The cheapest way to watch an NHL team in the valley is a free Golden Knights practice at City National Arena, just off Pavilion Center Drive. The building is the team's official practice facility in Downtown Summerlin. The Golden Knights say every morning skate and team practice held there is free and open to the public. A ticket for the same players at T-Mobile Arena costs money. Watching them practice a few minutes from home costs nothing.
That free rink works as the anchor for this corner of Summerlin through the end of the year. A new sports bar opened a short walk away in September. The rink's restaurant looks down onto the ice. On November 20, Las Vegas Ballpark next door reopens as a holiday light maze with a skating trail. A free practice, a new bar and a light maze all sit within walking distance of each other, and planning the day around the practice gets the most out of the block.
How Practice Access Works at 1550 S. Pavilion Center Drive
City National Arena sits at 1550 S. Pavilion Center Dr. The team restated its open-door policy in its 2026 training camp announcement on September 16, ahead of opening practices on September 17: "All practices at City National Arena remain free and open to the public."
During the regular season, timing is the catch. The team doesn't publish a fixed weekly practice calendar. Its April 2026 playoff announcement said schedules are subject to change and pointed fans to the team's X account, @GoldenKnights, for updates. Check that feed the morning you plan to go. Travel days, back-to-backs and late changes can move or cancel a session.
The building can also hold a crowd. To open the 2026 postseason, the team ran a public Saturday practice at 11:30 a.m. with festivities starting at 10:30. There was Pinkbox Doughnuts for the first 100 fans, a DJ, an inflatable shooting cage out front, and coloring pages and poster materials in the lobby. On a regular weekday the scene is quieter, but the same doors are open.
Lunch Above the Ice, and a Team Store on the Way Out
Most practice-goers will want to know where to eat. The building has a restaurant inside. According to the arena, MacKenzie River Pizza, Grill & Pub sits between the two rinks as a full-service restaurant and bar. The Arsenal, a Golden Knights apparel store, is in the lobby.
MacKenzie River's Summerlin location page says guests can watch Golden Knights practices through the restaurant's elevated windows overlooking the ice. The menu covers burgers, pasta, sandwiches and salads along with pizza, and there's a full bar. Posted hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. A late-morning practice can run right into lunch with a view of the same sheet of ice.
The Same Ice Is Open to You for $10
Between team and youth hockey sessions, the arena opens its ice to the public. Open skate is posted at $10 per guest, or $7 for military with valid ID, plus $3 for skate rental. The arena also lists a $375 annual pass.
Session times change from day to day, so plan with the arena's online calendar rather than habit. The last full week of October shows how much they move. On October 22 the only session ran from 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. On October 23 there was a lunchtime session from 11:50 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. and a late one from 9:30 to 11 p.m. October 24 had an evening slot from 8 to 9:30 p.m., and October 25 ran mid-afternoon, from 3:40 to 4:40. Some instructions on the open-skate page still carry older registration wording, so the live calendar is the better guide.
Here's what a family of four pays for a day built around the arena and ballpark, using posted prices:
| Stop | What it costs | What to know before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Knights practice or morning skate | Free | Times change; check @GoldenKnights that morning |
| Public skate at City National Arena | $10 per guest, $7 military, plus $3 skate rental | Session times vary by day |
| Enchant at Las Vegas Ballpark | Tickets from $27, varying by date and entry time | Ice skating is a separate add-on ticket |
Watching the pros costs nothing. Getting on the ice yourself costs $13 per person with rentals, or $52 for four skaters.
Finney's Gives Game Nights a Home a Block Over
Practices happen in the morning. Games mostly happen at night, and in September a new spot opened for them. Finney's Crafthouse opened its first Nevada location on September 21, 2026, at 10955 Oval Park Drive in The Dining Arroyo. Eater Vegas confirmed it was open in its October 1 update.
Twin brothers Greg and Brad Finefrock own and run it. Greg founded Finney's in 2016, and the two have grown it to 16 locations in California. In an interview with Summerlin, the brothers explained the site choice: "We wanted to be where all the action was in Summerlin, right next to the ballpark and where all the families hang out."
The room was built for watching games. According to Vegas Publicity, there are 20 HDTVs across the dining room, bar and patio, 30 rotating craft beers on tap from local and regional breweries, and 18 craft cocktails. The restaurant seats 245 in 5,395 square feet indoors, plus a 2,434-square-foot dog-friendly patio. The brothers told Summerlin the location has two patios: one fully enclosed with operable windows, the other open to the sky with misters and umbrellas. The enclosed patio should help on cooler December nights.
Executive Chef Eric Bosrau's menu runs to more than 50 house-made dishes. They include buffalo cauliflower, an A5 Wagyu burger made with Japanese Wagyu from Shiraoi Farms, and mahi mahi tacos, grilled or crispy. The owners have their own regular orders. Greg goes for the Bison Burger with a guava margarita. Brad orders the Mediterranean bowl with double chicken and the nonalcoholic Smoke & Honey, and they split the cheesesteak egg rolls to start.
Two established options on the same side of Downtown Summerlin take some pressure off Finney's on big game nights. Dave & Buster's Summerlin, at 2130 Park Centre Dr., has large HDTVs and shows NFL and hockey games. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar sits at 1725 Festival Plaza Dr.
On November 20, the Ballpark Turns Into a Rink
The Parade of Mischief wrapped its Friday and Saturday runs on Park Centre Drive on October 24, with no performances scheduled for Halloween weekend. That leaves a gap of nearly four weeks before the next big draw on the block, at the ballpark.
Enchant runs at Las Vegas Ballpark from November 20 through December 27, 2026. Organizers bill it as the world's largest Christmas light maze, with ice skating, seasonal food and drinks, and live entertainment. This year's maze has a reimagined storyline and new photo installations. Tickets start at $27 and change by date, entry time and demand. The ticket calendar currently shows starting prices between $27 and $39.
Two details matter for planning. Skating isn't included with general admission. It requires a separate ticket and a waiver. Hours also change from night to night. One event listing shows 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. for opening night, but entry windows differ by date, so go by the time printed on your ticket. MacKenzie River's page points out that the ballpark is right next door to the arena, so you can walk from the practice rink to the light maze.
The ballpark's own calendar keeps going after the lights come down. The Aviators' events page lists the Live Like Lou college baseball classic for March 5 through 7 and Banana Ball for March 18 through 20.
One December Saturday, Start to Finish
All of this fits in one day without moving the car:
- Morning: Check @GoldenKnights on X. If the team is on the ice at City National Arena, walk in and watch for free.
- Lunch: Go upstairs to MacKenzie River, where the windows overlook the same rink. Stop by The Arsenal in the lobby on your way out.
- Afternoon: Look up the arena's open-skate calendar. If a session lines up, it's $10 a skater plus $3 for rentals.
- Evening: Walk to Las Vegas Ballpark for your timed Enchant entry. Buy the skating add-on in advance if you want to skate again under the lights.
- Late: If the Golden Knights play that night, finish at Finney's on Oval Park Drive. The enclosed patio with operable windows is the warmer seat.
Patty Linson has watched Downtown Summerlin grow from a ballpark and a practice rink into a full seven-day destination, and she keeps track of what's opening there along with the homes for sale. If you're thinking about a home within an easy walk or drive of Pavilion Center Drive, Patty Linson | LasVegasHomeSeeker can help with what's on the market and the neighborhood around it. Schedule your VIP home consultation.
