Two winters ago, ice skating at Nashville Yards meant riding an elevator to a synthetic rink on the Grand Hyatt's fifth floor. Last winter the rink moved down below the Broadway Bridge, and it was still synthetic. On Saturday, November 21, Rink Under Broad reopens in that same covered spot with real ice. A ticket now costs twice last year's weekday price.
The higher price makes more sense once you look at the rest of the campus. Most of what now stands around the rink opened during 2026. A skating session that used to be a quick novelty can now fill an evening with dinner, a movie, or a show, all within walking distance.
Three Winters, Three Rinks
Here's how the rink has changed from year to year:
Season | Name and location | Surface | Ticket price |
|---|---|---|---|
2024–25 | The Rink Above Broadway, Grand Hyatt rooftop | Synthetic Glice | $10 Mon–Thu, $15 Fri–Sun |
2025–26 | Rink Under Broad, Ascension Saint Thomas Landing | Synthetic Glice | $10 weekdays, $15 weekends |
2026–27 | Rink Under Broad, Ascension Saint Thomas Landing | Real ice | $20 standard, $15 under age 5 |
Nashville Yards calls last year a pilot. Its rink FAQ says that "after piloting a synthetic rink for the 2025 holiday season," it is "introducing real ice" for this one. WSMV reported that the new rink will be half the size of an NHL rink. It also reported that the developer said last year's first holiday season drew thousands of visitors. Taken together, the move to real ice and the higher price look like a decision to make the rink a lasting feature.
On weekends the increase is $5 per skater. On weekdays it's $10. For a family of four skating on a Tuesday, that works out to about $40 more than last year before taxes and fees.
What a $20 Session Includes
According to the official Rink Under Broad page, each pass gets you one hour on the ice at the date and time you booked. Skate rental is included, and you're welcome to bring your own skates. A few rules matter for families:
- The minimum skating age is 3.
- Children under 14 must be with an adult the whole time.
- Nashville Yards recommends arriving at least 15 minutes early to check in and pick up rental skates.
- Walk-up space is limited and not guaranteed, so buy passes ahead of time.
The rink will be open seven days a week. As of late October, Nashville Yards said daily hours and ticket sales would be announced in early November, so check the rink page for the posted schedule before you plan a date. Because the rink sits under the Broadway Bridge, rain shouldn't cancel a booking. Refund requests go through SimpleTix, the ticketing platform.
If real ice is the main draw, there's another option this season. Gaylord Opryland's 9,000-square-foot real-ice rink runs from Friday, November 6, 2026, through Saturday, January 2, 2027, according to its ticketing page. It opens two weeks before Rink Under Broad. The difference is location: Opryland is a trip out of downtown, while Rink Under Broad sits between Broadway and Church Street, from 9th to 11th Avenues North.
Why the Campus Can Support a Pricier Rink This Year
Last year's synthetic rink sat in a development that was still filling in. Most of what's within a short walk of the rink today opened during the past seven months:
- Earls Kitchen + Bar held its grand opening on April 16, 2026.
- Gigi Pip and Two Roads Hat Co. were on the developer's April calendar for April 18, and Ocean Prime for April 21.
- Hooky opened to the public on April 29 with seven movie theaters, eight bowling lanes, an arcade, bars and a restaurant.
- Ampersand Studios officially opened its Nashville Yards location on May 6.
- Puesto opened October 23 at 991 Exchange Lane. It's the family-owned Mexican restaurant's first location outside California, with seating for up to 380 and handmade organic blue-corn tortillas.
In the announcement Visit Nashville published, Puesto co-founder Isidoro Lombrozo called the opening a "full-circle moment." He pointed to his years at Vanderbilt and the chance to share his family's Mexican heritage with the city. Puesto had originally been expected to open in summer 2026, so it arrived just a month before the rink.
These newcomers join a dining list that already included Fogo de Chão, Culaccino, Aurum, The Bar Car, Alligator Bar and Hummingbird Coffee Market. For dessert, there's Handel's Ice Cream, Christie Cookie Co., Sweet Paris Cafe and Shipley Do-Nuts. Next door to the rink, Dinkville Under Broad has five pickleball courts and a nine-hole mini golf course. The Pinnacle's calendar includes Judah & The Lion on Friday, November 13, and Trivium on Tuesday, November 24.
More businesses are on the way, though without firm dates yet. Nashville Yards lists Flight Club as "coming soon." Luna Record Shop told the Nashville Business Journal in August, in a report Nashville Yards republished, that it planned to open its second location at 930 Exchange Lane by the end of 2026.
The Free Half of Holiday Central
Plenty of the season costs nothing. WSMV noted that many Holiday Central offerings are free and open to the public. The developer's Holiday Central page lists this schedule:
- Tree lighting ceremony: Saturday, November 28, at 5 p.m. at the Ascension Saint Thomas Landing, with an RSVP link on the page.
- Merry Market: Under Broad on Saturday, November 28, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 29, from noon to 3 p.m.
- Photos with Santa: free, courtesy of Ascension Saint Thomas, during the season.
- Holiday movie nights: free, presented with Xfinity.
The season runs November 21 through January 3. In its Holiday Central coverage, WSMV described the tree as 40 feet tall. The Merry Market sits right next to the rink, and the tree lighting happens just as the market's Saturday hours get going. If you want to skate that weekend, book your session well ahead.
On days without events, the Landing itself is a 1.3-acre green space with a dog park, an amphitheater and pop-up food and drink containers. It opens daily at 6 a.m.
Parking and Getting to the Rink
On a crowded Saturday, knowing how the parking works saves time. All of the garages are connected, so you can't park in the wrong one. Entry and exit are gateless, the first 30 minutes are free, and you can reserve and pay ahead online. Valet runs from 11 a.m. to midnight daily at the East Garage, 170 10th Avenue North. If you eat or shop on campus, scan the QR code inside a participating business for a parking discount. The discount amount varies by business.
For skating, the West Garage at 131 10th Avenue North is your best bet. The rink page says the walkway off 10th Avenue is the most direct path from that garage to the Landing. You can also reach it by the stairway behind Pinnacle Tower, the Grand Hyatt's outdoor spiral staircase, or the outdoor staircase at The Union Station Nashville Yards. Coming from Broadway, turn onto 9th or 10th Avenue North. From Church Street, use Platform Way North or South. If you'd rather not drive, WeGo buses stop at Broadway and 10th, on Church between 10th and 11th, and on 9th between Broadway and Church.
If you're mapping out the holidays with house guests or family in town, I'm always glad to share local tips like these, and I'm just as glad to talk about anything else on your mind around Middle Tennessee. Reach out through Aaron C. Lovett | TN Real Estate Professional any time. Let's Connect.
