A gem in the DMV area, this location has at least 3 public indoor ice rinks that I saw (one is an Olympic rink). It's a great place for lessons and open skating. However you may also get a chance to watch some ice hockey leagues play like I did. Highly recommend checking Cabin John out for you next ice skating adventure! read more

Cabin John Ice Rink - Skating Rinks Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Great community place, a lot of public skate times available! Good classes and well priced for the region. Front office staff could be more engaged and helpful but the pro shop people and coaches are wonderful. If you're getting into hockey, this is one of the only rinks that offers hockey skating classes where you bring your stick out with you, which is a huge help since it changes your balance. read more

My granddaughter had her birthday party at Cabin John Ice Rink. They have separate party rooms for families to celebrate. They are not huge, so plan accordingly. We had 12 young people, parents, and relatives in one. I would recommend signing up for extra time in the party room. They are scheduled back to back, and when our time was up,they ushered us out nicely. It gets very crowded on weekends. I would recommend bringing extra hands to help with getting skates on and monitoring kids out on the ice rink. It would be nice, if they had staff to help with this part of the process. I took off one star, because they really need to hire more people to help new skaters navigate the ice rink. I was concerned for our skating party of young ladies. But, the ice rink is clean,well kept, and offers a fun afternoon to those who like to ice skate. There were all kinds of activities going on at the same time. Hockey leagues and ice dance skating were taking place at the same time. My granddaughter loved it. And, her friends had fun too. read more

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Convenient public skate times most evenings and weekends. Group lessons are 6-week sessions; include skate rental and come with a 6-visit practice card for public skate that also includes skate rental. Plan ahead because the skate rental line gets long. For public sessions, come at the beginning if you want good ice and fewer crowds. The black rental skates are somewhat padded and supportive, but only come in whole sizes. The brown rental skates are awful; they have no padding and hurt a lot. Always ask for black if you need a rental. Free skate lessons also have a practice card; not sure whether it's freestyle session or public skate as I'm not that level yet. read more

It's nice to have a local, public ice rink that offers group lessons year-round. My daughter has really taken to ice skating recently after going to one of the day camps here that they offer on most MCPS (public school) days off. The day camps are pretty awesome with a whole day of skating and other activities that provide childcare and fun for the kids. The group lessons are short (30m), but well-run and cater well to the kids. The overall space is nice. It's clean and well-run with a little cafe/snack bar and a nice skate-rental counter. They have newer skates which seem to fit better than I remember horrible rental skates did when I was a kid. The staff all seem nice. They are predominantly local teenagers, which makes sense, but that makes sense and they're all either reasonably helpful or eager to be there since they themselves like skating. read more

Didn't have the greatest experience at the outdoor ice rink in Rockville so decided to try indoor more. They offer a lot of public skate times which is really nice so you can attend throughout the week based on your schedule. The weekends can be super crowded especially around the holidays and there's a lot of kids which can make it harder to have as much fun skating without worry of running into someone. But if you go on a weeknight or during adult skate times only there's plenty of space and the ice is usually well maintained. The pricing is reasonable especially for the DC area if you have your own skates. They also have the center of the ice sectioned off for lessons but leave plenty of space for people skating around the rink on the outside. If you're renting skates by the way you'll have to leave your shoes with them in place of the skates so just be aware, sometimes the floor can be wet so just be careful not to get your socks wet. read more

The ice was never Zambonied and was so choppy you could barely skate on it. Rentals were very dull. When I ordered a hotdog at the café, they told me to wait 15 minutes and come back. I came back 15 minutes later and they sold my hotdog. It took them 30 minutes to give me a refund. Never going back! read more

