ROLLER RINKS

Skating Plus (Ventura, CA)
www.skatingplus.com - Map
It's hard to find anything bad to say about this roller rink. Large skating area, large parking lot and a really outstanding skating surface (Maple with a hexagon pattern); very smooth and fast. Even a few extras, free WiFi, projection TV and a small but nicely stocked pro shop. I've also never seen so many employees and floor guards at one time. This rink is a must visit! 5 stars. Check out their new adult night.

Skateland (Northridge, CA)
www.skateland.net - Map
This is one of the best roller rinks in southern California. Large building, large skating area and a 50 year old skating surface (Maple with a square pattern) that has recently been refinish. There is also a large separate snack bar area that is away from the music, big screen TV’s, lots of fun lighting and plenty of arcade games. Everything is very modern, up to date and clean as a whistle. Check their web site for discount coupons. A must see! 5 stars.

Holiday Skating Center (Victorville, CA)
www.holidayskatingcenter.net - Map
This rink is what I would call a “family” roller rink. Large building, large skating area, large parking lot and a very acceptable floor (Ultra-Board). The only down side would be they offer no adult or theme nights; so expect lots of moms and small children. No ups or extras, but all in all, a good solid rink. Worth a look if you haven’t been. [Ed. Note: I lowered the rating of this rink recently because after driving an hour to attend a special event at this rink I arrived to find them closed. I was told it had been cancelled months ago they just had not bothered to update their web site or the out going phone message.]

World of Wheels (Los Angeles, CA)
www.wowsk8.com - Map
WOW has a small skating area, no center rink area, is in a less then desirable area, but has a great new floor (Maple with a hexagon pattern). They also are offering three great theme nights. During the week the music is exclusively R&B and hip-hop, but three times a month they have a 70’s disco night, a gothic/industrial/emo music night and a electro/EMB/indie night. People really get into it and dress the part. Great fun! Each theme night even has it's very own web site: www.spacerollerdisco.com (Roller Disco Theme night's web site). www.wumpskate.com (Gothic and electro theme night's web site).

Roller City Plus (Fontana, CA)
(909) 463-6674 - Map
This is an interesting rink with a lot of unusual features. It has a large parking area, large building and a large skating area (plastic over concrete). I've never seen a plastic skate floor before; it was nice, a little wavy in spots, but nice and very grippy. Bring your firmest wheels! There is no carpeting anywhere in the building, which I actually liked. Made skating around the building very easy. The down side would be no adult or theme nights, poor music selection, not what I would call skatable and with very little variety. They also encouraged the beginner skaters to skate along the wall. The exact opposite of most rinks that require slower skaters to stay to the inside giving the faster skaters the outside track. Weekend nights they allowed a good fast pace and offered lots of fun games and special skates including races and boys and girls fast forward. I had a great time here.

Moonlight Rollerway (Glendale, CA)
www.moonlightrollerway.com - Map
The theme with Moonlight is small. Small parking lot, small building and a small skating area. The only up side to this roller rink is the great skating surface (Maple with a square pattern). Very smooth, clean and grippy. Second only to Skateland and Skate Plus in terms of floor quality. There are also a few adult nights and even a live organ music night. Since there is virtually no parking be prepared to walk a good distance to the front door. Come early as it can get very crowed too.

Rollerama (Bakersfield, CA)
www.rollerama.com - Map
Another of the “family” oriented roller rinks. Large building, large skating area and a nice skating surface (Maple with a hexagon pattern). There are no adult or theme nights on the schedule, so expect lots of moms and small children. They do have a hockey league and a derby team. So check those out if your interested and check their web site for discount coupons.

Cal Skate (Grand Terrace, CA)
www.calskategt.com - Map
This roller rink has a good-sized floor (Ultra-Board) and a nice sound system, but the entire building is in bad need a repair. Most notably is the skating surface itself. The blue roll-on coating has begun to peal up every where, but instead of resurfacing it they chose to patch it which created a bumpy uneven surface. [ED NOTE: I have been told they have re-surfaced their floor. I will try to re-visit this rink and update the review. With the skating surface fixed this rink is worth a visit.] Be sure to check out their large pro shop.

Holiday Skating Center (Orange, CA)
www.holidayskate.com - Map
This rink does a lot with what they have. Average size building, small parking lot and a small skating floor (Maple with hexagon pattern). The skating surface is also in need of some repair. There were small chunks of wood and roll-on missing in spots. However, the measure of a good rink is if you have a good time. Good music mix, good people and two fast forward skates. I had a good time and went home tired.

