All Family Fun in Des Moines, IA | 13 Activities

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Top picks across Des Moines

Highly rated across categories

Des Moines Monsterama Pubcade

★★★★☆ 4.8 (212)

Family Fun Centers

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Des Moines Skate South

★★★★☆ 4.4 (572)

Skating Rinks

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Des Moines Great Cats

★★★★☆ 4.7 (147)

Zoos

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Des Moines Columbus Park Sprayground

★★★★★ 5 (1)

Water Parks

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Des Moines Combat Live Laser Tag

★★★★☆ 4.7 (100)

Laser Tag

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Des Moines The Fat Putter Des Moines

★★★★☆ 4.4 (124)

Mini Golf

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While You're in Des Moines

Make it a full day

Parks & Nature

Union Park
Des Moines Water Works Park
Robert D. Ray Asian Garden
Cowles Commons
Union Park Historic Rocket Slide

Museums & Culture

Terrace Hill Historic Site
Salisbury House & Gardens
Luna Park
Landmark Closter
Fort Hamilton Cannon
Maryland Monument

Attractions

Pappajohn Sculpture Park
South Des Moines Sculpture Park
Heritage Carousel of Des Moines
Toast Des Moines Mural
Kids Empire Merle Hay
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Planning notes

Des Moines has 13 family activities across 8 categories. Pick an activity to see top picks, or explore a nearby city.

Venue notes from Des Moines tracks

Monsterama Pubcade

Features a distinctive monster/horror theme throughout the venue, creating a dark and atmospheric setting that complements the retro arcade experience from the 80s and 90s
The venue hosts organized pinball tournaments and pool leagues, indicating a competitive gaming community and structured event programming beyond casual play

Kids Empire Merle Hay

Offers same-day re-entry with no additional cost - visitors can leave and return the same day by signing out with staff, maximizing value of their all-day access pass
The venue has specific accessibility accommodations for children on the autistic spectrum, including advance notice of surprise parades with loud music and elevated noise levels to help manage sensory sensitivities

Gameday

Features a made-from-scratch kitchen with signature items like spicy deviled eggs ($9 for 6), charred wings, and a HUGE pretzel appetizer with house-made dips, indicating a more upscale casual dining approach than typical arcade venues
The venue serves as a sports viewing destination with multiple TVs for watching games, and offers a full-service bar with signature cocktails like Blue Porch Punch, combining traditional arcade/bowling entertainment with premium sports bar amenities

Air Lanes Bowling Center

Uses traditional free-fall pinsetters instead of modern string pin systems, providing a true regulation bowling experience with natural ball and pin reactions
Features cosmic bowling with nightclub-like atmosphere including special effects lighting and music, creating a glow-in-the-dark disco bowling experience

Escape Chambers Des Moines

Operates a two-story laser tag arena with wireless rifle technology featuring realistic firing sounds and simulated recoil, along with padded drop steps connecting levels instead of traditional stairs
The venue offers multiple laser tag game modes including Team Slayer, Snipers, and King of the Hill within their 60-minute sessions

More venue notes

Columbus Park Sprayground

Is located near multiple major Des Moines attractions including the Pappajohn Sculpture Park and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, making it part of a larger cultural and recreational destination area
The venue features both a kiddie area and splash pad, offering water play options for multiple age groups

Blank Park Zoo

Operates active conservation breeding programs including a Cotton-Top Tamarin breeding program and a Turtle hatchling conservation program, demonstrating its commitment to species preservation
The zoo houses over 60 animal species across both indoor and outdoor exhibits, including rare species such as Snow Leopards, Amur Tigers, Eastern Black Rhinoceros, and Panamanian Golden Frogs

Great Cats

Features 70+ animal species including rare animals such as Amur Tigers, Snow Leopards, and Eastern Black Rhinoceros
The zoo offers interactive giraffe feeding experiences available at scheduled times (11am, 1pm, 3pm) on weekends through Memorial Day

Combat Live Laser Tag

Features 285 different weapon simulations that rotate weekly, providing constantly varied gameplay experiences
Arena course layout changes weekly and game modes are dynamically adjusted based on the arena configuration

The Fat Putter Des Moines

Putter features 3 different mini golf courses plus arcade games and brain buster puzzle games integrated throughout the courses
The venue operates as a 21+ only venue from 6pm to close, transforming into an adults-only entertainment space in the evenings

Skateland

Features an indoor skate park with a quarter pipe, drop-in quarter pipe, and multiple ramps and rails, plus an augmented reality interactive mural on the northern-most half pipe
The rink offers games approximately every 15 minutes during skating sessions to provide entertainment breaks for guests

Skate South

VIP glow room party packages include multiple entertainment and food amenities: food, beverages, airbrush tattoos, and arcade game cards all included in one package
Parties booked during rink opening result in significantly less crowded experiences, allowing private event guests to nearly have the place to themselves

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Family Fun in Des Moines

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Family Fun Centers in Des Moines

Skating Rinks in Des Moines

Zoos in Des Moines

Water Parks in Des Moines

Laser Tag in Des Moines

Mini Golf in Des Moines

Children's Museums in Des Moines

Escape Rooms in Des Moines

Top picks across Des Moines

While You're in Des Moines

Parks & Nature

Museums & Culture

Attractions

Planning notes