My five year old started group classes here two years ago, and we've been hanging out here 1-3 days each week since. The facility is fine-- the Olympic and studio rinks were just refurbished. Weekend public sessions in the winter can be absolutely packed, but weekday sessions are much less crowded. The cafe is ok. Staff tends to me a little lackluster, but that's not shocking. There are vegetarian options available, and prices are pretty cheap. It is, however, only open in the evenings and weekends. If you have tiny tots, I highly recommend going to the parent/tot sessions. These are never crowded and lots of fun. (And only 5 bucks!) If you need skates, I highly recommend their skate shop. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable. One gentleman (I wish I knew his name!) in particular is very helpful. It doesn't matter if they don't carry the skates, he'll let you know the pair you need and size and send you merrily on your way! Why not five stars? Well, having visited other rinks, I know there are better. it would be amazing if there were a comfortable seating option for observers and a quiet room for working/studying, as found at other local rinks. All in all, Cabin John is a great rink. read more

This is a nice county owned and run Ice Rink for the area. They have ample classes for kids of all ages and the cost is quite reasonable. They also have plenty of free skates slots for anyone to come skate all year :) I have read some reviews where the reviewers are unhappy with the quality of skates or the crowd. But seriously, for $8 free skates, what do you expect? I think it is an awesome value for money and those who feel this is not up to their standard, can go to an upscale ice rink; which is kinda non-existent in this area! My kids attend classes here and the coaches are quite experienced and good at dealing with the kids too :) read more

If I could rate it 0 starts I would. They are the worst. The workers said I can't buy a ticket for a stick and puck even though on the list, there was like 15 people and they had over 30 tickets for what? I bought hockey skates and when I wore it 2 days later, it dint fit, they said no returns before 14 days but I guess now it's 1 day. Would not recommend read more

Always kind of hated this place. We came for an event which was supposed to be free but then they said our group used up the free passes and they charged us $8. On top of this, they have like 2 things for newbies to hold onto when there are like 30 kids who need them. Also, the staff here just skates around while kids bash their heads on the ice. Screw this place. read more

It is a nice place with two rinks and a cafeteria. My kid skates there every week and makes many friends. I would give it five star without the pro shop. But the manager in pro shop is horrible. He never takes his job seriously. For almost half of the time when I sharpened skates there, the skates needed to be sharpened again the next day because they didn't do it it well. I heard same complains from many friends. Otherwise, this is a good place to skate in Montgomery. read more

This place has period blood on the walls of the stalls in the women's restroom yet physically enforces the kids wear masks while playing hockey games. Not sure where logic comes into play here, but maybe I would attend to the former rather than the latter first. read more

Nestled in quiet suburbia,by Montgomery Mall, is my home rink. Well kept, well manicured ice and spacious. They are almost religious with their zamboni schedule. The large olympic sized rink is for public skating, most of the time. The side rink is for lessons. They keep this rink warmer than other indoor ice rinks. One of the few that have Adult Skate nights. You can count on this rink being crowded most of the time, but not uncomfortably so. They love to play to Top 50 music alot. To a point that you had no idea that "Party in the USA" could make a person so aggro. This is a great rink to get your kids involved with skating activities. They have a ton of summer hockey camps and most of the ice time is dominated by freestyle sessions. read more

Really good experience! I went with two of my friends and we had a great time. We went during the public skating session which was two hours (I think) and enjoyed very much. It didn't cost as much as expected. They also had rental skates which are very convenient if you don't own a pair. They had a food area which I found nice and had vending machines. Overall I had a great experience there and would definitely recommend going there. read more

They provided wonderful camps for kids. The teachers are very nice and take care of kids. The coordinator Jenni is also very responsible and considerate. My boys enjoy ice skating there. read more

