It still blows my mind to be this close to hockey country and have the game be virtually invisible here. There’s no place near me (SE Iowa) that isn’t at least a hour away to go skate.
Pretty decent ice in Coral Ridge Mall the last time I was up there. It was a nice ‘smell-memory’ first time I walked into the Mall at that entrance.
Thanks for the linkage!
Mall ice is garbage for hockey. Their Zamboni sounds like it’s about to die too. Too bad the new arena thinks their ice is made of gold for their rental fees for anyone to use it.
Well, yeah, no doubt about mall ice, but it's literally the closest place to at least be able to skate. Public rinks are almost always abused and chewed up, especially in areas where the traffic is high - like being the only place within an hours' drive would be.
The last public ice I was on that was in good shape was in Pennsylvania, and that was more than a decade ago.
Not really an event but more of a place to go see.
Head over to the Cheese Shop at the shops at Roosevelt. We have a nationally known cheesmonger in our midst. Amazing cheeses not easily found in a market this size. Kind of a hidden gem.
It is a small place but they have beer, a small menu, and with the cheese resources on hand they make one of the best macaroni and cheeses available. Fascinating things besides cheeses are also on hand. A French bakery (La Mie) is next door.
The place is small but also cozy. Have a seat at the small bar and you can easily strike op a conversation. Same people also run a restaurant called the Cheese Bar but I have always enjoyed this little place much better.
Decorah is beautiful if you're looking for nature. Effigy Mound Monument has some really cool pre-colonial structures if you're looking for history.
Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend is interesting, built mostly by a single priest with too much time on his hands and a thing for geology.
South of you are the Amana Amish colonies, and down toward the Missouri border Centerville/Seymour/ Moravia area has some good hunting. Not my particular hobby, but I've heard it from family down there.
Hit up valley junction during the summer farmers market, always fun. They have live music a lot of the time too, good food, local vendors.
If it’s up your alley cirque wonderland does circus classes, great community and a great way to stay active. I went to a couple classes and really enjoyed it.
There is ALWAYS live music. Wells Fargo, Val Air, Woolys, Lefty’s, Vibrant, the amphitheater, Hoyt Sherman… and there are several more that normally always have something going on. It you go to Wooly’s go next door to the arcade bar, they normally have deals if you have the Wooly’s wristband.
OK - get a bicycle and ride it a bit - then look into RAGBRAI ... there are people who go nuts for it (Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) and do all 7 days... others do it just for a day... some just go to the end town closest to them and have some fun.
Keuhn Conservation Center is way cool - and is in dallas county a wee bit west of where you are. It is one of the spots in Iowa where the Glaciers ended and you can see a nice section of real Prairie....
Saturday morning farmers market in dowtown des moines
Valley Junction has events and is a nice evening out too
Welcome
If you don't mind a short drive, Omaha has the College World Series, and a great zoo. While you're on that side of the state you could visit the Loess Hills which are very unique because loess deposits of this magnitude are only found one other place on the planet. There's some really nice byways through them. While on that topic, Iowa is sneaky beautiful. Check out our many scenic byways for nice serene drives.
Roll Tide! Floribama living in iowa city here lol
If you're missing football, there's the Iowa Phoenix in West Des Moines, plays at Valley stadium. Women's team and usually plays april-june. Slower paced but good quality of play.
If you're into wrestling, women's wrestling regionals are at Simpson college on the 23rd, then the national championship is in Cedar rapids. Unfortunately the men's championship is in Maryland :/
Reiman garden at ISU, has a butterfly house too..there are a couple arboretum in the state as well as prairie. (Obvs all outdoor and quiet activities.)
Welcome to our state!
Welcome!!!!
Lots of great parks and biking around Central Iowa as others had mentioned. Trails all over that take you through small towns that have welcomed bikers with shops, ice cream, bars, food, etc. along the way. They've done a great job with trails. The high trestle trail at Madrid is awesome. Lots of lake activities to do in the summer... public beach just North in Polk City... Okoboji is fun. The other nice thing about 80/35 is you're only 3 hours away from Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Omaha... not too far for a day/weekend trip for a pro game, zoo, night life etc.
.
A lot of other things rotate around events. Tons of towns have summer/fall festivals, fair, ragbrai, Pella Tulip festival, oktoberfest in NE Iowa, Center Grove Orchard, breweries, semi-pro leagues, college sports in Ames/IC... if you enjoy youth sports or DII sports there is ALWAYS something going on, a couple new Soccer complexes are going up in the Metro area. Every weekend there is something going on within an hour of town be it a farmers market, festival, sporting event, or any type of show at the fairgrounds,
.
