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Ames is a city of about 66,000 people in central Iowa, about 30 miles north of Des Moines, best known as the home of Iowa State University. Founded in 1864 as a railroad town on prairie farmland, it grew around the college, which opened as the Iowa Agricultural College and became one of the country's leading land-grant universities.
The Iowa State campus is the city's main attraction. Its central lawn is framed by historic buildings and the Campanile bell tower, and Lake LaVerne and the swans add charm. Reiman Gardens, one of the largest public gardens in Iowa, has a butterfly wing and seasonal displays. The Farm House Museum, Brunnier Art Museum and campus art collection, and big events at Jack Trice Stadium, Hilton Coliseum and Stephens Auditorium keep the city busy.
Off campus, the Main Street Cultural District has shops, cafes and festivals, the Ames History Museum shares local stories, and Ada Hayden Heritage Park offers trails around a former quarry lake. Ledges State Park, with its sandstone cliffs, is a short drive west.
Iowa State University's public garden, with themed outdoor gardens, a conservatory, seasonal displays and the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, where hundreds of tropical butterflies fly freely. It sits next to Jack Trice Stadium. Allow two hours, and visit the butterfly wing on a warm sunny day when they are most active.
A small lake on the Iowa State campus, home to the university's resident swans, Lancelot and Elaine, with a walking path, benches and views of the Memorial Union. It is a peaceful place for a stroll between campus visits. Walk the loop around the lake, and visit at sunset when the light reflects off the water.
A park on the north side of Ames built around two former quarry lakes, with paved trails, restored prairie and wetlands, fishing piers and non-motorized boating. It is named after Ada Hayden, a botanist who worked to preserve Iowa's prairies. Walk or bike the loop trail and look for birds and wildflowers.
A brick bell tower built in 1897 at the heart of Iowa State's central campus, with a carillon of 50 bells played during the school year. Tradition says students become true Cyclones when kissed under it at midnight. Listen for the carillon concerts, and stroll the surrounding central lawn, one of the prettiest in the Midwest.
Iowa State's football stadium, named after Jack Trice, the school's first Black athlete, who died after injuries in a 1923 game. It holds about 61,000 fans on fall Saturdays and is known for lively tailgating. Buy tickets early for big games, and arrive hours before kickoff to join the tailgate scene.
An indoor arena on the Iowa State campus that is home to Cyclones basketball, wrestling and volleyball, famous for its loud atmosphere known as Hilton Magic. It also hosts concerts and events. Check the schedule for games, and plan ahead for parking, which fills fast on game nights.
A large performing arts center on the Iowa State campus, opened in 1969, with excellent acoustics and a modern design, hosting touring Broadway shows, orchestras, dance companies and concerts. It is part of the Iowa State Center. Book tickets early for Broadway tours, and park in the nearby Iowa State Center lots.
An art museum inside the Iowa State Center with an important collection of decorative arts, including glass, ceramics, jade, ivory and dolls, plus rotating exhibitions. It is part of University Museums, which also manages public art across campus. Admission is usually free; check hours before visiting.
A small museum near downtown with exhibits on the history of Ames and Story County, from the railroad era and early settlers to the growth of the university town. It also cares for the historic Hoggatt School, a one-room schoolhouse. Admission is free or by donation; check the opening hours.
The oldest building on the Iowa State campus, completed around 1860 as the farmhouse of the college's model farm and later home to deans, now a National Historic Landmark museum furnished in period style. It tells the story of the land-grant college. Admission is free; check the limited opening hours.
Downtown Ames along Main Street, with historic brick buildings holding local shops, cafes, restaurants, a bookstore and breweries, plus public art and seasonal events like the farmers market and holiday open houses. It is quieter than Campustown. Park on a side street and walk the length of the street.
A popular state park about 20 minutes west of Ames near Boone, with sandstone cliffs up to 100 feet high, wooded canyons, a creek crossing the main road and hiking trails along the Des Moines River valley. It is lovely in fall. Go on a weekday to avoid crowds, and check whether the low-water crossing is open.
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