Skateland

Skateland on Meredith Drive is the rink most lifelong Des Moines kids remember from their own childhood birthdays, and the operation has held its ground because the formula still works: a real wood-floor roller rink, blue and pink lights, a DJ playing a mix of current radio and 90s throwbacks, and a snack bar selling pizza, slushies, and nachos.

Birthday packages cover skate rental, a reserved table area, pizza, and drinks for a flat per-kid price that runs cheaper than most metro entertainment venues. Skate lessons are available for guests who have not been on wheels before, which matters at a six- or seven-year-old's party where half the room may be first-timers. The arcade keeps non-skaters busy. Public skate sessions run Wednesday through Sunday afternoons and weekend evenings, and parties book around those windows. For a budget-friendly classic kid's birthday on the north side of Des Moines, this is the one.