31. Teachout Aquatic Center
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2601 Hubbell Ave.
Description: Des Moines Parks & Recreation operates numerous tennis courts around the city. The two largest by far are at Birdland Sports Complex (500 Holcomb Ave.) and McCollum-Waveland Tennis Complex (936 Polk Blvd.). Smaller courts are available throughout the city—for a listing of courts go to www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/DesMoinesTennisCourts.aspx.
32. Clive Aquatic Center
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (515) 440-0599
Address: 1801 NW 114th St.
Description: Des Moines Parks & Recreation operates numerous tennis courts around the city. The two largest by far are at Birdland Sports Complex (500 Holcomb Ave.) and McCollum-Waveland Tennis Complex (936 Polk Blvd.). Smaller courts are available throughout the city—for a listing of courts go to www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/DesMoinesTennisCourts.aspx.
33. Holiday Aquatic Center
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (515) 273-0700
Address: 1701 Railroad Ave.
Description: Des Moines Parks & Recreation operates numerous tennis courts around the city. The two largest by far are at Birdland Sports Complex (500 Holcomb Ave.) and McCollum-Waveland Tennis Complex (936 Polk Blvd.). Smaller courts are available throughout the city—for a listing of courts go to www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/DesMoinesTennisCourts.aspx.
34. Norwalk Aquatic Center
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (515) 981-4002
Address: 1112 E. 18th St.
35. Valley View Aquatic Center
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (515) 273-0700
Address: 255 S. 81st St.
36. ASHBY PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: A pair of nice, well-landscaped parks located a few blocks from each other in a quiet residential neighborhood. Both parks are very popular with neighborhood residents for summer cookouts and get-togethers, and include grills and picnic areas. Ashby has a fairly new wading pool that lures in local kids all summer.
37. BEAVERDALE PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 3333 Adams St.
Description: A pair of nice, well-landscaped parks located a few blocks from each other in a quiet residential neighborhood. Both parks are very popular with neighborhood residents for summer cookouts and get-togethers, and include grills and picnic areas. Ashby has a fairly new wading pool that lures in local kids all summer.
38. CRIVARO PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1012 E. 14th St. (US 69)
Description: This park offers a nice respite from the busy commercial clutter on adjacent E. 14th Street. There’s lots of green space here, as well as a wading pool, softball diamonds, picnic shelters, and one of three disc-golf courses in city parks. The park also serves as the southern terminus for the Neal Smith and John Pat Dorrian cycling trails, so it’s a good place for a break before you hop back onto the bike.
39. EWING PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 5300 Indianola Rd.
Description: Adjacent to Easter Lake Park, this largest of the city’s parks bursts with purple colors and sweet fragrance for about 2 weeks every spring when the flowers bloom in its lilac arboretum. The park also has numerous activities, including playgrounds and a disc-golf course, one of three in city parks.
40. GRANDVIEW PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 3230 Easton Blvd.
Description: Next to a city golf course, this park is one of the larger options on the east side of Des Moines. Home to one of the city’s three disc golf courses, it also has playgrounds, open and enclosed shelters, a softball field and tennis court, and a wading pool.
41. GRAY’S LAKE PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2100 Fleur Dr.
Insider Pick:
Description: Just a short drive, bike ride, or even walk from downtown, this 167-acre park across the street from Water Works Park offers a full slate of activities. There’s a swimming beach on the west side of the lake, which is encircled by a 2-mile path that hooks up with trails running to the north and west across Des Moines and into the countryside. Paddleboats, canoes, kayaks, and sailboats are available for rent, and the pavilion at the south end occasionally hosts outdoor concerts and other events. The park is also a nice spot for a picnic lunch, as well as for kite flying near the pavilion.
42. GREENWOOD/ASHWORTH PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 4500 Grand Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: One of Des Moines’s oldest and most popular neighborhood parks, this park is divided up into a children’s play area and wading pool on a hill to the east, a city swimming pool to the south, and a fabulous rose garden to the west, behind the city’s art museum. Heading into the park, you pass a large amphitheater overlooking a tranquil pond, which is a great spot to stop and rest for a bit and, if you prefer, people-watch (it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places). There’s a trailhead for the city’s bike trail system by the pool.
43. RACCOON RIVER PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2500 Grand Ave.
Description: Part of the West Des Moines park system, this is the place to go for swimming in Des Moines—the beach fronting Blue Heron Lake stretches for 700 feet along the 232-acre lake. Lots of green space fronts the lake, as well as a large playground and a popular dog park. Can be a bit tricky to get to—if Grand Avenue is not open all the way to the park, usually due to construction, then visitors must head west on E. P. True Parkway and then south on 35th Street before picking up Grand again and heading north up to the park.
44. UNION PARK
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 725 Thompson Ave.
Description: Another older, neighborhood park, set on a small hill with some vintage playground equipment, including a towering slide shaped like a spaceship. The vintage theme extends to the beautiful carousel, which is a bargain at just 50 cents a ride. There’s also a nice wading pool and plenty of picnic spots.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2201 George Flagg Pkwy.