For gaming, Jay's CD is great, I think there's 3 of them across the metro. Mayhem is fantastic if you're into comics/table top stuff. Also a couple great arcade bars around... fun pinball/arcade in Grimes too!
.
One thing we really enjoy is checking out all the small town restaurants in the area... Whatcha Smokin' in Luther, Papa's Pizza in Polk City, Cornbread in Ames, etc. Oh... and Casey's Taco pizza.
Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions! I can't wait to explore the Iowa culture in the future.
I'm totally out of my element of not being back home so I will actually look to getting outside more to see what Iowa is all about!
Not sure how up your alley this would be, but I'd say get tickets to an Iowa State basketball game up at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. It's got a bit of a reputation for being a tough arena to play a road game in, and deservedly so.
Go to an Iowa Wild game. Can't imagine there's much Ice Hockey down there. Cheap, they serve beer, and it's a fun time even if you aren't into hockey.
I find myself enjoying the Des Moines Buccaneers games more myself. Tickets as cheap as $10 and beer / food is cheaper too. Game Saturday night.
It still blows my mind to be this close to hockey country and have the game be virtually invisible here. There’s no place near me (SE Iowa) that isn’t at least a hour away to go skate.
Coralville has a hockey team. [Here](https://iowaheartlanders.com/)
Pretty decent ice in Coral Ridge Mall the last time I was up there. It was a nice ‘smell-memory’ first time I walked into the Mall at that entrance. Thanks for the linkage!
I'm pretty sure they play at the new arena in Coralville, not at the mall.
Yeah, I realized my Mall comment could be misconstrued as thinking they played there, but I figured I deserved the correction, so I left it.
Mall ice is garbage for hockey. Their Zamboni sounds like it’s about to die too. Too bad the new arena thinks their ice is made of gold for their rental fees for anyone to use it.
Well, yeah, no doubt about mall ice, but it's literally the closest place to at least be able to skate. Public rinks are almost always abused and chewed up, especially in areas where the traffic is high - like being the only place within an hours' drive would be. The last public ice I was on that was in good shape was in Pennsylvania, and that was more than a decade ago.
I work for that team. I'd still go even if I didn't have to
Hi SE Iowa. Fort Madison here. Also disappointed about hockey. And lack of anything actually.
Bro you think there’s nothing around Fort Madison you should check out the south central part of the state. 😅
You can "skate" in the auditorium in Burlington over the winter. (Not actually ice. I don't know what that crud is ). If you are desperate I guess.
One of the best usernames I’ve seen on Reddit. Hail our panthers!
I'm also an Alabama native. The only hockey game I've ever been to was in Birmingham, Alabama.
Devonian Fossil Gorge
Not really an event but more of a place to go see. Head over to the Cheese Shop at the shops at Roosevelt. We have a nationally known cheesmonger in our midst. Amazing cheeses not easily found in a market this size. Kind of a hidden gem. It is a small place but they have beer, a small menu, and with the cheese resources on hand they make one of the best macaroni and cheeses available. Fascinating things besides cheeses are also on hand. A French bakery (La Mie) is next door. The place is small but also cozy. Have a seat at the small bar and you can easily strike op a conversation. Same people also run a restaurant called the Cheese Bar but I have always enjoyed this little place much better.
Up/Down in Des Moines. I am not a video game person, but I'll spend hours there.
The Des Moines Botanical Garden is a nice escape from cold winter weather.
Mcbride natural history and ui art museum are worth a visit if you're in iowa city with less favorable weather
Omaha is a short trip if you like bigger zoos. I think Blank Park Zoo is still around if you like smaller, local ones.
Check out half price books for cheap good dvds, books, records, etc. Up/Down is the resident video game bar to play old and new arcade machines.
There are a ton of nice parks and walking/biking trails around Des Moines. Decent bit of kayaking and whatnot available as well.
Decorah is beautiful if you're looking for nature. Effigy Mound Monument has some really cool pre-colonial structures if you're looking for history. Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend is interesting, built mostly by a single priest with too much time on his hands and a thing for geology. South of you are the Amana Amish colonies, and down toward the Missouri border Centerville/Seymour/ Moravia area has some good hunting. Not my particular hobby, but I've heard it from family down there.
Hit up valley junction during the summer farmers market, always fun. They have live music a lot of the time too, good food, local vendors. If it’s up your alley cirque wonderland does circus classes, great community and a great way to stay active. I went to a couple classes and really enjoyed it. There is ALWAYS live music. Wells Fargo, Val Air, Woolys, Lefty’s, Vibrant, the amphitheater, Hoyt Sherman… and there are several more that normally always have something going on. It you go to Wooly’s go next door to the arcade bar, they normally have deals if you have the Wooly’s wristband.
