We stopped by to check the skate park and were completely blown away. It was a Sunday morning and…read morethere were a lot of people here but its so big it didnt seem crowded. On site bathrooms available and limited bench seating for spectators. Conveniently located along the river walk.

One of the best and biggest skate parks in the US if I'm not mistaken.. I believe it was built for…read morethe xgames too. Plenty of skating for all different skill levels. Free to skate and park love it.

This is a great multi-use park located near Valley Junction. They have a family friendly beach…read morearea, a newly installed accessible playground, dog park (permit required), walking/bike path, and boat house where you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. There are also soccer fields and baseball/softball diamonds close by. Lots of parking lots near various areas.

This park has four things going for it:…read more 1) The parking lot - this is some of the smoothest, most buttery concrete ever. If you like skateboarding, this is a niiiiiiiiiice spot. There's tons and tons of room, you can take it up, down, around and get some good inertia, no cracks, rocks or sharp turns. 2) The big pond - when it's hot outside my kids like to play in the water (yes, I know it's probably filthy), and it's a nice walk-around too. 3) The perpetual centripetal motion whirlygig - This thing is no joke. I got spun on a it for a hot minute and had a hilarious time trying to walk like the sober person I am. A silly toy, but tons of fun. 4) The zip rail - I will never get too old for these. Fight me for it.

This park is awesome and expansive! Trails and fields, playground equipment and build outs…read moreeverywhere, forts and lookouts, and a skate park!!! I took my kids here today and we had a great time! There are plenty of places to sit, nice concrete trails perfect for walking, biking, scootering or skateboarding! The pond was still frozen, but I'm sure it's lovely when it defrosts. I like big parks like this because even if it's a hot sunny day and tons of people are here, there's still plenty of room to spread out and not feel like you're on top of each other.

What a great park! This park has everything: softball/baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis…read morecourts, pond, long walking/ bike paths, kids climber, and lots of slides. There is also a new community shelter that is a tornado safe room. The super lame part of this safe room is that it's locked!! It's only for private rentals and events. So if there is a tornado, make sure to book the shelter in advanced so you can use the safe room. The kids climber and slides are excellent. They are newer, safe plastic without any sharp metal parts protruding. There is even a huge metal slide that is built into the ground. It's like the old school slides we had as kids. It's so fun. The kids love it. I even tried it a few items. Let me tell you, as an adult that weighs more than 2 or 3 kids, you fly down that slide!! It's almost a little scary how fast you go as an adult. The kids are fine but adults who weigh more really take off. At the base of the slide, be ready to dismount because it launches you! I would have given this park 5 stars but the restrooms make it a 4. The restrooms are gross. While there are probably nice, clean restrooms in the shelter, it's only for private rentals or events. Most of the public restrooms are port-a-potties. At the open shelter toward the east next to the police station, there are restrooms with running water, but they are just as gross. Also, there is no soap in these restrooms. Even with the restroom status, this park is definitely a must for all ages.

Went ice skating as a family for my step-daughter's December birthday. We lucked out with it being…read morea mild winter day and had a very enjoyable experience. Since this was our second rink of the day, because the first one had faux ice and wasn't what we had in mind, it is worth saying that Brenton Skating Plaza has real ice! I did not notice while we were there that they do not zamboni it, but it all still seemed pretty smooth. It was busy and seemed to be a popular spot. You can rent your skates there and they also have personnel working on the ice. My favorite part is the downtown views from the rink - I can only imagine how magical it looks in the evening after dark. There are also great photo spots with the downtown backdrop and also a large Christmas tree. This will now be a annual thing for me.

It is summer time at the skating plaza. I have been ice…read moreskating here a few years ago. It was nice. Lots of people and good music. Tonight there was no ice, only red hot music concert! Since I was last here they installed a beautiful canopy over the plaza. So you can hang out on the arena under shade. The concert was Foster the People. We were excited. We arrived super early and went out to eat prior. Then made our way to the concert. The place was packed. Lots of people sitting in the grass, lawn chairs and blankets. We found a nice spot to stand or sit. There are adult beverages to be purchased and not only the regular bathroom but they brought in a number of portable bathrooms to match the sold out show. It was a perfect night on the river to enjoy the music and dance a little. The breeze off the river helps keep things cool. We had a good time. Things seem organized and well timed. I hope to attend another soon.

Love the Norwalk City Park. It's a great park! It's located right next to the Norwalk Library and…read morehas a cool little pond next to it. Very scenic and beautiful. I like taking my kids here because it's a very safe park. I don't have to worry about thugs or weirdos like I do at some of the south side parks. The kids love playing on the train caboose and I think that's a neat add on to an already very nice park. I let them play on the equipment a bit and then we will usually shoot some baskets as well. When we are done playing we will walk up to the library located on the same grounds and hang out there for a while! So convenient. In the winter time they convert the basketball court into an ice skating rink! So freaking cool! Toward the back of the park they also have a dog park for the furry friends. Something for everyone here :) This park has everything you need: Picnic Tables Playground Swings Train Caboose Basketball Courts Ice skating Dog park Library Pond

The views and it's a nice place to spend with family and dogs!! It haves a nice little water splash…read morefor the kids and great trails to walk

Wow! Beautiful lake and grounds, covered with grass and highly established trees. Walking and…read morebiking paths, along with a cool concession area, bathrooms and a park with swing set! I sat here and soaked up the warm air under a shade tree, drinking my coffee. No better way to end this work trip.

This was a beautiful riverwalk with well maintained paths and bridges. There was also gorgeous…read morelandscaping and nearby gardens. The path is about 1.2 miles long, and great to walk, bike, and jog. The riverwalk connects the east and west sides of downtown via two pedestrian bridges, so it's handy to walk to local attractions. I loved how there were maps of the nearby trails and businesses. The river itself smelled fresh, and I didn't see any litter or trash floating around. Props to Des Moines, Principal Financial and the Iowa state government for making this happen!

Great Place to ride a bike or walk. Also enjoy a nice picnic and with a nice view to take some…read morepictures . Must Visit With Plenty Restaurants near by.

The roller boogie was wonderful! Staff were courteous and, attentive, and made routine safety…read moreannouncements!

IN ABSOLUTE HORROR AND DISBELIEF! My friends daughter works…read morehere and it is absolutely disgusting! She showed me videos of ROACHES IN THEIR FRIDGES AND OTHER FOOD STORAGE AREAS! Paying 300+ for my son's birthday party in a crumbling building full of bugs is just infuriating. On top of all of that I talked to the man in charge who just had a real arrogant attitude. He had a real charm story how it was his parents business before him. But at this point his parents would be ashamed of what this establishment has become. Also you can't even trust google reviews on this place because the owners spam report bad reviews till its taken down .

The slides, swings and playground area was great. I brought my friend's 12 year old (who didn't…read morewant to leave) while I got my steps in. There were two decent sized shaded area with picnic tables. I only knocked off a star for the dead cockroach I saw. That being said, it is outside around lots of green things so it is understandable. I would still totally go back.

Miracle Park All-Inclusive Playground is Ankeny's largest playground with more than 14,000 square…read morefeet of fun. The playground features double wide ramps going more than nine feet high and various play amenities that children with and without special needs can enjoy. There are roller tables, sway fun gliders, sensory play center, and an omni spinner for all to enjoy. We had a short road trip to Des Moines and this playground was close to the hotel that we stayed at. We had a little bit of time to kill so we stopped by on a late afternoon. Despite the hot weather, there were plenty of kids but it was not crowded.