Tag: park

March 22, 2015

Campbell Recreation Area

Monday was not only free ice cream cone day at Dairy Queen …

It was gorgeous out! It was in the 80′ s and we checked out Campbell Recreation Area in Clive.

Campbell Recreation Area is located at 12385 Woodlands Parkway. It is nestled back into a residential area. It is a huge park (34 acres), with lots to do!

There are two different playground available to play on. One is smaller for kids under age 5 years, although if you are older than 5 years, you are okay to play on it.

There is a larger playground for kids over 5 years. Monte who is only 3 years spent most of his time playing on this one. There is lots of climbing and a few tall slides.

The park had a large open air shelter with several picnic tables. It was a nice place to sit, cool off and have a snack. There are grills available too. You can rent this shelter here for different events.

If you are interested in grilling and gathering in a shady area a little ways from the park, there is a small gazebo available with tables and a grill. You cannot rent the gazebo.

My favorite part of the park was the large open fields. There is plenty of room to play football, catch, roll around, kick a ball, etc. Bring a large blanket and have a picnic!

This park is not only perfect for children, but it’s for adults too! There are three adult softball fields, two sand volleyball courts, a basketball court AND three tennis courts.

Greenbelt Bike Trail also goes pass Campbell Recreation Area and there are detours off of it that lead into the park.

This is another park you can plan a day to spend at! Make sure to check it out this Spring and Summer!

March 15, 2015

Colby Park

This past week was absolutely gorgeous out. We spent pretty much everyday outside! We also checked out a new park … Colby Park in Windsor Heights.

Colby Park is an awesome park and has a lot to offer. It is nestled behind the Wal-Mart and in a residential neighborhood. It’s exact address is 69th and School Streets.

There are LOTS of slides and two separate playgrounds to play on. There are also lots of swings, items to sit and bounce on, and a climbing wall!

I love the amount of open fields there are and picnic tables available. It is a perfect park to spend the entire day! Pack a lunch or snack! There is also a tennis court and baseball diamond available to play on, if you get tired of playing on the playground.

Another awesome feature is the Walnut Creek Trail that leads into the park. After you are done playing, you can get on the trail and go exploring! You could even ride your bike! If you follow the trail underneath the interstate, you will go by a special dog park. So make sure you bring your furry friend with you!

Colby Park is the main park for Windsor Heights and hosts lots of events through out the year. You will also find the Windsor Heights Community Center, which is HUGE and beautiful. You can rent this facility for a fee. It is a great place to host wedding receptions, birthday parties and more! On the back side of the center, are the bathrooms which our clean and very nice to use when you are at the park! I felt very comfortable taking all the kids in there for potty breaks 🙂

There is soo much to do at Colby Park. Lots of playing and exploring can be done. Even babies have fun too! 🙂

Make sure to put Colby Park on your bucket list to check out this Spring and Summer!

October 5, 2014

Ironwood Park

I have to tell you about a REALLY fun park located in the Des Moines area, Altoona to be exact!

Ironwood Park or also know as the Pirate Park!

If you have kiddos Monte’s age or older, you know how popular Jake and the Neverland Pirates is! Monte loves acting like a pirate and this is the perfect place for him to be even more like Jake!

You can even walk the plank!

This is a newer park located on the very southwest edge of Altoona. We actually accidentally found it last summer when we were looking to meet for a play group. We ended up staying here to play because it’s so much fun!

There are two playgrounds. The pirate ship shown above, and a much larger wooden playground off to the left side. The wooden playground also has slides, a bridge, and climbing walls.

This park is perfect for a half-day outing. Pack some snacks and even a sack lunch and spend the morning running and playing. There is even a HUGE green hill that kids love to run/roll up and down! This park can definitely entertain for hours.

I would recommend checking out this park now, while it’s cooler out, instead of in the middle of the summer. Since it’s a new area of town, they are still building in the surrounding area and there are not much trees for shade. It can get super hot, super quick!

Have you been to Ironwood Park before? What is your favorite park in the Des Moines area?