16. BOB FELLER MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 996-2806
Address: 310 Mill St.
Description: Located in a small town about 20 miles west of downtown Des Moines, and just a few miles away from the farm that was the boyhood home of Bob Feller, one of the greatest baseball pitchers ever. There are 2 rooms of artifacts, including uniforms Feller wore during his career, trophies for his numerous achievements in baseball, and numerous photos and newspaper clippings chronicling his career and life, including his four years of navy service in World War II. There are also balls and bats signed by Feller and other players, including the bat Babe Ruth was holding during the famous photograph taken of him at his retirement ceremony at Yankee Stadium. The museum is closed Mon through Wed in the winter, and open 7 days the rest of the year.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 7105 NW 70th Ave.
18. NATIONAL BALLOON MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 961-3714
Address: 1601 N. Jefferson Way
Description: Believe it or not, Indianola, Iowa, is a mecca for hot-air ballooning. It hosts the National Balloon Classic every summer, and multiple balloons can be seen in the sky on sunny days. The airy, high-ceilinged museum has exhibits on the history of ballooning, unique balloons, including some rather odd designs, and notable flights. Peer into an actual balloon gondola in one room. There’s a hall of fame and a children’s area where young visitors can feel balloon fabric and pilot a balloon on a virtual simulator. The museum’s library has extensive holdings of ballooning books and other materials, including some rare volumes. A small theater shows ballooning videos. Closed the entire month of Jan.
19. NATIONAL SPRINT CAR HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (641) 842-6176
Description: Located at the Knoxville raceway, a mecca for sprint car racing, this museum displays artifacts related to the high-powered, superfast dirt track racing cars. Included are some actual cars, both with and without the distinctive “wing” mounted above the car’s body. Other displays feature prominent drivers, including a hall of fame stretching back many years, and there’s a small theater as well.
20. ADVENTURELAND
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 266-2121 or (800) 532-12
Description: Kids will love this amusement park with its mixture of rides, games, cheesy shows, and, of course, park food, with lots of fried stuff and sweet goodies available. Rides include roller coasters for older kids and lots of smaller rides for the younger ones, as well as log rides that are a relief on a hot day and old favorites like bumper cars and a Ferris wheel. The centrifuge drops the bottom out of a spinning room and is not for everyone, but lots of kids want to ride it repeatedly! In addition to the traditional amusement park, Adventureland has a waterpark with numerous slides and pools. Ultimately all the action will probably wear the little ones out, but that’s the point—right? Open Apr through Sept, 7 days a week May through Aug.
21. BLANK PARK ZOO
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 285-4722
Address: 7401 SW 9th St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Feed llamas, goats, and other animals at this zoo on the south side of the city that features a wide variety of species. Children will also enjoy the train that loops around the zoo, winding past many animal enclosures. The more than 1,000 animal species include exotic creatures from Africa and Australia and perennial favorites like tigers, sea lions, and giraffes. Besides the petting zoo, there’s also a parakeet feeding area where, for a small charge, the birds will land on a stick and gobble down some food. Many areas shut down beginning in late fall and remain closed through the winter.
22. DES MOINES BOTANICAL CENTER
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 323-6290
Address: 909 Robert D. Ray Dr.
Description: Kids may get a kick out of the numerous plants that grow up the inside of this domed greenhouse just east of the Des Moines River, with lots of hidden paths winding past tall trees and colorful flowers, as well as a small fish pond and birds flitting through the treetops. There are tours geared toward children and story hours regularly held at the center, as well as self-guided scavenger hunts that challenge kids to find various plants and a pair of backpacks that will teach them all about the plants they see. Open 7 days a week.
23. IOWA HALL OF PRIDE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 280-8969
Address: 330 Park St.
Insider Pick:
Description: The endless interactive displays at this sports-focused museum right by Wells Fargo Arena will keep kids of all ages preoccupied for quite a while. Older ones may get into the basketball and football shoot-out games in the back, while younger ones will find plenty of buttons to push and stuff to watch, with the many video displays showcasing every sport imaginable, and visitors may watch videos showcasing legendary games and athletes in Iowa sports history, including in the museum’s panoramic theater. You can even take on historic players in virtual simulators! There’s a ton of sports memorabilia on display as well.
24. CIVIC CENTER OF GREATER DES MOINES
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 246-2300
Address: 221 Walnut St.
Description: The main showcase in the city for live theater and other entertainment, the center also includes a family series of numerous shows that will appeal to a younger audience, including comedies, musicals, and plays based on popular children’s books. There are also music and dance performances, including some in which children may be invited to participate on stage. Tickets are reasonably priced and available at the Civic Center’s box office as well as online. Shows generally are geared toward a narrow age group, such as elementary school age or middle school age.
25. CLASS ACT PRODUCTIONS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 967-7950
Description: With theater “for children, by children,” this suburban playhouse puts on shows that kids of all ages will enjoy. Adaptations of classic children’s literature and improvisational skits are just some of the things you’ll see on stage here, as well as comedy and musicals. It’s a great showcase for children interested in theater, with many kids learning the craft of acting as they participate in shows.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 4700 Grand Ave.
27. DES MOINES PLAYHOUSE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 277-6261
Description: The playhouse’s separate children’s theater has put on productions that include all sorts of shows, from adaptations of books by beloved children’s authors to musicals, and even some versions of classic Broadway hits like Annie. Many children’s shows are staged in the basement children’s theater, which seats about 250, although some are performed on the main stage, which seats about 400 and has some very nice sight lines. Acting classes also are held throughout the year, giving kids the opportunity to learn all about acting and theater. Tickets for many children’s shows are around $15, although they may be more for main-stage children’s productions.
28. ALL PLAY DES MOINES
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 333-5050
Description: A large video game emporium with plenty of other games and attractions, conveniently located 1 block south of Wells Fargo arena downtown. All sorts of electronic video games are here, including Guitar Hero and Terminator Salvation. You have the opportunity to take out some deer with Big Buck Hunter or speed around the track with a NASCAR game. Game cards can be purchased for unlimited play. For those who like their games more low-tech, pool and darts are here as well. There’s also mini-bowling, and for a few bucks you can shimmy up a climbing wall. An on-site sports bar and grill provides food.
29. TOKENS FAMILY FUN CENTER
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 222-5656
Address: 313 Grand Ave.
Description: Indoor miniature golf on a far-out black-light course is the main attraction at this kids’ entertainment center near Valley Junction. Trying to get your ball into the hole while surrounded by loud fluorescent colors is a whole new challenge. The black-lit backdrops of prehistoric animals are a little freaky, but nothing too scary. The black-light theme extends to the laser tag arena, where you can zap your opponent with a light gun. Pizza and sodas are available, and this isn’t a bad place for a birthday party or just a nice place to spend a cold, rainy afternoon. Minigolf and laser tag each cost about $7. Laser tag players must be at least 4 feet tall. Closed Monday.
30. A. H. BLANK MINI-GOLF COURSE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (515) 248-6300
Address: 808 County Line Rd.
Description: A nicely landscaped minigolf course adjacent to a city golf course, this largely “natural” course, decorated with trees and rocks, is a nice change from courses with more garish hazards. A round of golf costs about $7. Open May through Sept.