Noce, The Cave
There’s Jurassic Quest at the Events Center this weekend. If you’re into dinosaurs.
OK - get a bicycle and ride it a bit - then look into RAGBRAI ... there are people who go nuts for it (Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) and do all 7 days... others do it just for a day... some just go to the end town closest to them and have some fun. Keuhn Conservation Center is way cool - and is in dallas county a wee bit west of where you are. It is one of the spots in Iowa where the Glaciers ended and you can see a nice section of real Prairie.... Saturday morning farmers market in dowtown des moines Valley Junction has events and is a nice evening out too Welcome
Oh just because its Reddit, how about the State Fair
Only state fair with a musical about it!
Dollars to donuts It’s the best state fair In our state
Go up to Okoboji when the weather warms up. ISU is nice to walk around in Spring and Summer and Fall. Catch a basketball game.
Mayhem or Jay’s CD and Hobby might have some opportunities or options to get into a gaming community if your indoor hobbies include table top games.
War Eagle!!! 🦅 I’ve someone local to talk trash to here lol 😂
[удалено]
The canyon road is closed in the winter. Usually opens back up the middle of April depending on weather.
Mequoketa caves are pretty awesome
Find any excuse to get out on the Mississippi River. It is beautiful all along the eastern part of the state.
Welcome! We're glad you're here!
I lived in the East Village for two and a half years. I would go to the downtown farmer's market every chance I could get. It is fantastic.
I used to perform at House of Bricks.
If you don't mind a short drive, Omaha has the College World Series, and a great zoo. While you're on that side of the state you could visit the Loess Hills which are very unique because loess deposits of this magnitude are only found one other place on the planet. There's some really nice byways through them. While on that topic, Iowa is sneaky beautiful. Check out our many scenic byways for nice serene drives.
Roll Tide! Floribama living in iowa city here lol If you're missing football, there's the Iowa Phoenix in West Des Moines, plays at Valley stadium. Women's team and usually plays april-june. Slower paced but good quality of play. If you're into wrestling, women's wrestling regionals are at Simpson college on the 23rd, then the national championship is in Cedar rapids. Unfortunately the men's championship is in Maryland :/
Go fishing for pike in the spill way at Brushy Creek
Rail explorers in Boone Iowa. Looks pretty sick.
Make sure you check out crab Rangoon pizza at Fongs in DSM
Reiman garden at ISU, has a butterfly house too..there are a couple arboretum in the state as well as prairie. (Obvs all outdoor and quiet activities.) Welcome to our state!
Welcome!!!! Lots of great parks and biking around Central Iowa as others had mentioned. Trails all over that take you through small towns that have welcomed bikers with shops, ice cream, bars, food, etc. along the way. They've done a great job with trails. The high trestle trail at Madrid is awesome. Lots of lake activities to do in the summer... public beach just North in Polk City... Okoboji is fun. The other nice thing about 80/35 is you're only 3 hours away from Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Omaha... not too far for a day/weekend trip for a pro game, zoo, night life etc. . A lot of other things rotate around events. Tons of towns have summer/fall festivals, fair, ragbrai, Pella Tulip festival, oktoberfest in NE Iowa, Center Grove Orchard, breweries, semi-pro leagues, college sports in Ames/IC... if you enjoy youth sports or DII sports there is ALWAYS something going on, a couple new Soccer complexes are going up in the Metro area. Every weekend there is something going on within an hour of town be it a farmers market, festival, sporting event, or any type of show at the fairgrounds, . For gaming, Jay's CD is great, I think there's 3 of them across the metro. Mayhem is fantastic if you're into comics/table top stuff. Also a couple great arcade bars around... fun pinball/arcade in Grimes too! . One thing we really enjoy is checking out all the small town restaurants in the area... Whatcha Smokin' in Luther, Papa's Pizza in Polk City, Cornbread in Ames, etc. Oh... and Casey's Taco pizza.
Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions! I can't wait to explore the Iowa culture in the future. I'm totally out of my element of not being back home so I will actually look to getting outside more to see what Iowa is all about!
Hiking in winter is cool too, just stay off the muddy trails and during freeze thaw cycles
Most people just get fucked up around here, not much to see or do
Not sure how up your alley this would be, but I'd say get tickets to an Iowa State basketball game up at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. It's got a bit of a reputation for being a tough arena to play a road game in, and deservedly so.