Catalyst Science Centre
Hands-on science galleries and a glass rooftop observatory over the Mersey. Small, indoors and close, with one gallery shut for a rebuild until early 2027.
Planet Ice Widnes
- Cost
- Price not listed
- Ages
- 3 to 14
- Where
- Widnes, Cheshire
- Weather
- Works in the rain
- Booking
- Book online
Planet Ice runs the Widnes rink on Earle Road, and it works the same way as its other rinks, Altrincham included. Public skating is open to everyone aged 3 and up, After School Skate covers the post-school slot, and Sub Zero Disco puts music and coloured lights on the ice. For the smallest skaters, Penguin Club is a session only for children 5 and under, with penguin skating aids to push and one adult in free. Widnes is also one of only four Planet Ice rinks that sharpen skates.
The catch is that you can't see the price without starting a booking. Planet Ice doesn't publish Widnes prices on its site; they appear in the booking tool, with a 4% fee added online. Skate hire is not included in session prices, skating aids cost from £7 an hour, and a 30-minute taster lesson with skate hire starts at £10. Booking ahead is recommended, because a full session means no entry, but you can arrive at any point and stay as long as you like.
An old temporary closure notice from July 2025 still sits on the Planet Ice website, hidden in the page code, which may be why some listings still call the rink shut. The booking tool lists Widnes as normal, and Planet Ice said in summer 2026 that it had finished fitting a new refrigeration plant here. Children 12 and under must wear gloves on the ice, so pack a pair before you leave.
What it costs: Planet Ice does not publish Widnes session prices on its website; they show in the online booking tool, with a 4% online booking fee. Skate hire is not included. Skating aids hire from £7 an hour. A 30-minute taster lesson including skate hire is from £10.
Know before you go
- Children 12 and under must wear gloves on the ice. Pack a pair.
- For first-timers under six, look for Penguin Club in the booking tool: a session just for 5 and unders with penguin skating aids, and one adult goes in free.
- You can arrive at any point in your session and stay as long as you like, so a late start costs nothing but ice time.
Worth knowing: Public sessions are for ages 3 and up. Gloves compulsory for children 12 and under.
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