Want to learn more about this amazing state? Then plan your trip to take a tour of the exhibits at…read morethe Historical Building. Conveniently located near a free parking ramp and the State Capitol building (while you're at it, take a tour there too!). This building also hosts events. I have attended a roof top wedding reception and a day long symposium is the auditorium.

There are an excellent array of exhibits here! Ranging from early Iowa settler history, to civil…read morerights war, and everything in between until present day! It's free, and there's a good amount of info in short blurbs so it's all easy to read. There's interactive exhibits and it's all very clean. Definitely check this out to learn a lot about Iowa and US history in the context of Iowa. It's very kid friendly as well.

I get to review my one visit! Concert in the summer of '24…read more I cant believe that this is my first time here since this was built in 2019. It is rare that we go to an outdoor concert but I was able to find one that the hubby was interested in. We went early as I feared there would be a huge line to get in. We went about an hour before the concert. Came from the north on MLK and turned right into the park. Parking was extra and they lined us up on the lawn. There were people who looked like they had been there for awhile and enjoying the weather doing a little tailgating. We got our vehicle situated and pulled out our chairs. We walked only a little bit to security. You need to remove your chair from the carry bag and not take any big bags inside. The venue is nice open space. Flat ground. The Amphitheater was not even used, they had another stage set up in front of it. An area marked off for standing admission so you can be close to the stage. We opted for the general admission which put you further back and could sit. You snag a spot on the lawn and claim it. Food trucks and venues all around for your grazing pleasure. Everyone at our concert was respectful. The weather was perfect. We enjoyed the people watching. Had a couple drinks and enjoyed it all. We were far enough back that even with people standing up close to the stage we could still see and enjoy. The getting out of the parking venue is a pain. Only 1 major exit on our side and hundreds of cars trying to get out. Thank goodness for the traffic help otherwise we would have been there forever. It did take about 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot, but once back on MLK it was normal traffic.

It's great to have a new venue for live music in Des Moines! I went here this summer (2019) during…read morethe first year it has been open. I admit I rarely go to outdoor concerts so take that with a grain of salt. The amphitheater is located in Water Works Park. We went for the Ben Folds/Violent Femmes concert. Traffic was backed up on Fleur which did not anticipate. It was a 10 minute or so delay. Parking cost $10 which really was outrageous considering I did not see any actual parking lot! We parked along a road, then walked to join a long line of people waiting to enter. I enjoyed listening to the band we came to see. But since the place is brand new I have a few ideas for what could have made it better- Parking of course The whole venue is flat, why did they not slope the general admission area slightly to improve the view?

I have lived in IA all my life. The IA state fair is a…read morestaple of the Iowa summer. They are adding more shows, concerts and events each year. If you cant find something to watch, see, listen, learn or do here it is your own fault. I have my staples that I have to see each year. The baby barn, the art, chainsaw carvings, tractors, etc. Barns are a must, I love checking out the animals and try and watch a different animal show each year or so. There is always talent contests and Channel 8 does their live news cast each weekday. I try and get one ride above the grounds and try one new different food each year. Some people I know must ride the giant slide each year or go see the funky cakes or check out the 4H building. We usually end up going more than once each year because there is so much going on. Going in the evenings is fun cause that is when people cut loose, the big concerts play and the midway lights up. Get yourself there at least once in your life. Its one of the top things to do once in your life. You wont be bored.

I love the Iowa state fair it is grate but the best stand there jr doubts is gone now and the fair…read moreput up there own stand and I just think it is very greedy and if jr sees this u should make your own business like crumble cookie but other wise the lowa state fair is a good experience I would recommend

What a treasure for Indianola. Such a treasure of information about ballooning. If you can make it…read moreto the area, it's worth seeing.

I know NOTHING of ballooning barring that one trip I took up 20 years ago for my mothers fortieth…read more Girlfriend and I passed this on a road trip, shimmied up to the counter, and paid the $3 each. The volunteer docent had a wealth of knowledge on the.... hobby? Activity? Sport? Either way, he answered any and all questions before we took off throughout the museum. There were plenty of baskets, balloons, different types of capsule (even a styofoam one,) material samples, medals, trophies, etc. It could have been overwhelming, but everything was properly labeled, and easily explained to the clueless. There was a library in the back chock full of books and dvds. A small area for children's activities and a cute little gift shop await you at the end of loop, as well as clean bathrooms and more non-pushy, friendly staff. Look, I went in here knowing nothing and left with a nice overview and new respect for the science and work that goes in to this activity, which is what any small specialty museum should do. It's most definitely worth the entry fee, enter with an open mind, leave an hour later with a new appreciation.

This is the Adair County Freedom Rock in Menlo IA. This was the rock that started it all! The…read moreonly FR that is repainted each year... Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties is something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county, but a lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up. When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

What used to be the entrance to the limestone quarries when I was going up, is now a tribute to all…read morethe military. I believe in 1999 the Freedom Rock, a large 60+ ton boulder located on highway 25 north of Greenfield, was first painted with a Thank You for our nations Veterans to honor their service to our country. The artist, Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II, was inspired by the movie Saving Private Ryan, as well as, wanting to give Veterans a unique recognition on Memorial Day. Bubba paints The Freedom Rock on his own with support of family and friends. He is not paid to paint the rock but is able to do work on it each year with donations. Each April he begins a new four panel design and finishes around Memorial Day. Take the time to really look closely at the Rock, you will discover names and tributes of fallen locals. It's a great inspiration piece surrounded by miles of corn fields.