Stardust Roller Rink (San Bernardino, CA)
www.myspace.com/stardustskatingcenter - Map
I think this is an older rink. Small building, small skating floor (Maple with rotunda boards) and a large parking lot. I was very pleasantly surprised to see the rotunda floor. I've seen photos of this type floor, but have never skated one before. For those that aren't familiar with it, a rotunda floor is where the wood strips are curved around the corners. This gives an exceptionally smooth skating surface. It was a pleasure to skate on. The only real down side was the total lack of air conditioning. A few fans and an open door was the only a/c being used. Do NOT go to this rink on a hot summer day. Check out their speed classes and derby league.

Wheel House (Hemet, CA)
www.wheelhousesk8.com - Map
This rink is in a rather secluded area, so if you live near by it's your only option, but I would not travel to visit this rink. The skating surface (Maple with a hexagon pattern) is the smallest I've ever seen. Looks just large enough for a derby league, but way to small for anything else. I think they were also trying to save on electricity. It was virtually pitch black everywhere in the building. No drinking fountains either!

FVSC (Fountain Valley, CA)
www.fountainvalleyskatingcenter.com - Map
Fountain Valley Skating Center has an average sized building and an averaged size skating surface (Maple with a hexagon pattern with blue roll-on). I had been looking forward to visiting this roller rink for some time. I had heard good things and the rink is featured very prominently in a number a popular YouTube clips. When I arrived at their Thursday adult night I was very impressed with the skill level of the skaters. However, I quickly noticed the very poor condition of the skating surface. Many dips and waves that make skating here a little like riding a roller coaster. There were also a few spots where the wood was so damaged that skating over it felt a little like when you drive your car over rail road tracks. I'm assuming years of humidity and neglect has allowed the floor to get to the condition it is in now and only serious repairs will bring it back to life.

Skateworld (San Diego, Ca)
www.sandiegoskateworld.com - Map
This roller skating rink has a good-sized building with a good-sized floor and a nice pro shop. However, the skating surface is in bad need of resurfacing (Maple with a square pattern), there is virtually no place to park and the sound system is horrible. There are 4 very large sub woofers in the corners of the rink that are turned up so loud that when you are skating all you can hear is a low rumble. To hear the lyrics of the songs you have to leave the skating floor and go to the snack bar area where the smaller speakers are located. The lighting is also poor, so seeing where you are going takes real effort. Be careful.

Skate Express (Chino, Ca)
www.chinoskateexpress.com - Map
This rink has a large snack bar area filled with games like bumper cars, mini bowling, pool, air hockey and even a virtual roller coaster. However, I didn't see anybody using any of it. I would have preferred they save the space and expand the skating floor (Maple with straight boards). As with most straight board Maple rinks the turns are a little ruff, but the only real down side was the music; just horrible. Not what I would call skatable at all and with very little variety.

Skate Depot (Cerritos, CA)
www.cerritosskatedepot.com - Map
This is a clean, well maintained rink. Large building and a large smooth roller skating surface (Maple with straight boards) that is slightly wider than average. I also noticed that the carpeting is so thin it making skating on it very easy and they have great air conditioning. I was actually a little chilly. The only down side would be the horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE music. Nothing but loud pounding sounds. I would recommend bringing your iPod, but it was so loud you probably would not be able to hear it over the horrible pounding sounds. I actually saw a few small children skating with their fingers in their ears trying to get some relief from the horrible pounding sounds. The lyrics where not what I would call "kid friendly" either. They have 4 adult nights on the schedule; that's more than any other on this list, but I was told they play the same horrible pounding music at all sessions. Thanks to this rink I now carry ear plugs in my skate bag. This rink is NOT suitable for small children! [Ed. Note: they have recently added a Disney night for the kids.]

Roller City 2001 (Riverside, CA)
www.rollercity2001.org - Map
This rink has a good sized building and skating surface (plastic over concrete), but is in serious need of resurfacing. The floor is waving, bumpy and has bare spots they go straight to the concrete. Add to that the poor music selection and tile through the rest of the building this place is a rink to stay away from. Their web site is also periodically down, so if your looking for their schedule do a facebook search. Note: the street address on their facebook page is WRONG. The one listed here is correct.

SkatePlex USA (Lancaster, CA)
www.skateplexusa.com - Map
This rink has recently reopened under new management. It has a large building, large skating floor (sport court tiles) and a huge parking lot. The rink is predominantly set up for hockey, but they have open skating on the weekends. I'm not very fond of the sport court tiles. Way too bumpy for quad skating and the surface is rarely cleaned. Don't bring any expensive wheels, they will be stained and damaged. There is also virtually no heat or air, so on hot and cold days it can be very uncomfortable.

Ups N Downs Roller Skating Rink (Escondido, CA)
www.upsndownsrollerskatingrink.com - Map
This rink is currently closed.