I have been taking lessons and going to public sessions here for about 6 months. I'd originally begun learning at Skate Frederick, but with my work schedule, Cabin John was more convenient so I switched over. Cabin John also has better facilities and seems to have more class offerings (including longer 45-minute classes) which was great because I was able to continue my lessons even during the busiest 4 months of the year at my office. The Olympic rink, where public sessions take place, has plenty of space and the ice is zambonied before each session. Group lessons take place on a a smaller studio rink (located just past the NHL rink), which is a lot less smooth, but is serviceable. Although I'd taken a level 1 class at Skate Frederick, I started at Teen & Adult 1 at Cabin John in order to get more comfortable. My instructor, Jessica, was nice and patient. The level 1 class goes through marching, swizzles, one-foot glides, braking, and a little bit of backward skating. I then moved onto Teen & Adult 2 with Alicia, who was also a very competent teacher. The level 2 class went through chassés, more backward skating, some circle work, and a little bit of spinning. The last class of each session involved a little final exam of sorts, where the instructor would mark the skills you were able to do and recommend which class to take next (i.e. whether you should sign up for the next level or redo the current level). The 45-minute sessions included free admission for 9 public sessions during the 6-week lesson period and free skate rentals for both the classes and the public sessions. I found the rental skates to be pretty comfortable (I preferred the brown ones because they were easier to lace tightly around the ankles), but the rental skate line tended to be very long on weekends, so definitely get there early if you have a weekend class and need to rent skates. My favorite public sessions were the Adult Skate ones, since it was nice not to worry about running into a kid, and most of the adults seemed pretty responsible on the ice. However, most of the kids at the other public sessions were very well-behaved too. All the public sessions, including early morning and weekday evening ones, were reasonably busy, although a bit less so in the spring/summer months. There's always a good number of serious figure skaters doing private lessons and/or practicing advanced moves during the public skate sessions. Lockers cost $0.50 in quarters per use, but it seems like you can leave your non-precious belongings on the benches without any problems. If you have your own skates, skate sharpening costs around $12; I was able to get mine done in about 15 minutes when I brought them in on a Sunday. The front desk accepts credit cards (but not American Express). There's free wi-fi and some of the parents seem to congregate in the café area with their laptops. The bathrooms are reasonably clean and I've never had to wait in a queue for the ladies' rooms. There's plenty of free parking, although on winter weekends when lessons and public skate sessions run simultaneously, the spots do sometimes fill up. Overall, a great place to learn and practice skating. The rink is conveniently located just off of I-270. read more

Cabin John Ice Rink - Rental skates - Skating Rinks Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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The ice rink is fine but the concession stand is sorely lacking... When I was there recently, all the "smoothie" machines were broken and the "food" selection (if you can call it that!) was a choice of "junk food" or "junkier"! :(( Advice; don't go hungry or expecting to eat anything resembling "real" food but do enjoy the ice rink itself! Open year 'round since it's indoors and btw,- it's in "N. Bethesda" which is not really Rockville (near Montgomery Mall on Democracy Blvd.) read more

Cabin John Ice Rink - great form! - Skating Rinks Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Pros: Nice facility, rarely packed with people, cheap skate. Con: Last visit the ice was essentially a shallow puddle of water. Only happened once. read more

This ice rink is located in a nestled park around Montgomery Mall. I have to agree with others, the rental skates are uncomfortable. Prices are decent, ice rinks are well maintained, and the rink patrols are always alert to ensure everyone's safety. Yes! For God's sakes. stop filming or texting while skating! Parking lot fills up quickly so go early. read more

great rink in the area. took my ticket skating for the first time and he loved it! it's well maintained and has some snacks for the littles.

This review is for the skate service. I bought a nice pair of skates for my daughter at the shop, and as the shop people instructed, I dropped them off at the front desk for getting the blades sharpened. When they were ready for pickup a few days later, the guy at the front desk handed me a pair of old, dirty skates. I told him that I dropped off a pair of brand new white skates, how did the skates become worn and dirty from just getting the blades sharpened? He did not budge. He stared at me and said- these are your skates. I was so upset, isn't this a crazy situation?? Then I remembered that I wrote my daughter's name in permanent ink inside the new skates, so I told him and politely asked him to check again in the back room. Shocked look on his face. And then, magically, he found my daughter's beautiful new skates. Be careful when you drop off skates for service at this place! read more

Went here for Thursday adult night with my boo. It was affordable and nice. Nothing super special, just a two rinks, skate shop, and vending machines. The skate shop wasn't open during the session. Not super crowded and had lots of fun ice skating the second time in like 12 years. I def recommend this place as a way to escape the summer heat while burning some calories and having fun. The only thing is that like most ice rinks, this place doesn't have the best sound system and music to skate to, unlike the local roller rinks. Also it hurts much worse to fall on dense ice than roller rink wood floors and it was evident by a guy who fell on the ice and left a trail of blood where is forehead split open. So be safe! read more

