Try these bucket list items for families this summer in Iowa
Summer in Iowa brings more than fairs and festivals. As you fill your calendar, try these 16 family-friendly activities across the state.
Visit Adventureland for a day at the theme park
Spend a day or two at the Adventureland theme park in Altoona, which has been a summer tradition for Iowa families for more than 50 years.
New to the park this year is "Neon Nights," an event held on select Friday and Saturday evenings starting July 10, featuring unique glow lighting and music. Other new events include a lumberjack show and a canine stunt dog show.
The theme park is open daily starting Thursday.
Play games at home or an arcade
Get competitive with your loved ones by playing classic board games for all ages, like Monopoly or Catan. Or if you want to get out of the house, there are several arcades across Iowa to play classic games, including Up-Down in Des Moines. which hosts family days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 7, July 12, Aug. 2 and Sept. 13, and Backpocket in Dubuque. Rook Room in Des Moines offers board games in a cafe-style setting and has a section of kid-oriented games.
Lilliaunna Killen crawls through a ‘cocoon’ as kids make their way through a monarch butterfly obstacle course during an event by the Des Moines Parks & Rec on Sept. 23, 2025, at North Side Library in Des Moines.
Create an obstacle course at home
Turn your yard into an obstacle course with household items, and have your kids race each other to see who can twist and turn their way through the obstacles the fastest. If you need inspiration, there are plenty of YouTube videos of parents showcasing their setups.
Paint your sidewalk or driveway
Add some color to the neighborhood by having the kids turn the sidewalk or driveway into their own canvas. Use washable paints or sidewalk chalk so kids can go big without worrying about the mess.
Visit a circus
Outlets of Des Moines will host Venardos Circus from May 29 through June 6 at Parking Lot C. General admission tickets start at $17.95 for kids 12 and younger and $28.95 for adults at venardoscircus.com.
Garden Bros Nuclear Circus will come to Merle Hay Mall on July 9-12. Tickets can be purchased at gardenbrosnuclearcircus.com.
Play lawn games at Smash Park
Play pickleball while eating a meal at the 47,000-square-foot facility in West Des Moines. Smash Park recently unveiled an indoor baseball simulator and also offers ax throwing, interactive darts, shuffleboard and more.
A summer pass to the facility gives guests up to two hours of free gameplay every weekday from May 25 through Sept. 7 for $179.
Enjoy the entertainment at the Iowa State Fair
The 2026 Iowa State Fair runs from Aug. 13 to Aug. 23, and there are plenty of free and paid activities and attractions for families.
The Little Hands on the Farm exhibit allows children ages 2 to 10 to experience life on a farm by completing chores and selling livestock at the farmers market. Families can also race each other on the iconic Giant Slide.
Drive go-karts at Newton Kart Klub
Head to Newton to race go-karts at Newton Kart Klub. The track is less than 5 miles from the Iowa Speedway, which has hosted IndyCar and NASCAR races. NASCAR will return to Newton in August for the 2026 Iowa Corn 350.
Experience the Iowa Children's Museum
The Iowa Children's Museum is a place for kids to play and learn at the same time. Located in Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, the museum features exhibits such as a kid‑size farmers market, pizzeria, children's hospital and more.
Visit the Oskaloosa Sweet Corn Serenade
Head to south‑central Iowa in Mahaska County to Oskaloosa for the 39th annual Sweet Corn Serenade on July 23. Freshly cooked sweet corn, hamburgers and pies will be provided by the Mahaska County Cattlemen, with food trucks also on site.
There's a coloring contest, petting zoo and face painting at the Farm Bureau's Kids Zone.
Get air at a trampoline park
Sky Zone Trampoline Park and Get Air Trampoline Park in the metro offer activities for all ages, including freestyle jumping and dodgeball. Sky Zone offers a $69.99 summer play pass with two hours of daily jump time and discounts on concessions through Aug. 31.
Heritage Carousel of Des Moines
Located in Union Park, the Des Moines staple will be open for its 2026 season from May through October. The Carousel is ADA-accessible, and parents can ride on a chariot as well.
Miguel Oropeza of San Francisco on a slip and slide outside Meservey on RAGBRAI, Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
Visit Iowa's newest water park
Iowa's newest water park, Siouxland Splash, offers a range of attractions, from high-speed slides to a relaxing lazy river, according to its website. It is located at 3920 U.S. Highway 75 in Sioux City and is set to open Memorial Day weekend.
There are also large-scale water parks, such as Adventure Bay at Adventureland and Lost Island in Waterloo. Many Iowa towns also have their own community pool.
Create your own water fun
If you're not a fan of long lines and high prices, you can recreate the water park experience with simple backyard options such as sprinklers, a slip-and-slide or a water balloon fight.
Catch a show at a new amphitheater
Plan a visit to Centennial Park in North Liberty for the inaugural season of the Hy-Vee Amphitheater, opening May 22 with a concert by Midwest band The Pork Tornadoes. The summer schedule includes entertainment for all ages, and a full lineup is available on the Centennial Park Facebook page.
The 2,700-square-foot stage connects directly to an indoor event space, with easy access to concessions, dressing rooms and restrooms.
Explore Iowa's animal attractions
Families can get up close with animals in several ways across Iowa, from bottle‑feeding baby goats at Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge to going on a sanctuary stroll at Iowa Farm Sanctuary in Oxford. For larger wildlife encounters, visit Blank Park Zoo for its 60th year in Des Moines or head to Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City to try to spot a rare white bison calf.
This report was syndicated from USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.