Skate San Diego (National City, CA)
www.skatesandiego.net - Map

Rollerama West (Bakersfield, CA)
www.rollerama.com - Map

Skateland (Bakersfield, CA)
www.skatelandbakersfield.com - Map

Power Play (Hesperia, CA)
760-956-6711 - Map

Roller Dome (Thousand Oaks, CA)
www.rollerdome.com - Map

If your rink is not listed; email me here.

OUTDOOR ROLLER RINKS

Fiesta Village (Colton, CA)
www.fiestavillage.com - Map

ROLLER SKATING TRAILS

Mission Bay (San Diego, CA)
www.skatelover.com
www.belmontpark.com - Map
My favorite place to roller skate outdoors is in and around Mission Bay. Miles and miles of smooth cement that loop Mission Bay just feet from the bay, the ocean, shops, restaurants, public restrooms and even an old style wood roller coaster. Everything you could want for a day of roller skating at the beach. Check the first link for jam skating events and the second link for the only good place to park.

The Strand (Venice, CA)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strand_(bicycle_path) - Map
Another great place to roller skate outdoors is “The Strand”. A 22-mile path that runs through Santa Monica and Venice California. The Venice section is by far the most interesting with it’s little shops, restaurants and the famous muscle beach. Parking is an issue, so be prepared to pay $8 to $10 to park. Look for the skating area at the end of Market Street. Jam skaters sometime gather there on weekends in the summer months.

SKATE CRUISES

Royal Caribbean International
www.rccl.com
I recently discovered that Royal Caribbean has a couple of ships with roller skating tracks. The track itself is nothing special; it's small, open only during certain hours and is often wet in the early morning hours, however, the view is amazing and with no floor guards to speak of you can get away with most anything. We had a great game a tag going for at least an hour. The roller skating surface is very nice. I have no idea what it's made out of, but it's very firm and grippy. There is also an onboard sport court and as long as your not there while there is a basket ball or soccer game going on they don't seem to mind if you skate on it. The flooring is smooth, but a little soft so it's hard to get any real speed going. There is also a 1/4 mile jogging track. I was unclear weather skating on this track was allowed or not so I just went during a time when it was not very busy. The surface is ruff and very soft and rubbery, so you can't get up much speed nor would you want to it's often full of people and very close to the railing, but also has a great view of not only the ocean, but the pools. If that wasn't enough they have a small ice rink too. I recommend going to the very first sessions each day as the ice gets pretty bad after a while.

Most areas have great high energy pop and rock music pumped in except the ice rink that is mostly R&B. They also offer rental in-line's for the skating track and ice skates for the ice rink, however, the quality of each is very poor so bring your own! No quad skate rentals are offered.

LAS VEGAS ROLLER RINKS

I know these are not in So Cal, but everybody in So Cal ends up in Vegas eventually.

Boulder Crystal Palace (Las Vegas, NV)
www.skatevegas.com - Map
One more reason to be envious of the folks in Las Vegas. Large rink, large skating surface (Maple with square pattern) and the biggest parking lot I've ever seen. It was clean and a comfortable with all the basics. Only down side would be no lockers and no adult nights, so weaving in and out of small children is unavoidable.

Rancho Crystal Palace (Las Vegas, NV)
www.skatevegas.com - Map
The Rancho rink is virtually identical to the above Boulder rink. Only real noticeable difference are the employees and floor guards just seem to be going through the motions and not really doing anything. However, the reason it gets one less star was the temperature. It was so cold I had to wear my jacket all night.

www.skatelog.com - (Roller Skating Forums)
www.mensderbycoalition.com - (Men's Roller Derby Forum)
www.rollergirl.ca - (Shopping & Derby Forum)
www.firebirds-rollerderby.com - (LA Firebirds Roller Derby)
www.derbydolls.com - (Roller Derby)
www.ocrollergirls.com - (Roller Derby)
www.lowpriceskates.com - (Shopping)
www.conniesskateplace.com - (Shopping)
www.skubbros.com - (Shopping)
www.laskate.com - (Shopping)
www.jamskater.com - (Shopping)
www.sk8fantics.com - (Shopping)
www.skatethis.com - (San Diego Skating Club)
www.skatelover.com - (San Diego Skating Club)
www.usarinkhockey.com - (Hard Ball Hockey)
www.freestyleskaters.org - (Free Style Skating)
www.rinktime.com - (Rink Data Base)
www.usarollersports.org - (USA Roller Sports)
www.inlineplanet.com - (Inline Group Skates)
www.southernskater.com - (Roller Skating Forums)
www.avwebmaker.com - (Web Design)