- Our list of the best things to do in Des Moines, Iowa, features the top 83 nearby activities — including 35 great attractions with user approval ratings of 90% or more!
- Des Moines, IA has a variety of great sights and experiences nearby. Top categories include: Entertainment & Shows, Outdoor Places, Museums & Galleries, and Amusement.
- The results below include the top 28 things to do within the city of Des Moines, IA , followed by 55 popular activities in nearby cities, including West Des Moines, Urbandale, Ankeny, Indianola, Altoona, Madrid and Johnston
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0.0 Miles
Visitors over 21 enjoy access to the zoo during weekly Zoo Brew evenings that combine drinks with live music
29.8 Miles
One of the largest American public universities, Iowa State University is located in Ames. Its most highly regarded programs are computer science, information systems, chemistry, biology and engineering. Notable faculty include chemistry professor Daniel Scheckmann, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistr…
29.8 Miles
Emma McCarthy Lee Park offers a playground, tennis and sand volleyball courts, picnic tables with grills, and open fields. Restrooms and electrical outlets are available, along with 2 rentable picnic shelters.
30.3 Miles
Experience truly fresh dairy products at the Maytag Dairy Farm in Newton, Iowa. The farm's flagship product is Maytag Bleu Cheese, which is sold throughout the United States and is one of the finest cheeses produced in the country.
30.3 Miles
Small and large groups, as well as private parties, are comfortably accommodated at Cardinal Lanes, which features 20 lanes and offers everything from bumper bowling to Disco bowling with music and colorful lights in the dark.
30.4 Miles
100%
2 votes
3300 South 24th Ave East, Newton, IA 50208
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Providing real NASCAR cars, Richard Petty Driving Experience allows visitors to race 50 laps on a speedway. The crew provides special training first before letting the visitor take the car out for a ride.
30.4 Miles
The Newton Community Theatre features quality theatre productions for guests of all ages. Past productions have included Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Annie, My Fair Lady, and It's a Wonderful Life, among many others.
30.5 Miles
Near the beautiful Iowa State campus, Veenker Memorial Golf Course is surrounded by beautiful Iowa trees and is constructed on flat and sloping land for variation. The course includes walking paths, a driving range, and the ability to ski, snowboard, or sled in over 4 inches of snow.
30.7 Miles
Located on the site of a former dairy farm, Moore Memorial Park features open grass fields and paths that take visitors into a nature area bordered by a creek. It provides a playground, restroom facilities, picnic tables, grills and shelters.
30.8 Miles
Located along the South Skunk River, Inis Grove Park provides open green space and nature areas along with basketball and tennis courts. The park has picnic facilities including shelters, tables and grills, a playground, restrooms and horseshoe pits.
31.3 Miles
Motorsports rule at the Iowa Speedway, a world-class automobile racing facility in Newton, Iowa. The Iowa Speedway hosts many NASCAR events, offers driving classes and is a popular concert venue.