30+ Things to Do On the Weekends in Greater Des Moines

Curious what locals do for fun on the weekends around Greater Des Moines (DSM)? There are so many choices, we couldn’t possibly list them all. So we’ll start with just a few… 

Nature and Outdoors

1. See what all the Iowa farm fuss is about with a visit to the birthplace farm of Henry A. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and founder of Hi-Bred Corn Company (which became Pioneer Hi-bred, then Corteva Agriscience and later, Vylor). The Wallace Farm, located in Orient, includes 40 acres to explore with a restored farmhouse, gathering barn, prairie and pond areas, sculpture walking path, orchard and produce gardens. Open daily and self-guided tours are encouraged! Take a peek at their website for weekend happenings like special art exhibits and Pizza on the Prairie events.

2. Brenton Arboretum, located just outside of Dallas Center on the western side of the DSM region, is a local gem for nature-lovers and outdoor explorers. With 141 acres of arboretum and public gardens, visitors can view 2,500 plants across 500 different species. The O’Brien Nature Play area is a must-do for families, where nature is the playground to climb, crawl, balance, swing and jump. The sprawling property also includes several beautiful ponds, meditation areas, walking paths and a labyrinth.

3. Visit a splash pad or sprayground during the summertime! Try the new-in-2026 Apgar Family Water Plaza in Marshalltown and the Gray's Lake Park Playground and Sprayground in Downtown Des Moines.

4. Hit the beach at Raccoon River Park. Stop by the Boathouse to rent watercraft roughly May through mid-September, including canoes, kayaks and standup paddleboards. Take a long, leisurely walk around the 3.2-mile loop trail and don’t forget a pit-stop at the inclusive park playground (with sensory-friendly amenities, too!). Plus a dog park, nature lodge, archery facility, public art, fishing pier, picnic shelters — there’s a ton to see and do here.

5. Get out and go for a hike! Try Winterset’s Pammel Park or White Rock Conservancy by Coon Rapids. There are also more urban hiking options within the metropolitan areas of the region, such as Water Works Park near Downtown DSM, and both Walnut Woods and Browns Woods on the West Des Moines outskirts.

6. Visit a farm and pick your own goodies, like flowers at Pepperharrow Farms near Winterset, apples and berries at Wilson's Orchard & Farm in Cumming, and tons of pumpkin patches such as Wills Family Orchard in Adel. 

7. Explore the stars at the Ashton Observatory in Mingo, located in Jasper County.

8. DSM is home to 150 miles of rivers and creeks to adventure, dubbed the Iowa Confluence (ICON) Water Trails. Bring your kayak (or rent one) and you won’t be disappointed with a day on the water! The water trails are also great hubs for fishing, biking, camping, birding and other water activities and outdoor recreation.

Shopping and Entertainment

9. Find great shopping and entertainment in Altoona, home to Prairie Meadows casino and horse racing, Adventureland amusement and water park, Outlets of Des Moines, Bass Pro Shops and Olde Town.

10. Check out the shops at museums and other attractions. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Blank Park Zoo, Science Center of Iowa, and the Des Moines Art Center all offer delightfully curated shops. 

11. Seek out destinations for local shops with a Main Street vibe in Adel’s Downtown area, Uptown Ankeny, Indianola's Downtown Square and Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines.

12. Family-owned Harvest Barn Marketplace in Osceola has been in business for 25 years, offering meat, cheese and sweets to customers who stop by its southern Iowa location. Watch the Iowa PBS Road Trip Iowa spotlight to learn more!

13. You can’t miss DSM’s varied community gathering spots for live music, food, drink, shopping and other entertainment. A few spots to get your weekend list started: The District at Prairie Trail in Ankeny, West Glen in West Des Moines, Johnston Town Center, Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee and xBk Live in Des Moines.

Sports and Recreation

14. Did someone say sports? DSM knows how to play. You’ll find MiLB baseball, pro indoor football, NBA G-League basketball, AHL hockey and (coming soon!) USL professional soccer here.

15. Explore the 800+ miles of connected trails in the region for biking, walking, running, skateboarding and more. DSM boasts one of the longest paved trails in the U.S., connecting the High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley Trails for a 120-mile loop. Pro Tip: Be sure to stop for a great photo on the High Trestle Trail Bridge, just outside of Madrid!

16. In spring, summer and fall, check out the Stuart Sports Complex/Walking Trail, complete with five athletic fields and a soccer complex as well as a .4-mile loop for walking and biking.

17. Bring your bike, scooter, skates or skate board to a local skate park like the one in Oskaloosa, Knoxville or Lauridsen Skatepark in Downtown DSM (88,000 square feet makes it the largest skate park in the U.S.!). Can’t skate? No sweat. Spectators are welcome too.

