Nestled just to the northwest of Des Moines, in Altoona, Iowa, you'll find a wonderland of roller coasters and waterslides, known as Adventureland. Adventureland is Iowa's only theme park and is all about grand adventure, from cowboys to pirates to biplanes. Here's what families should know about visiting Adventureland, including firsthand perspective I gained during a trip to Adventureland in 2018 with complimentary passes courtesy of Catch Des Moines. We had a blast and learned a lot! This post has also now been updated to reflect updates and changes for the 2024 season:
Where is Adventureland?
Adventureland Park is located at 3200 Adventureland Drive, Altoona, Iowa, just minutes from downtown Des Moines. From Sioux City, it's about a 3-hour drive to Adventureland. There is ample parking at Adventureland, and it is $21 per car and $26 for vehicles that require multiple spaces, so carpool wisely!
When is Adventureland open?
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| My son was so excited to explore Adventureland! |
Adventureland opens for the 2024 season on Saturday, May 18th and Adventure Bay opens the next weekend, May 25th. Adventureland always opens at 11am and Adventure Bay at noon and closing is between 6 and 10pm for Adventureland and 5 and 8pm for Adventure Bay (in general, the spring and fall hours are shorter, and summer weekend hours are the longest.) Exact hours for both Adventureland and Adventure Bay can vary, so be sure to check the
Adventureland calendar when planning your trip.
2024 is the 50th year of Adventureland, so there are some special festivities planned for the first day including commemorative pins, cake from a reality TV star baker from Des Moines, and a 5k in the park that morning!
How much does it cost to visit Adventureland?
For the 2024 season, the following prices apply:
- $21 Parking per car
- Admission free for kids 3 & under
- $69.99 per person 4 and older
- There are lots of discounts available, including online sales, corporate deals, and more, so be sure to check the website to see if any of them might apply to your visit!
Season passes to Adventureland are also available and start at $119.99 for a bronze pass which includes unlimited summer admission from Sunday through Friday each week.
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| Riding the Red Baron, his favorite ride, for about the 10th time! |
What should you bring to Adventureland when visiting with kids?
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| LadyBug Ride at Adventureland |
The ages and needs of your kids will change this list slightly, but this is what I would encourage parents to at least consider bringing to Adventureland for their kids:
- Sunscreen & hats
- Sippy cups/bottles/etc
- Diapers, wipes, etc for babies and kids who need them.
- Comfy walking shoes, and/or water shoes if going to Adventure Bay
- Swimsuits if going to Adventure Bay
- Swim diapers if going to Adventure Bay
- Puddle jumpers if going to Adventure Bay (they also have life jackets you can use for free)
What is there to do at Adventureland?
Adventureland has tons of attractions for all ages. when we visited in 2018, my son who had just turned 9 at the time had the most fun of all my kids, but we could've easily filled the day finding activities for any of our kids. His personal favorite was a tie between the Red Baron and the Underground, and my younger kids absolutely loved the carousel. As an adult I tend to not think of the carousel as very exciting, but it was a good reminder to me that kids are looking at things through fresh eyes. It was probably the most fun we had as a family because we did it all together, and the little ones were so happy. I also loved the Outlaw--I'm a sucker for a classic wooden coaster!
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| Worn out kids and happy mom after lots of fun at Adventureland! |
So based on our visit, some additional research on newer rides, and my experience as a mom of four, here are my top picks for different age groups, but your kids' preferences may vary, and you should definitely pay attention to height and weight requirements and to your own family's personalities, priorities, and preferences. Our favorites might not be your favorites and that's ok!
Adventureland fun for toddlers & preschoolers
- Bernie's Barnyard
- Carousel
- Chuckwagon (with a parent)
- Heron Harbor Splash Pad
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| Heron Harbor to the left, with Adventure Bay waterslides behind |
Adventureland fun for elementary school age kids
- Draken Falls
- Frantic Freeway Bumper Cars
- Frog Hopper
- Kokomo Cove
- Puff Dragons
- Red Barons
- Revolution
- Tea Cups
- the Underground (completely updated in 2024! I can't wait to hear more about the changes. The promos I've seen look so cool!)
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| Red Baron |
Adventureland fun for tweens, teens, and adults
- Dragon Slayer
- Flying Viking
- Monster
- Outlaw
- Phoenix
- Reef Racer
- Saw Mill Splash
- Sidewinder
- SpaceShot
- Storm Chaser
- Tornado
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| the Monster |
What is there to do at Adventureland besides go on rides?
Beyond the awesome rides (which are plenty in themselves!), there is tons of other fun to be had at Adventureland including:
- Magic shows (included with admission)
- Juggling shows (included with admission)
- Circus performances (included with admission)
- Bingo in an air-conditioned bingo hall
- Carnival games
- Shopping for souvenirs and more
Food at Adventureland
Adventureland Resort has gone cash free, so be sure to bring a card for payment or be prepared to convert your cash to an Adventureland Cash Card. Once you're ready, there are more than a dozen eateries in the park ready to take you on a culinary adventure.
Some sell snacks including funnel cakes, ice cream, cookies, kettle corn, churros, chocolates, and frozen lemonade
Others serve up meals like chicken tenders, walking tacos, pizza, fish n' chips, orange chicken, hot dogs, bbq pork mac n' cheese, and cheeseburgers.
New in 2024 is Oink's, an Iowa-inspired restaurant that will specialize in pork chops and pork tenderloins sure to delight.
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| One of the cute eateries in Adventureland |
Where to stay when visiting Adventureland
Adventureland is easy to get to from anywhere you'd like to stay in the Des Moines area, but if you'd like to stay as close as possible and have lots of fun in the process, check out the
Adventureland Inn and
Adventureland Campground. The Adventureland Inn has three indoor pools, an arcade, toddler play area, an arcade, and an on-site restaurant,
Spectators Bar and Grill. The Adventureland Campground has an outdoor pool, playground, and a dog run in addition to its sites for RV and tent camping.
Want to find out more about Adventureland?
For more information about Adventureland, check out the
Adventureland website or connect with Adventureland
on Facebook, or
Instagram.
Thanks again to Catch Des Moines for the tickets to Adventureland! We had a great time!
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