The ice at The Lakes sits on top of one of the ponds the shopping center is named for. It went back down this month for the first time since the pandemic, with skating that began November 6 and runs through January 11, 2027. Three miles west, a second rink called Ice at The Oaks opens Friday, November 20, at 5 p.m., next to The Oaks mall's east parking lot.
When The Lakes rink first opened in 2005, the city deal behind the property called for it. This season, no agreement requires either rink. Both exist because a private operator decided they were worth building, and that history explains why the two rinks differ so much.
A Rink That Started as a Public Benefit
The Thousand Oaks Acorn laid out the history in its October 30 report on the rink's return. When Rick Caruso took over the city-owned site in 2004 on a 95-year lease, the rink was planned as a public benefit, and the deal let Caruso lease the 7.5-acre property for free in any year it earned less than $2.1 million, or 12% of the original $17.6 million development cost. According to the Acorn, the property never reached that level.
That arrangement changed in 2021. Under a new agreement with the city, Caruso is acquiring the land and building apartments behind the shopping center. The Acorn reported that this agreement means Caruso "is no longer obliged to host the annual rink," which had become a Thousand Oaks holiday tradition before the pandemic shut it down.
So the 2026 rink is Caruso's choice, and it comes during a busy year for the center. The Acorn reports that The Lakes recently added Erewhon and has more tenants planned: Sora Hand Roll Bar, Satva, solidcore, PopUp Bagels and Bread Head. In that setting, the rink is one more reason to spend an evening at the center.
How The Lakes Rink Works This Year
The setup at The Lakes reflects that role. The rink's official event page lists admission at $20, or $25 with skate rental, plus taxes and fees. Payment is cashless, and visitors are encouraged to reserve a time in advance. Hallmark and The Practice Healthcare present the rink, and Caruso Signature members get complimentary skates with paid admission once their membership app and linked card are verified. The Acorn adds that the member perk applies on select days during the season.
The Lakes is open daily on two sets of hours.
- Regular hours, Nov. 7–20, Dec. 1–20 and early January: 3 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday
- Holiday hours, Nov. 21–30 and from Dec. 21 through the winter break: 1 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday
The holiday hours start this Saturday, November 21, which adds an hour on weekend nights and two hours on weekday afternoons through Thanksgiving week.
Three Miles West, a Rink That Is Its Own Business
Ice at The Oaks starts from a different place. It has no shopping-center history behind it. Ice at The Oaks is in its first season at 147 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Special Ice built it and manages it in partnership with Eventful LA, and it runs November 20 through January 10, 2027. Because the rink itself is the business, the operator has filled the calendar.
Public skating costs $22 with rental skates included. Each session lasts 90 minutes and is followed by 30 minutes of ice resurfacing. Regular hours are 3 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. In its own season guide, the operator says its rink has about twice as much ice as The Lakes and is resurfaced by a full-size Zamboni.
The schedule shows the clearest difference between the two rinks. Ice at The Oaks sells specific nights for specific groups:
- Monday Cheap Skate: $16, outside holiday weeks
- Wednesday Family Night: four tickets for $60 on December 2, 9 and 16
- Wednesday Littles Skate: $44 for one adult and one child age 8 or younger, with a third child free
- Friday and Saturday Late Skates: live DJ and colored lights
- Snowflake Season Pass: $199 for unlimited public sessions
- Sunday Learn to Skate: 9 a.m. for ages 4 to 10 and 10 a.m. for ages 11 and up, with each class a 30-minute lesson plus 15 minutes of free skate. Four classes cost $185, with sessions running November 22 to December 13 and December 20 to January 10. The operator's guide says rental skates are included and that adults can join the 10 a.m. class.
Group options include birthday party packages starting at $299 for up to 10 skaters, school field trips at $18 per student with a 25-student minimum, fundraiser nights and full-rink rentals. At the rink, the Cocoa Cabin sells hot chocolate, funnel cakes, cotton candy, s'mores, coffee and snacks, and free parking is available nearby.
The Two Rinks Side by Side
| Holiday Ice Rink at The Lakes | Ice at The Oaks | |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Nov. 6, 2026 to Jan. 11, 2027 | Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 10, 2027 |
| Price with skates | $25, plus taxes and fees | $22, rentals included |
| Price without rental | $20 | Not offered separately |
| Format | Reserve a time, cashless | 90-minute sessions with resurfacing between |
| Weeknight hours, regular period | 3 to 9:30 p.m. | 3 to 9:30 p.m. |
| Latest weekend close | 11 p.m. during holiday hours | 11 p.m. on holiday-break Fridays and Saturdays |
| Member or repeat-visit perks | Complimentary skates for Caruso Signature members on select days | $199 season pass, $16 Cheap Skate Mondays |
| Lessons | None on the event page | Sunday Learn to Skate, $185 per four classes |
The two rinks charge similar prices and open at the same time on weekday afternoons, but they compete in different ways. The Lakes offers an evening at a lakeside shopping center with skating as one part of it. Ice at The Oaks gives each night of the week its own reason to come back.
How the Season Lines Up From Here
Here's the combined calendar in date order once both rinks are running:
- Friday, Nov. 20: Ice at The Oaks opens with a Grand Opening Skate from 5 to 6 p.m. The first 25 guests skate free, and other tickets for that hour are $16.50 online. Public sessions follow at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 21: Holiday hours begin at The Lakes and run through November 30.
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Friendsgiving Skate opens the Theme Tuesday series at Ice at The Oaks.
- Thursday, Nov. 26: Ice at The Oaks is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
- December Tuesdays: Ugly Sweater Skate on Dec. 1, Glow Skate on Dec. 8, Holiday PJ Skate on Dec. 15, Reindeer Games Night on Dec. 22 and '80s & '90s Night on Dec. 29, all at Ice at The Oaks.
- Wednesdays, Dec. 2, 9 and 16: Family Night at Ice at The Oaks, four tickets for $60.
- Monday, Dec. 21: The Lakes' second stretch of holiday hours begins.
- Christmas and New Year's: Ice at The Oaks is open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, 1 to 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on New Year's Day.
- Tuesday, Jan. 5: The Snowflake Send-Off Theme Tuesday at Ice at The Oaks.
- Sunday, Jan. 10: Closing day at Ice at The Oaks, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Monday, Jan. 11: Last day of skating at The Lakes.
The Lakes takes reservations through its event page, and Ice at The Oaks posts its session schedule and tickets at iceattheoaks.com. Both rinks sit along the same stretch of Thousand Oaks Boulevard, so either one is a short drive from most of the Conejo Valley.
Robin Plain has worked in Ventura County real estate since 1990 and has watched corridors like Thousand Oaks Boulevard change through openings, closings and new deals like this one. If you're thinking about what those changes mean for your own home this season, call or email Robin Plain for a personalized Ventura County market consultation.