I love Cabin John Ice Rink simply for it's Adult Skate nights (Thursdays 8-10) and Cheapskate sessions ($6.25 for admission and skate rental). I haven't gone on weekends (I'm sure it's packed). But during the week the sessions are usually about 25-40 people on the Olympic rink, current Top 50 music playing softly and whatnot. They also stop during the session to do a quick clean with the Zamboni to keep the ice in great condition (and it shows). Overall, the place is clean and the ice is kept in good shape. The place has two main rinks (one Olympic sized, one NHL sized) and one small practice rink that can be rented out for parties. The bathroom facilities are small and cramped with more than 2 people in them, but it's a bathroom not a locker room for changing. It also has a small snack bar, and a pro shop but it's never been open when I'm there during the week. They offer skate sharpening, but it's fairly expensive and takes about a week. I would recommend trying Rockville Ice Arena for that. It's also close to Montgomery Mall so you can take the bus there and walk the short way to the rink which isn't too bad of a hike, maybe about a quarter mile, or drop the kids off and spend a quiet afternoon shopping alone. Additionally, they have a number of weekend classes - including those for adults. They usually have a number of private lessons going on during the nights we go there, and the instructors are very knowledgeable and work to your pace. I prefer the classes out at Rockville Arena better, but that is only because I started lessons out there. In some cases, it is the same coaches at both locations. read more

I love this place. The only problem is that the rental skates are very uncomfortable and rigid. The cafe is okay and they have f'real:):) I recommend the mint chip. Anyway this place is good for child lessons and free skating, even though it can get really, really crowded. This place is good. Come here! read more

This is probably the best place besides Kettler Ice Rink to play pick-up hockey or come for Stick-N-Puck sessions. They don't require full gear, only helmet, stick, stakes, and gloves if you're over 18. This is appealing to a lot of people if they don't want to pull on full gear and are just looking to get some ice time. As for scheduling, Stick-N-Puck sessions are more available during the spring/summer compared to the winter, but usually 1 every day. Registration for those start 30 min before the session. If it's a weekend session and not at 6am, I'd recommend getting there at least 30 min before the session begins since registration tends to fill up quickly. The maximum is 30 skaters plus 2 goalies on the ice at one time. If it fills up, you're out of luck. read more

When you only have two (three if you count Wheaton I guess...) ice rinks to choose from in the Montgomery County area, it's pretty hard to find a place that you would call superb. However, for an ice rink and for a total of $10 for 2 hours + rentals, it's a good place to keep get your winter activities fix. I will have to say that the rental hockey skates are HORRIBLE. They have absolutely no ankle support and if you try to skate hard at any point, you're asking for an injury. Gotta bring my own next time. read more

I took my very first ice skating lessons at Cabin John at the age of 5, and that led to almost ten years of private lessons and competitions. What's bizarre is that although I quit skating almost ten years ago on top of that, Cabin John looks, feels and smells almost the same--two large ice rinks, one for public sessions and private figure skating time, the other mostly for ice hockey, plus a little rink for beginners, the snack bar, party room, rental area and skate shop. I went on so many awkward pre-teen dates here that the combined scents of popcorn and sweat are almost like home. Unfortunately, the overwhelmed teens manning the rental booth and attempting to police the public skate session are also holdovers from the dark ages, as are the less than helpful team at the front desk and entitled parents hogging half the benches where you're meant to lace up. I arrived here hoping for a little nostalgia and the chance to flex some old figure skating muscle, but left with a reminder not to even consider skating during public sessions on weekends or Fridays, because it's so crowded that the ice is almost immediately turned into snow, and the small children dodging and weaving between your legs are a real health hazard. If you think you're going to enjoy skating as a lifetime skill, invest in some real skates and blades (the rental ones are quite battered and dull) and planned to visit during the work week when you can avoid some of the hordes, otherwise, I would give this one a miss. Oh, and also? Maybe don't take your date here unless you think they're ready for a heavy-duty walk (or skate, or, honestly, fall) down memory lane. read more

Really great ice rink. Fun for children and families.

