Here's a novel idea for summer fun: Ice skating!

Trisha Roohan of Delmar skates Friday at the Schenectady County Ice Rink in Glenville.

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Ice skating . . . in the summer?

Yes, ice skating is traditionally thought of as a winter activity done on a frozen lake or pond, but there are plenty of indoor rinks in the area open year-round. And that’s good for people looking to escape the heat or prepare for a winter hockey season.

Rinks in the area are an affordable alternative to baking in the sun at a pool or on a beach, or whiling away another rainy day.

The rink at the Schenectady County Recreational Facility in Glenville offers people of all ages and skill levels a chance to skate six days per week. Recreational skating is offered Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and noon to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Skating for the two-hour period costs $4.

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Hayden LaBelle of Duanesburg and Michael Schoppe of Schenectady use ice skating as an alternative to other more sun-filled summer activities.

“This is an awesome place to cool down and stay out of the sun,” LaBelle said. “I usually come down here once or twice a week.”

“I don’t come that often, but it is still a great place to get away from some of those brutally hot summer days,” Schoppe said.

Here are some places you can go to avoid that hot sun:

• The Saratoga Springs Ice Rink at 30 Weibel Ave. has family and open skating on Sundays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m.

There are various times during the week for open figure skating and open hockey, and lessons are also available. Call 583-3462 for more details.

Saratoga Springs residents pay $4 ($3 for kids) and nonresidents pay a dollar more.

• In Troy, the Knickerbacker Ice Rink at 191 103rd St. holds public skating sessions from 1:30 to 4:20 p.m. every weekday.

There are also open hockey sessions; for more information, call 235-7761 or visit www.troyny.gov.

Admission is $5 for adults, and $3 for those under 18.

• The Albany County Hockey Facility at 830 Albany-Shaker Road in Loudonville has public skating every Sunday from 12:15-1:45 p.m., and on some Saturdays.

Call 452-7396 or visit www.albanycounty.com for details.

All sessions cost $4 ($2 for kids) and it is $3 to rent skates.