18. Rent a boat and make a day of it! Both Saylorville Lake near Polk City and Lake Red Rock outside of Pella have marinas stocked with boat rentals.

19. Hit the links! Go golfing at Lake Panorama National Resort, with 18 holes at par 72 and a 74.0 rating located in Panora. Or at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City, the only Arnold Palmer Signature Course in the state of Iowa. 

20. Wintertime? Rainy day? DSM has many indoor sports facilities suitable for a drop-in, like the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex for indoor ice hockey, soccer, basketball, volleyball, pickleball and more. Or the Prairie Trail Fieldhouse —Ankeny's premier sports complex.

21. Get your auto racing fix. Newton is home to NASCAR and IndyCar sanctioned events at the Iowa Speedway. And Knoxville is dubbed the Sprint Car Capital of the World thanks to the presence of its Knoxville Raceway.

22. Beginning in Guthrie County's city of Stuart, the Western Skies Scenic Byway strethches 140 miles through Panora, where the Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum offers events like a guided tour of Bonnie & Clyde history or the underground railroad.

23. Go for an adventure year-round in Grimes, a suburb on the northwest edge of the DSM metro area. Try bouldering and belaying at the indoor Climb Iowa facility, indoor go karts at K1 Speed and jump for hours at the family-friendly Sky Zone trampoline park.

24. Parks, parks, parks! Colby Park in Windsor Heights has great access to the Central Iowa Trails network. Union Park is home to the famed Heritage Carousel and historic rocket slide. And Waukee’s Triumph Park has an EPIC Inclusive Playground, one of the largest in the nation! Walker Johnston Park in Urbandale has something for all: playground, trails, public, skateboarding — and more!

Arts, Culture and History

25. Arts and culture are big here. There are 100+ public art sculptures, murals and monuments in Downtown Des Moines alone. Broadway shows at Des Moines Performing Arts, the world-renowned Des Moines Metro Opera, Ballet Des Moines, the Des Moines Symphony, tons of museums and galleries, live music and concerts … we could go on and on.

26. Continue the exploration of the arts in Marshalltown with the Arts + Culture Alliance interactive map which highlights public art, murals and experiences in the area.

27. Visit a local college campus: Drake University, Simpson College, Central College, Grinnell College offer beautiful campuses located for an few hours of wandering. You can enjoy sports, arts, music and more from students, alumni and other campus events as well.

28. See the bison at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge or at Jester Park (elk too!). Be sure to explore other amenities on-site as well, like nature exhibits and walking trails. Pro tip: Jester also has a great natural playscape, which is a big regional draw for kiddos during the summertime!

29. Go on a scavenger hunt for all of the infamous Bridges of Madison County in Winterset.

30. Explore Dutch history and sights in Pella, including the eye-catching Sunken Garden Park, Molengracht Plaza, Klokkenspel and Vermeer Windmill. Be sure to pop into Jaarsma Bakery or Vander Ploeg Bakery for a sweet treat to eat.

31. Challenge yourself to visit a museum a month. Here are 15 museums to add to your calendar. (That's over a whole year, already planned!) 

Food & Drink and Festivals

32. Give your tastebuds a treat at a local winery: Jasper Winery in Des Moines, Tassel Ridge Winery in Leighton, Summerset Winery in Indianola, Madison County Winery in St. Charles and the Cellar Winery in Madrid are a few local choices.

33. There’s a major festival or community celebration to be found nearly every weekend of the year! You’ll love a visit to the Tulip Time in Pella, Adel’s Sweet Corn Festival, Waukee's FamilyFest, the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, West Des Moines' Raccoon River Palooza, Clive Festival, Osceola Latino Festival, Ankeny Chamber Summerfest and more.

34. You can’t live here without visiting your community’s local farmers’ market. Most cities in the DSM region (and several neighborhoods, too!) offer unique food stands from local farmers, growers and producers. Des Moines’ Downtown Farmers’ Market is the grandaddy of them all, taking place every Saturday morning, May through October, with nearly 300 vendors. It is frequently recognized among the top farmers’ markets in America.

35. Visit an Iowa craft brewery. A few breweries local to DSM include 515 Brewing Co. in Clive, Brightside Aleworks in Altoona, Gezellig in Newton and Reclaimed Rails in Bondurant.

36. Last but certainly not least: No weekend is complete without a visit to a local restaurant. You’ll find amazing eats here, which is no accident. After all, the sprawling urban DSM is located smackdab in the middle of Iowa’s vast ag landscape.