Popular Montgomery County Birthday Spots

More than a year after publication, a is still one of our top viewed stories.

In a May 2011 column, Patch asked local moms to name their favorite birthday party spots for children. We had a wide and varied response—one that is popular still today as hundreds of readers check out the story each month. But do the moms' recommendations still live up to the hype?

Fire halls were popular options for little boys. Wiley Drake and Allison Olmsted suggested the , where party-goers could try on fireman's boots and hats and climb on the trucks.

Other favorites were sports centers: “Rockville SportsPlex is a great place to hold a birthday party for elementary school age kids,” Erin Mantz told readers. “They make it easy for the parents and fun for the kids.”

Interactive theaters such as Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo and Imagination Stage in Bethesda were other big hits for younger kids.

“I'd highly recommend it for the 7-year-old crowd,” Olmsted said of Adventure Theatre. “[My daughter’s] class had just been to see the previous production there and they raved about it so I figured this would be a hit. The production was excellent and the kids had a great time."

We’re curious: Are these spots still your favorites? Have you tried any of our Mom Council recommendations? Did they live up to expectations?