages cost $350 and include a 10-by-20-foot tent, seating for 8 to 12 guests, and eight admissions to one 90-minute public session. Extra tickets are $23 each. Confetti and glitter aren't allowed.
The rink recommends buying tickets in advance. You book a specific 90-minute session by date. Since tickets can be transferred to another person but not moved to another date, choose the session you can actually make. On a rainy night, it now goes ahead under a roof.
Good places to spend an evening shape a lot of how a place feels once you live there, and I pay attention to them for my clients across the East Bay and the Valley. If you're thinking about a move in or around Contra Costa County and want to talk through what everyday life looks like in different communities, Amy Thomas is glad to help. Let's Connect.
