Inis Grove Park in Ames, Iowa
Miracle Park at Inis Grove Park is an all-inclusive playground in Ames, Iowa that opened in 2020. Walking up to this playground, your kids will be in awe. The nature-themed playground has many different areas to explore. This park is absolutely worth a road trip and is inviting to kids of all ages and all abilities.
There are five distinct areas at the playground. The first and main attraction, Slider’s Canyon, is a very large structure with ramps and many sensory opportunities. My kids love playing tag on this. My 6-year-old especially loved finding all the different ways to climb to the top of the feature because there were so many. This area extends along the back side of the park offering multiple ways to slide into the canyon.
Next, you have Acorn Music Hall, this area has multiple accessible musical drums and xylophones. The Mushroom Cove then offers a quieter area for kids to play in. There is both a playhouse for 6 months- 23 months and a playhouse targeted for 2-5-year-olds in this area. Spinner’s Squall has three ways for kids to spin–a high-back Omnispin Spinner, a we-go round, and a global spinner (which my kids call a Spider-Man spinner.) The final area, Swing Valley, has a large oodle swing, toddler bucket seats, traditional swings, and molded bucket seats for 12-year-olds.
Address
Miracle Park at Inis Grove Park is located at 2500 Duff Ave in Ames, Iowa, located on the Northeast side of Ames.
Basic Park Details
Type: Places to play
Bathrooms: Yes, flushable seasonal restrooms and drinking fountains
Shade: Large trees nearby but not shaded at the playground
Playground: 5-12-year-old playground, 2-5-year-old playground, swings, spinners
Trails: access point to Skunk River Trail
Water: None
Official website: https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments-divisions-i-z/parks-recreation/miracle-park-at-inis-grove
If the main area of Miracle Park gets too busy and overwhelming for your child, we loved the playground on the northeast side (north of the sand volleyball courts) of Inis Grove Park. It felt like a secret hideout and was perfect when the main playground felt overwhelming.
Park Amenities
- 3 Open-air shelters, available for rent
- Sand volleyball courts
- Two parking lots: one located off Duff Ave and one located off 24th St.
- Rubber surfacing and synthetic turf surfacing
- Benches and picnic tables
- Basketball courts
- Open green space
- Tennis courts (lines for pickleball also)
While in Ames
While in Ames, go discover Iowa State University’s campus. Walk around Lake Laverne, take a picture under the campanile, and get ice cream at the campus’s creamery located on the second floor of the Food Sciences Building.
Ames Main Street is also worth checking out. Dog Eared Books will for sure be a family’s favorite. We love getting pizza by the slice for lunch at Great Plains. The Ames Library also has a fantastic kid’s area! Check out this great blog post of Ames fun.
