After a fun day on the ski slopes and a relaxing meal, there is nothing more family orientated than ice skating to work off those sweets. (According to the Mayo Clinic ice skating can burn about 500 calories in an hour for a person weighing 160 pounds. Of course that number will vary with your weight and the intensity of the workout.) Located right in the center of Lake Placid, the indoor 1932 Jack Shea Arena provides an ice skating opportunity no matter the weather.

The 1932 Jack Shea Arena was the site where Norwegian figure skating star Sonja Henie earned one of her three career gold medals. Henie was instrumental in defining the sport of figure skating. Sonja Henie made her Olympic debut at the age of 11 at the first Olympic games in Chamonix, France in 1924. By the time she finished competing in the Lake Placid Winter Games, Henie was an international star. She won her third gold medal at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Games and went on to become a Hollywood star.

The Jack Shea Arena is named in honor of local Olympian Jack Shea who won two gold medals in speedskating during the 1932 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid. Three generations of the Shea family have competed in the winter Olympics. Shea's son Jim competed in the 1964 Innsbruck, Austria games in cross-country skiing and his grandson Jim Jr. held a spot on the Olympic skeleton team during the 2002 winter Olympic games in Park City, Utah.

Since then many current and rising ice skating stars have graced the 1932 Olympic ice arena. So perhaps you and your own Olympic hopeful can enjoy the same ice that trained some of the world's best skaters. On the other hand, perhaps you just want to have a bit of fun!  I am a more casual skater and rarely do anything because it will burn calories. My whole goal is to have fun. The fact that ice skating can keep me in shape, icing on the cake. The fee for public skating is $6/Adults, $4/Juniors (7-12)/Seniors and free/6 and under. 

Diane Chase's Adirondack Family Time tip™: You don't have to bring your own gear. Rent skates for only $3.00 a pair.

all photos and content © Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Time™. Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Time™ guidebook series and co-owner of the the young adult wilderness adventure program, Adirondack Outdoor Expeditions.