Creating anti-icing surfaces has proven to be a challenging task. With such a wide range of impacting parameters it is important to quantify ones with a large effect. Water solidification mechanisms play a fundamental role in designing anti-icing surfaces. In this Review Article, we will consider the effects of surface roughening on the mechanisms of nucleation and ice growth to show how surface roughening can be an alternative to overcome the limitations of icing of superhydrophobic coatings and surfaces. The results from various studies of anti-icing properties of superhydrophobic surfaces are reviewed and expanded to incorporate water solidification mechanisms to provide a more comprehensive approach to the design of anti-icing surfaces. The literature within this review shows that by applying the necessary roughness to either hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces and adjusting the surface topography, we can significantly suppress ice nucleation on various surfaces.