11 Best Roller and Ice Skating Rinks in Metro Phoenix

Turns out, Phoenix rolls deep. The Valley's home to plenty of roller and ice skating rinks — even a facility dubbed the Hall of Dames that's home to the Arizona Derby Dames’ impressive wooden banked track.

Whether you're looking to spend an evening gliding on eight wheels in a classic roller rink, taking in the hilarity of public ice skating from the bar, or even put together a throw-back birthday party complete with arcade games and tokens, here are 11 favorite roller and ice skating spots in and around Phoenix.

AZ Ice Arcadia
3853 East Thomas Road
602-957-9966

This Arcadia-area ice skating rink is home to a few hockey leagues, hosts freestyle sessions for figure skaters, offers private ice skating lessons, and is open for public skating for all skill levels. Public skating sessions are offered daily in the morning, midday, and evening – but it’s best to check their online schedule. Music is piped in from Today’s Top Hits – a XM Sirius Satellite Radio station – and the east end of AZ Ice Arcadia is the Ice House Tavern, a hockey bar with a full view of the rink in front (just be sure to keep your drink in your hand when a puck smacks the Plexiglas). Ice House Tavern also offers live music and an expansive beer selection.

USA Skateland of Chandler
1101 West Ray Road, Chandler
480-917-9444

The USA Skateland of Chandler offers special skate themes known for keeping this place lively, including Cosmic Skate, Crazy Sock Skate, and special events like #instafamousfriday, Otter Popular Monday (where you get Otter Pops, duh), and even a Michael Jackson Birthday Bash. Grab everything from ICEEs to pizza at the Chandler Roller Café, where you can order a bag of 50 tokens for the 20-game arcade area. Turn in your tokens for those classic prizes like small toys, glow-in-the-dark gear, and, perennial favorites, mustache combs.

Ice Den Scottsdale
9375 East Bell Road, Scottsdale
480-585-7465

Around since 1998, Ice Den Scottsdale covers more than 150,000 square feet and is known as the home of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes hockey team. For non-professionals, it offers daily public skating, skating lessons, hockey programs, and amenities like the Mountainside Fitness Training Center. For the hungry skaters, there's an Over Easy location and 18 Degrees grill. The Scottsdale location of Ice Den also offers $5 Friday Night public sessions with DJs and that “extreme lighting” again.

The Hall of Dames
2517 West McDowell Road

The Hall of Dames is home to the Arizona Derby Dames – the local roller derby league consisting of the Bombshells, Brutal Beauties, Coffin Draggers, Minor Assaults, Runaway Brides, School Yard Scrappers, Hot Shots, and simply, the Regulators. The Hall of Dames is also an impressive rink to boot. AZDD competes on an oval, wooden banked track, which is a rare attention to detail representing classic roller derby. The AZDD track was designed by Kitten Traxx Banked Track Design and built by the league members, volunteers, and a slew of others. For women 18 and older interested in joining up, AZDD tryouts are held at least twice a year around January and June for a $10 registration fee – usually at the Rollero (see below).

Oceanside Ice Arena
1520 North McClintock Drive, Tempe
480-941-0944

This East Valley hockey rink is found next to Big Surf Waterpark – which is seriously why it’s called Oceanside Ice Arena. Opened in 1974, Oceanside has housed the Arizona State University hockey program since 1985, and it used to be the practice spot for the Phoenix Coyotes during the infancy of the team. The 36,000-square-feet Oceanside Ice Arena offers a 200-by-90-foot ice surface, which is mainly dedicated to hockey for the time being. Though no public skating sessions are on their schedule, walk-on figure skating sessions are available, and the arena can hold up to 747 rowdy hockey fans if you just like the rink atmosphere.

Rollero Family Skating Center
7318 West Indian School Road
623-846-1510

Some of us grew up at Rollero and remember specials like $2 Tuesdays and Aaliyah’s "Are You That Somebody?" echoing across the hardwood maple floor. It's been around for three decades at 75th Avenue and Indian School, and this roller-skates-only rink offers two public skating sessions on a daily basis, plus skate rentals and a skate shop. Other amenities that haven’t changed include the snack bar with menu items like hot dogs, nachos, and soda, some old-school arcade games, and plenty of room for birthday parties and private events. Skating specials include Tuesday ladies' nights, Friday and Saturday night raffles, and the classic All Night Sk8 – where you cruise from midnight to 6 a.m.

AZ Ice Peoria
15829 North 83rd Avenue, Peoria
623-334-1200

Neighboring the Peoria Sports Complex in the northwest Valley, AZ Ice Peoria is home to the AZ Ice Skating Academy and some skating programs. Public skating sessions are held in the morning and early afternoon, with extended evening hours on Wednesday and Friday nights. For rising figure skating stars, multiple 60-minute freestyle sessions are held daily. Adult hockey leagues and power skating classes are also available for those looking for some stick time. AZ Ice Peoria hosts private parties and offers snacks, meals, and adult beverages at its own M’s Grill.

USA Great Skate of Glendale
10054 North 43rd Avenue, Glendale
623-842-1182

Great Skate has three locations in metro Phoenix, and this West Valley skate rink features a 12,900-square-foot skating floor — and happens to allow roller blades. USA Great Skate of Glendale has DJs playing current favorite and classic jams during public skate, the adults-only Toe Stoppa's, Glow Skate, and Rockin Saturday Night. The floor hosts games like Red Light Green Light, Four Corners, Three Strikes, and special skates like backward, rhythm, and friendship skates. There are also skate lessons on Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. You can stuff your face with pizza at the Roller Café, and your pockets with tickets from Big Bass, Crank It, Wonder Wheel, et al. at the arcade.

Ice Den Chandler
7225 West Harrison Street, Chandler
480-598-9400

Set near the Chandler Pavilions, Ice Den Chandler is an ice-skating and hockey rink with public skating, figure skating, Learn to Skate programs, and adult and youth hockey programs. In 2014, it underwent a $6 million renovation, and now features two ice surfaces, the Ice Den Conditioning Center, and a hockey and figure skating gear shop – plus the 18 Degrees Express Grill and Chilly Bean Café. Public skating is offered daily, and includes the $5 Friday Night public sessions with a live DJ and what they call “extreme lighting.”

USA Skateland of Mesa
7 East Southern Avenue, Mesa
480-833-7775

The easternmost location of USA Skateland is a 25,000-square-foot roller and inline-skating facility that also happens to be easily reached by the light rail. Like its sister locations, USA Skateland of Mesa offers Saturday skate lessons from 9 to 10 a.m., and daily public skating sessions with themes like Cosmic Skate, Night Glow with fog machines and current hits, and Live! – featuring DJ-spun classic hip-hop. You can also grab a churro from the Mesa Roller Café and hit that classic basketball shooting game in the arcade. Birthdays are of course big here, and you can even reserve the rink for a night of BYOB fun.

AZ Ice Gilbert
2305 East Knox Road, Gilbert
480- 503-7080

The East Valley location of AZ Ice, AZ Ice Gilbert is a sizable ice-skating rink with open skate happening twice daily. Several programs are offered like adult and youth hockey, and Learn to Skate classes including the Adult/Teen curriculum, Freeskate Advanced & Elite, and the U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills program. AZ Ice Gilbert also hosts birthday parties, private ice events, and fundraisers. Plus, there’s M’s Grille, complete with pizza, sandwiches, salads, and snacks, plus beer on draft, wine, and specialty cocktails.