City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (515) 266-2121 or (800) 532-12

Description: An old-fashioned amusement park and waterpark, located just northeast of Des Moines off I-80. Dozens of rides offer something for visitors young and old, such as 2 wooden roller coasters that carry the cars up to a view over Iowa cornfields before sending riders down a scream-inducing drop. If those don’t get you dizzy, there are plenty of other thrill rides up for the challenge, including the twisting and turning Dragon roller coaster. Numerous water rides include a log plunge and a “raging river,” which gives you the whitewater experience on round rafts that bounce down the channel. Old favorites like bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, and a carousel are here also, and there are plenty of rides for younger children as well. Adventureland’s waterpark, included in the general admission ticket, has lots of water slides and pools, as well as a “lazy river” where you can kick back and float on an inner tube, and plenty of space for just lounging in the sun. In the park’s game rooms you can try your luck at Skee-Ball or other games. There are numerous food concessions throughout the park. An on-site hotel offers pools, spas, swim-up bar, and poolside rooms. RVers may want to stay at the site’s campground, which has full hookups, showers and restrooms, and a large swimming pool, as well as spots for tent camping. Multi-day passes are available. Children ages 3 and under are admitted free. There’s a fee for parking. The park opens on weekends beginning in late Apr and then the entire week beginning late May through the end of Aug, when it is open only on weekends until late Sept.