Great rink featuring an olympic rink, NHL rink, and a smaller lesson rink. Tons of lessons available through private instructors or group classes. Public sessions tend to be over crowded on weekends though. Also, this rink only skates counter clockwise unless you request to have them change directions, which can't always be accommodated. But the 2 hour sessions are a good amount of time! There's a cafe and restrooms, lockers for your items, and also a dance studio you can rent out by the half hour. Prices are reasonable, but the rental figure skates are old and not in great shape. Also, not a place to get your personal skates sharpened. read more

It's clean, convenient, and safe. I don't need five star service, just relatively clean ice.

I'm an adult and have figure skated there for years. (I've also skated in Laurel, Baltimore, New York, Manilla, Caracas and San Francisco.) CJ has a very good group and private lesson program. Parents must remember that rinks may place too many kids in a group (reducing time/kid), that teacher/student rapport is essential in group or private (you can request a teacher), lessons are NOT daycare, progress is student specific (no matter how much you love your kid), that you can request skates by number (some are better than others), practice is ESSENTIAL (very), etc. I would recommend Ms. Dabija (my personal favorite of all time), Ms. Kanal, Ms. Lussi or any number of coaches for private lessons. Remember, commitment and practice (lots) is essential. Regarding skate sharpening, don't just dropping off skates to be sharpened, at any rink in the world. Ask coaches as to who does a great sharpening of your type (figure, hockey or speed) of skate. My personal favorite at CJ is Mitt. Write their name (example: Mitt ONLY), spec's (example: 1/2" hollow) on the claim ticket. Keep your claim ticket! For boots, Fit, Support and Sharpness are THE watch words. Boot size is 1 size smaller than a street shoe. Use thin socks, not double socks your mom made you wear. There are NO weak ankles, so get a stiff boot. Sharpen every 30-40 hours of on-ice time. If you skate a few times a year, boots with pre-mounted blades may be your best bet. But if you plan to skate more often, buy boots and blades separately. Ask coaches for recommendations, remembering that feet vary (fat, thin, skinny, etc.), and brands may favor one type of foot over another. Some people may be better boot sellers than boot fitters, so ask who does a great fitting AND post purchase adjustments. Ask coaches for blade recommendations and who does a great job doing a test mounting AND final adjustments. read more

Went to get my skates sharpened with Pete. He was recommended as someone who knows paramount blades. I am here to say he is not and he jacked up my blades. My blades were all messed up with uneven edges and my left skate had no outside edge. It left me feeling very unstable and cautious on the ice. I had to have them resharpened which cost more money and time. I will not go there again nor suggest him either. read more

Nice ice and good hours

Cabin John is a very nice, full service county skating facility. They have two full size rinks, private and group lessons, skate rental, a pro shop and snacks bar. The rental skates are fine for most people. While it's not fancy, it is clean, modern and well maintained for a public facility. read more

It's a big rink and the ice is nicely kept. The cafe is good overall. But the staff are just mean and grumpy. If you fall they just say "get up"and it's kind of annoying. Also, the rental skates are horribly uncomfortable. read more

I've been going to free skate a few times a week for the past few months. The space is nice and kept clean. The entire process, especially during non peak sessions, is fairly laid back. During late weeknight skates in the summer, you begin to see the pattern of always going counter clockwise fade away, so you are free to go where you need to for practicing your technique. For classes, they follow the Learn to Skate USA curriculum, with skilled teachers leading lessons. There is no speed skating program, but the rink offers hockey lessons for all levels, as well as several stick and puck sessions a week. Overall, Cabin John is the top choice for ice skating in the DMV for beginners and competitive skaters alike. read more

I went to this rink for a charity event. But after paying for the ice, the rink management staff did not allow for donations within the rink..which defeats the entire purpose of hosting a charity event. read more

Rude children with attitudes working at the skate rental counter. Other than that, this place is pretty standard.

This place has decent Ice, but the employees are awful. Pick Up Hockey on the website was not advertised as 18 and older. Show up to play, told to go home. Don't go for stick n puck either. Those are awful too. read more