10 New Places to Try in Des Moines This Summer

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10 New Places to Try in Des Moines This Summer

Our beautiful city continues to grow in the best possible ways. With an all-season sledding hill, splash pads, and a new bookstore, there are many new things to do this summer. Check out these 10 new places to try in Des Moines this Summer!

1. Sleepy Hollow Sports Park

Address: 4051 Dean Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317

Hours: Memorial Day to Labor Day {Please note it’s currently closed as they wait for a part}

  • Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Thursday: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Friday: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Sunday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Cost: Tickets are $18 each

It may be 90+ degrees in Iowa but Sleepy Hollows Sports Park has snow. With their Snowflex technology, they can have snow year-round. They have the world’s longest all-weather turf-surface tubing hill with a slope of 600 ft! Tickets are $18 each or you can purchase a season pass for $125. Each ticket includes 2-hour access to the Snowflex run, 2-hour lift pass, 1 tube rental, and 1 helmet rental. Starting July 10 they will offer skiing and snowboarding every Wednesday. Get all the details here

Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, Des Moines, Iowa, all-weather slope, tubing

2. PLAYgrounds Cafe

Address: 293 SE Westown Pkwy, Waukee, IA 50263

Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM, Saturday & Sunday, 7:30 AM-1:30 PM

Cost: Reservations are highly recommended; Single Play Passes are $13.99/per child (6 months-6 years) 

You know there will be a few days when you are looking for indoor fun to beat the brutal Iowa heat. Look no further than PLAYgrounds Cafe! This cafe/play place is a great addition to Waukee. I enjoyed a delicious drip coffee with almond milk and my kiddos loved the lemon poppyseed scones. The kind barista brings the drinks directly to the caregivers so your kids can start playing right away. There are tables and chairs in the play area so you can still relax even if your kiddos want you close by. My son’s favorite spot was the tools area with foam bricks and my daughter loved the flower shop. They both enjoyed climbing and the hidden spots under the playground. Get all the details here! 

Playgrounds Cafe, Waukee, Iowa, Des Moines, Indoor play

3. The LEGO Store

Address: 101 S Jordan Creek Pkwy Suite 5583, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Hours:  

  • Sunday 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
  • Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM–9:00 PM

The LEGO Store has opened at Jordan Creek Town Center. Several LEGO displays are creatively arranged throughout the store. Visitors can build their LEGO creations at one of the four building areas. They have Duplo blocks for the littlest visitors. You can build your minifigures or pick from the giant “pick & build” wall where you can decide which pieces to purchase. Prices range from low to high so prep your kids ahead on expectations of what you may choose to purchase.

4. Wilson’s Orchard and Farm

Address: 3201 15th Ave, Cumming, IA 50061 

Hours: 

  • Farm Market: Wednesday-Sunday, 9:00 AM-9:00 PM
  • Ciderhouse Restaurant: Wednesday-Sunday, 11:00 AM-9:00 PM

You’ll find Wilson’s Orchard and Farm just 10 minutes south of Des Moines off of I-35. It features a Farm Market, Bakery, Ciderhouse Restaurant & Bar, as well as lots of you-pick crops and farm activities. Our first visit was to their Cinderhouse Restaurant. We enjoyed Peruvian chicken skewers, the classic pizza, and a couple of their crispy ciders. We stopped in the Farm Market to purchase a couple of bottles of their cider and browsed their selection of goods. Our next trip will include the you-pick crops!

5. Athene North Shore Recreation area at Easter Lake

Address:  2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA 50320

Hours: 

Park restrooms are open at specific times to ensure the safety of visitors:

  • Monday – Friday: 12 PM – 8 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM – 8 PM

Concessions and the Event Building are open:

  • Memorial Day-Labor Day
  • Monday-Friday: 12 PM-8 PM
  • Saturday-Sunday: 10 AM-8 PM

Recreational equipment rentals are open:

  • Monday – Friday: 12 PM – 8 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM – 8PM

The Athene North Shore Recreation area at Easter Lake is a place where people of all abilities can enjoy access to outdoor recreation. Some features they have include modern and handicapped-accessible bathrooms, a room for nursing mothers, an inclusive playground, a splash pad, and of course the beach! You can rent adaptive recreation equipment, fishing poles, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. When you get hungry, stop by the concession stand to fill up. Polk County will host events throughout the year. Get all the details here.

