If you have a long weekend coming up and are up for a bit of a drive, consider heading out about 4.5 hours northeast and explore Des Moines, Iowa!
Where to Stay in Des Moines
We stayed at a super fun Taylor Swift themed Air BnB. As a family of 5, we tend to prefer an Air BnB for the space, and I like having a full kitchen option to help save money on meals. My boys loved that our host provided a scavenger hunt and prizes. If you ask them, the house was one of their favorite parts of our trip!
What to Do in Des Moines
A.H. Blank Mini Golf Course
My boys recently started to enjoy mini golf so we were excited to see a mini golf course nearby. We spent a late afternoon here when the weather wasn’t too hot and had a good time. The course was well maintained, and includes a waterfall and ponds with water fountains.
Blank Park Zoo
We loved Blank Park Zoo, and we enjoyed half off admission with our Sunset Zoo membership. It’s walkable with young children and had a lot of cool areas for my boys to explore. We spent a morning here and were able to see the entire zoo. Make sure you spend some time in the Kids’ Kingdom. There’s a playground with slides, monkey bars, and mazes. Our favorite animals were the tigers, giraffes, okapi, and red pandas.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Looking for a fun and free activity to do? If the weather is nice, check out the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines. My boys enjoyed burning off some energy running around and looking at the big fun sculptures. There is plenty of green space and fun hills to explore (or in the case of my boys, have a race rolling down the hills).
Science Center of Iowa
Are you members of the Flint Hills Discovery Center? If so, take advantage of the free admission with the ASTC reciprocity program and visit the Science Center of Iowa. Most of your time will probably be spent in the When Things Get Moving area, if you have bigger kids in your crew. And for the little ones, explore the Small Discoveries area, and create big bubbles in Bubble Bay.
State Historical Museum of Iowa
The State Historical Museum of Iowa is located in the State Historical Building, just west of the State Capitol in Des Moines. There are fun statues of animals that live across Iowa and bicycles that are in Iowa’s Bicycling History exhibit. There’s also a children’s area where kids can play with trains, a play kitchen, Duplo blocks, and more. The best part is this museum is free!
Where to Eat with Kids in Des Moines
Smash Park
Smash Park is an entertainment venue and restaurant all-in-one. There is bocce ball, pickleball, cornhole, shuffleboard, and a big arcade. Grab a tabletop game to play while you wait for your meal. I usually tell my kids to stop playing and come eat their meal, but this is a place that they can play and eat at the same time. How fun!
Zombie Burger and Drink Lab
My crew absolutely loved Zombie Burger and Drink Lab. My 6-year-old stated, “It’s beyond yummy!” The fun zombie themed restaurant had my boys entertained and their bellies satisfied with delicious burgers and shakes. There are some fun menu options like a burger with mac and cheese for the bun and a milk shake with fruity cereal.
We sure did have a fun time in Des Moines. My boys are already planning our next trip back!
