Hockey in the sunshine
Southern California is not the first place most people think of for hockey, but it has a long and growing history. The Kings entered the NHL in 1967 and became a national story in 1988, when they traded for Wayne Gretzky. The Ducks arrived in Anaheim in 1993, named after a Disney movie, and won the Stanley Cup in 2007. The Kings won Cups in 2012 and 2014. Today the region has busy rinks, strong youth hockey and players who grew up in SoCal reaching the NHL.
Crypto.com Arena and the Kings
The Kings play at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, part of the L.A. Live entertainment district. The Lakers, Clippers and Sparks have also played there. Metro rail lines stop at the Pico station nearby, which can save you from downtown traffic and parking costs. L.A. Live is full of restaurants and bars for a pregame dinner or a postgame drink.
Honda Center and the Ducks
The Ducks play at Honda Center in Anaheim, close to the ARTIC transit center, which is served by Metrolink and Amtrak trains. Most Orange County fans still drive and park on site. The area around Honda Center has fewer nightlife options than downtown LA, so many fans eat in Anaheim, Orange or near the nearby Angel Stadium before games.
The Freeway Faceoff
The Kings and Ducks rivalry is known as the Freeway Faceoff, named after the freeways that connect the two arenas. The rivalry has produced memorable playoff series. Kings and Ducks fans in one relationship should agree on some ground rules. There is a whole guide on rival-fan dating for Freeway Faceoff couples.
Year-round rinks
Southern California rinks are indoor and open all year, which makes skating a great date any month. The Kings practice at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo, which also offers public skating and adult leagues. The Ducks' Great Park Ice in Irvine is a large facility with multiple rinks. Rinks across the region, from Pasadena to Ontario, host public sessions and adult leagues.
Beach to rink
One of the fun parts of SoCal hockey dating is the contrast. You can spend the afternoon at the beach and the evening at a hockey game. A day in Manhattan Beach or Huntington Beach, followed by a Kings or Ducks game, is a uniquely Southern California date.
Traffic realism
Los Angeles traffic is real. Getting from the Westside to Anaheim on a weeknight can take a long time. When planning a date, think about where you both live and pick a game and a meeting point that makes sense. Metro rail can help for Kings games, and Metrolink for Ducks games.
Getting home safely
Games end around 10 p.m., and traffic after games can be heavy. If you take Metro, check the schedule. If you are driving, note where you parked and walk with the crowd. Rideshare pickup can be slow near the arenas after games. Before a long drive to meet someone, read our safety guide.
Kings or Ducks: what to put on your profile
- Say which team you root for. In SoCal, it matters.
- Mention your area. The Westside, the Valley, the South Bay and Orange County all have their own vibe.
- Share your hockey roots. Many SoCal fans grew up elsewhere or discovered the sport through Gretzky.
- Embrace the contrast. Beach days and hockey nights go together here.
Date ideas around Los Angeles
- Dinner at L.A. Live, then a Kings game.
- A Ducks game at Honda Center.
- Public skating at the Toyota Sports Performance Center or Great Park Ice.
- A beach day followed by watching a game at a bar.
- A summer inline skate along the Venice boardwalk.
See our hockey date ideas for more.
Gretzky's influence
When the Kings traded for Wayne Gretzky in 1988, hockey suddenly became cool in Los Angeles. Celebrities sat by the glass, kids started playing and rinks opened across the region. Many SoCal fans in their forties and fifties trace their love of the game to that moment, and some of the NHL players who later came out of California grew up watching him. If your date mentions Gretzky, ask how it changed their childhood.
The Valley, the South Bay and Orange County
Los Angeles is a collection of regions, and hockey life is spread across them. Kings fans cluster in the South Bay, the Westside and the Valley. Ducks fans dominate much of Orange County. Adult leagues and youth programs are everywhere, from rinks in Burbank to Lake Forest. Because the area is huge, think about geography when you date. A match in Santa Monica and another in Irvine are effectively in different cities on a weeknight.
Women's and youth hockey in Southern California
Southern California has strong youth programs, and the number of girls playing has grown across the region in recent years. College club hockey is popular too, with teams at several universities. If you play in an adult league, you may find your rink is full of people who grew up in SoCal, not just transplants from the Midwest.
Hockey in the off-season
Because rinks here are indoor and open all year, summer is a busy season for adult players. Leagues, clinics and pickup games keep going while the NHL is quiet. Many LA fans also use summer to catch up on other parts of life, like beach days, hikes and concerts. That makes summer a nice time to start dating, when evenings feel relaxed and there is no game on the calendar.
Questions for a SoCal hockey fan
When did you go to your first game? Kings or Ducks, and why? Did you play roller hockey as a kid, as many Southern Californians did? Do you still skate? Which beach do you like before a game? Asking about roots and routines tells you a lot about how hockey fits into someone's life here, and whether they would enjoy a beach-to-rink kind of day.
The answers also hint at how far someone is willing to drive. In a region this large, that matters.
A SoCal opener
Ask a Kings fan where they watched the 2012 Final, or a Ducks fan about the 2007 run.
Parking tip
Prepaid parking near both arenas saves stress on game night.
Kings or Ducks, say hello
Tell people which side of the Freeway Faceoff you are on, which region you live in and whether you skate, then Signup Here. Already registered in SoCal? Sign in and add your rink. For more Western hockey, see Denver, or Dallas for the Sun Belt, and use the cities page for everywhere else.