This festival is so well run... the community bands together to pull this off. The serve amazing…read moreDeardorf sweet corn. It is all free and you can have as much as you want... I saw people eating upwards of 8 ears a person. I thought that I needed two ears but I could only finish just one... I felt terrible that I took one I could not eat. We got there early so we only had a block and a half waiting line. It moved so quickly. We were through it in less than 10 minutes. By the time we left the line was in excess of 3 or more blocks long. They also had a parade, 5k run and a large craft fair. If corn is not your thing they had a plethora of food and beverage vendors too. In the evening the have bands and a beer garden. There were thousands of people, kids and dogs but it really did not feel like it. Attendees were very respectful. If you are looking for a fun day in August I'd is worth the drive to this small community. This large event is 100% volunteer run! Very impressive!

I attended the inaugural Des Moines Taco Festival yesterday at the Western Gateway Park. Here are…read morea few of my thoughts. I honestly had it in my head that I wasn't going to go, but I was given a general admission ticket. Heather had plans...I didn't have my kids...so I headed down to check it out after the ISU OU game. The 400 lb gorilla in the room. The weather sucked the majority of the day. That being said no one I was among was really complaining about it. This was an all ages event. General admission was $12 and kids 12 and under were free. The Western Gateway Park was completely fenced off. The entrance to the festival was on the East side of the park. Not knowing that I parked on the West end off of 13th and Locust so I had a walk to start my visit with. No biggie. At the entrance the process went well. If you planned on drinking and were over 21 you presented your ID along with your ticket and you were given a wristband to indicate you were of legal age. I don't really drink for the most part, but I got my pink wristband just in case. After entering one of the first tents was setup to buy tokens. Everything was on a token system. One token = $2.00. Non-refundable so be careful not to buy too many tokens... Tacos were $2.00 each. Drinks varied from what I read. I did not partake in Tequila Fest or go into the bar tent yesterday so I have no experience with those aspects of this festival. There were two main areas for the food vendors. A line of trucks running East to West on Grand and a line of tents running North and South along 13th. Vendors typically had two lines going; an order line and a pickup line. After getting through the order line you proceeded to the back of the pickup line to get your food. Rinse and repeat. The lines... First of all I'm the wrong guy to talk about lines. Boot camp pretty much solved that issue for me. Festivals, concerts, amusement parks...just like being in a galley. I'm not a fan of unorganized crowds, but I can stand in a line all day. The lines were established by the people themselves. I saw no one giving direction, but I saw a lot of people helping each other out. Someone would step into the pickup line from the sidewalk and someone else would ask them "Have you ordered yet?". If they answered no they were politely pointed to the ordering line. I wasn't looking at my phone, but I would guess the lines I stood in were about 20 minutes order to pickup. I heard rumors there were times the wait at Mama's Tacos approached an hour. I can't confirm that. The weather was crappy. There was alcohol on site. And the organization was spotty in some areas. And yet everyone I talked to was having a good time. Some of you can probably can guess that I talk a lot...and I seldom stay quiet if an interesting conversation is going on around me... I think I ended up with a pretty good feel of how the people around me were doing. Not all tacos are created equal. Some $2.00 tacos were good sized (shout out to Curbin' Cuisine), and some $2.00 tacos were just sad. One thing I would recommend for the next taco festival... Stalk the pickup lines. Cruise by the people picking up their tacos and take a look at what is being delivered to them. Choose to spend your money wisely. Don't be afraid to walk up to someone and ask where they got something. Typically I approach other men to avoid the appearance I'm hitting on someone...especially when tequila is involved. No lucha wrestling was going on while I was there. The stage for the live bands was positioned well and if it hadn't been raining I bet it would have been utilized more. Because of the weather most of the people weren't in the chairs...they were listening from inside the bar tent. I missed the taco eating contest. Would I go again...with spending my own money for a ticket? I'd have to say yes. But I'd employ the tips I mentioned above. The first two places I hit...I was thinking "Thank God I didn't pay for this ticket." but when I started paying attention and talking to people I wasn't as disappointed with my purchases. There were some fantastic flavor profiles available to try. I had a good time. The people around me made it fun...despite the weather. Of course it was really hard to have a bad day, no matter what happened, after ISU got that W over OU. One additional shout out. To the wonderful woman with Per Mar security who let me slide through the fence when I headed home... Thank you! She shortened my walk back to my car by about four blocks up and back.

Not my first time coming to the festival but it is always a fun time filled with culture, music,…read moreand amazing food!!! This festival usually is in July near the sculpture gardens and there is always a huge stage set up with live music. There is plenty of parking in the area! And plenty of ATM's as most vendors do not take cards. And at least this year if you came in before 5pm you could get in free. Otherwise the cost of admission is only a few dollars! This is one of the multiple wonderful cultural festivals in Des Moines! Can't wait to go back next year!