Athene North Shore Recreation Area, Easter Lake, inclusive playground, outdoors, beach

6. Wandering Raccoon Books

Address: 250 W 1st St, Grimes, IA 50111

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

After years of doing successful “pop-up” shops and running an online store, Raccoon River Press, is opening its first brick-and-mortar store this July called Wandering Raccoon Books. The independent, woman-owned bookstore will be the first of its kind in the growing Grimes area. Make this a stop to find your summer reading with all the latest releases. Follow on Facebook for updates. 

7. Waterworks Park & Splash Pad 

Address: 100 N James St, Grimes, IA 50111

Hours: Open daily, 10:00 AM-8:00 PM

Another Grimes gem to check out is Waterworks Park & Splash Pad. They recently built a new playground with a variety of modern playground equipment, natural playscape elements, a splash pad, and an open shelter. The splash pad has various spray features and a little man-made creek for kids to explore. After playing, walk over to Heavenly Delights for a scoop (or several) of ice cream. Get all the details here.

Grimes, Iowa, Waterworks Park, splash pad, Grimes parks

8. Lions Park Splash Pad

Address: 72nd Street and, NW Aurora Ave., Urbandale, IA 50322

Hours: Open daily, 10:00 AM-8:00 PM

Lions Park has been a staple in Urbandale for many years. This year it has been upgraded to include a splash pad! The splash pad has plenty of room for everyone with the large, open area and many different water elements to play with. Get all the details here.

9. Korean Fried Chicken 

Korean Fried Chicken restaurants are popping up all over the metro! And for good reason too, Korean Fried Chicken is delicious. What is it? Well Korean Fried Chicken, also known as yangnyeom chicken, has a crispy crust, with juicy meat and is served with flavorful sauces. Here are a few places to check out. 

Address: 1196 SE University Ave, Waukee, IA 50263

Hours: Daily 11:00 AM-9:00 PM

They have various chicken dishes, a signature sauce, and vegan/ vegetarian-friendly Kimchi. 

Address: 9250 University Ave Suite 113, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Hours: Open Daily 11:00 AM-9:00 PM 

Their menu has a variety of Korean Fried Chicken items, yummy appetizers including bulgogi fries, and entrees such as Korean Tacos. 

10. Prime & Providence

Address: 595 South 60th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Hours: 

  • Cocktail Hour daily 3:00 PM-6:00 PM
  • Dining Room daily 5:00 PM-10:00 PM

Don’t forget to plan a date night this summer. Prime & Providence, a steakhouse, has recently opened in West Des Moines and would be a great place for a special dinner. They have an oyster bar, cocktail lounge, and bar. Try Kobe beef, wagyu, or a seafood tower. 

BONUS: Treehouse Village at the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens

*BONUS: The much anticipated Treehouse Village at the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens hopes to open by the end of summer! 

Address: 1875 Peach Ave, Madrid, IA 50156

Hours: Open daily 9:00 AM-4:00 PM

The Iowa Arboretum & Gardens has been hard at work on completing their Treehouse Village. This will be a place for children of all ages and abilities to play and explore. A few key elements will be wheelchair-accessible ramps, swings, a push zipline, and a cargo netting climbing area. We are so excited to visit soon! 

What are some new places/activities you are doing this summer? Let us know! 

Jackie Fioritto

Jackie Fioritto

Hi, I’m Jackie. I am a teacher who recently became a stay-at-home mother of two. My husband and I moved to Des Moines from Green Bay, Wisconsin a few years ago. Originally, I am from Chicago, Illinois. My family has loved exploring Des Moines and all that it has to offer!

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