"The ice rink operates rain or shine." That line sits in the fine print of the 2026 ticket page for the Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink at City Center Bishop Ranch. Right after it comes the rule that matters: bad weather "does not qualify for a refund, credit, or ticket transfer." In earlier seasons this was an open-air rink, so a rainy December night meant skating wet or not going. This season, for the first time, an overhead canopy covers the ice.
With the ice covered, planning a skate comes down to the session you book and the day of the week you pick, since both set the price and neither can be changed later.
What the Canopy Actually Changes
Bay Area Telegraph reported in late October that the canopy was new for 2026. "Organizers say it will allow skating rain or shine," the outlet wrote, adding that the covered setup "is very helpful as the rainy season arrives in full." The season opened November 6 and runs through January 3, 2027.
The rink's ticketing rules assume you will show up for the session you booked:
- All sales are final. No refunds or credits for a change of plans, illness, scheduling conflicts or missed sessions.
- Transfers go to people, not dates. You can hand a ticket to someone else, but you can't move it to a different date or session.
- Weather is not an exception. Rain doesn't qualify you for a refund, credit or transfer, and the rink asks guests to dress for outdoor conditions.
- Closures are the rink's call. If management closes the rink or cancels a session for unsafe conditions, severe weather or facility issues, guests are notified directly.
The canopy keeps the rain off, but the plaza is still outdoors, so the dress-for-the-weather advice still applies. When you book, you are committing to a date. The rink recommends buying tickets in advance.
The Deals Moved to the Weekdays
The pricing changed along with the roof. Last season, Bay Area Telegraph listed standard admission at $22 for ages 3 and up, $10 Tuesdays on select dates, and rinkside fire pits at $60 on weekdays and $115 on weekends. The 2026 lineup:
| 2025 season | 2026 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 90-minute session, skate rental included | $22 | $23 |
| Discount sessions | $10 on select Tuesdays | $16 all day Monday and Tuesday; $16 for the 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sessions Wednesday and Thursday |
| Fire pit reservation | $60 weekdays, $115 weekends | From $50 for weekday matinees |
| Season dates | Nov. 7 to Jan. 4, 2026 | Nov. 6, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 |
Standard admission went up by a dollar. The bigger change is when the discounts happen. Last year the cheap ticket meant a $10 Tuesday on select dates. This year $16 covers every session on Mondays and Tuesdays, plus the 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The cheapest fire pits are also weekday matinee bookings, starting at $50, and Bay Area Telegraph noted that reservations include a kit for four s'mores.
Under an open sky, a discounted weekday ticket bought days ahead was a bet on the weather. With the canopy over the ice, it's the cheapest covered skate of the season.
Choosing Your 90 Minutes
Since a ticket is locked to one session, it helps to know the schedule before you book:
- Standard days: sessions start at 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.
- Friday through Sunday: an extra 11 a.m. session.
- Friday and Saturday: a late 9 p.m. session.
- Holiday weeks: daily from 11 a.m. on November 23 to 27 and December 21 to January 3, except the two closure days below.
- Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanksgiving week is the first stretch of daily 11 a.m. sessions. The rink closes on Thanksgiving Day, then reopens at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 27, the day before Santa's Thanksgiving weekend visits on the plaza.
A few rinkside details are worth knowing before you go. Skate aids rent for $15 each on a first-come, first-served basis and can't be reserved ahead. That's useful to know before a 1 p.m. session with small children. Birthday packages are $350 and include a 10-by-10-foot tent, seating for eight to 12 guests and eight skating admissions.
The Learn to Skate Academy began Saturday, November 14. It runs Saturday mornings through December 19, with no class on November 28. The five-week program costs $169, with groups for ages 5 to 8 and ages 9 to 14. Each group is capped at 30 skaters, and there's no public skating during class.
The Dates Already on the Plaza Calendar
The canopy covers the ice, but the rest of City Center's holiday season happens around it, and several of those dates are close.
- Friday, November 20, 6 to 7 p.m.: Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. The City Center event page lists performances by the Monte Vista Band and a group of singers, ending with Santa's arrival. If you want to skate before or after, the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. sessions are the closest fits, and Friday also has the 9 p.m. session.
- Santa in the Square, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., from November 21 to 22 through December 19 to 20, in front of the big Christmas tree, with a photo opportunity and a holiday treat.
- Thursday, December 3: K-Pop Music Night, with two themed sessions at 5 and 7 p.m.
- Thursday, December 10, 7 p.m.: Stars & Stripes on Ice, a themed session for the U.S. 250th anniversary.
- Thursday, December 17, 7 p.m.: Olivia Rodrigo Music Night.
All three themed nights fall on Thursdays, and all are evening sessions. On Thursdays the $16 rate covers only the 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. sessions, so on those three Thursdays the discount and the themed night happen hours apart. Since tickets can't move to another session, choose the afternoon price or the evening theme before you book.
Before and After the Ice
City Center's newest food stop near the rink is Rico Rico Taco at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite 1207. The Mercury News reported its late-July opening, with handmade tortillas and carved al pastor. The center's directory lists daily hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., which covers every session except the late one on Fridays and Saturdays. For dessert, the directory lists lil sweet treat, open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., which leaves time for dessert after a 7 p.m. session.
Across town, Clementine's at 18070 San Ramon Valley Blvd. closed in October for conversion to Casa Mia Restaurant, a Mexican-American concept from the same owners, DanvilleSanRamon.com reported.
On December Saturdays, the city's own holiday events at Forest Home Farms Historic Park fit alongside a rink day. The free Saturday Fun on the Farm series has its Holiday on the Farm on December 12, with Santa, ornament-making, a puppet show, entertainment and refreshments. Saturday farm hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On December 19, the farm runs Victorian Christmas Tours at 10, 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and noon. Tickets are $12 for residents and $15 for nonresidents, for all ages. The City of San Ramon's Forest Home Farms events page has the full schedule. December 19 is also a Santa day at City Center and the last Learn to Skate class. A morning tour at the farm, then an afternoon session on covered ice, fills a Saturday without any forecast-checking.
The rink's last day is January 3, and a 2026 ticket gets you one specific 90 minutes, rain or shine.
Holiday traditions like this are part of what we love about San Ramon, and our family is always glad to talk about the town beyond the listing sheet. If the season has you wondering what your own place on the calendar is worth, The Duarte Team is happy to put together a free home valuation whenever the timing suits you.
