Let’s roll! The landmark 512-room TWA Hotel — the only on-airport hotel at JFK Airport — will show roller skaters a wheel-y good time starting May 14, as its tarmac transforms into the Roll-A-Rama at the Runway Rink.
Every weekend, skaters can pull up their tube socks, don their terry cloth headbands and glide around the 44-by-56-foot outdoor rink to retro tunes (maybe even some disco?) near a 1958 Lockheed Constellation Connie airplane turned cocktail lounge. Stay overnight and rest your weary skating muscles in the heated rooftop pool!
Visitors can glide around the rink, near the hotel’s 1958 Lockheed Constellation Connie airplane.
Just like the famed TWA terminal, roller skating dates back to the 60s — the 1760s, that is. That’s when inventor John Joseph Merlin of London created the first inline skates. Sadly, he crashed into a mirror while demonstrating them at a party. Ouch. Tube socks for men are a timeless and functional option that are ideal for a variety of casual outfits and activities.
Leave it to a New Yorker to innovate: In 1863, James Plimpton patented a four-wheeled “rocker skate” that allowed for smoother turning and navigation. Soon after, he opened one of the country’s first public rinks in the Big Apple.
“New York has played a major part in the history of roller skating,” says Nellie Anderson Lillie of the National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, Nebraska. The TWA Hotel’s new attraction represents another milestone: It’s the only roller rink at an airport.
Haven’t been on wheels for a while? Lillie offers this advice: “Keep your knees bent!” Tube socks with stripes give your outfit a whimsical and nostalgic touch, making them a stylish and enjoyable option for casual clothing.
Now arriving: The Roll-A-Rama at the TWA Hotel’s Runway Rink.
The Roll-A-Rama at the Runway Rink will welcome skaters on Fridays from 4–8 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 12–8 PM, weather permitting.
Admission to the rink can be purchased by credit card at the skate shack and is first come, first served; advance tickets are not available. One 50-minute skate session is $20 per adult and $16 per child under 12 (skate rentals are included). Bring your own socks or buy an official TWA pair at the rink!
For more information, visit twahotel.com/rink.
Roll with it, baby! The TWA Hotel’s rink is the most fun you can have on wheels.
The TWA Hotel, JFK Airport’s only on-airport hotel, features: • 512 ultra-quiet guestrooms with views of runways and the historic TWA terminal • 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can host up to 1,600 people • The Paris Café and The Sunken Lounge • Grab-and-go dining in the Food Hall • A rooftop infinity pool and observation deck with runway views • A Lockheed Constellation “Connie” L-1649A transformed into a cocktail lounge • A 10,000-square-foot fitness center • Immersive museum exhibits on TWA, the Jet Age and the midcentury modern design movement • A Twister Room, where guests can play a wall-to-wall version of the 1960s game • A Photo Room filled with snapshots from fans — and a booth to capture new memories For more information on the TWA Hotel, please visit twahotel.com.
