This is a great multi-use park located near Valley Junction. They have a family friendly beach…read morearea, a newly installed accessible playground, dog park (permit required), walking/bike path, and boat house where you can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards. There are also soccer fields and baseball/softball diamonds close by. Lots of parking lots near various areas.

I am an Arizona Desert Rat who grew up in Iowa. I am visiting the beautiful small town of Norwalk,…read moreIowa and we have been fishing at Blue Heron Lake in Raccoon River Park. What an incredible job you've done West Des Moines! This place has it all! Swimming beach, boat launch, kayak and canoe rentals and a very nice wheelchair accessible fishing pier! We have been enjoying this place so much! Ok the kids and the girls are catching all the fish (I am Worm Boy and take the fish off the hook haha) Catch and release! I cannot say enough nice things about Raccoon River Park!

Went ice skating as a family for my step-daughter's December birthday. We lucked out with it being…read morea mild winter day and had a very enjoyable experience. Since this was our second rink of the day, because the first one had faux ice and wasn't what we had in mind, it is worth saying that Brenton Skating Plaza has real ice! I did not notice while we were there that they do not zamboni it, but it all still seemed pretty smooth. It was busy and seemed to be a popular spot. You can rent your skates there and they also have personnel working on the ice. My favorite part is the downtown views from the rink - I can only imagine how magical it looks in the evening after dark. There are also great photo spots with the downtown backdrop and also a large Christmas tree. This will now be a annual thing for me.

It is summer time at the skating plaza. I have been ice…read moreskating here a few years ago. It was nice. Lots of people and good music. Tonight there was no ice, only red hot music concert! Since I was last here they installed a beautiful canopy over the plaza. So you can hang out on the arena under shade. The concert was Foster the People. We were excited. We arrived super early and went out to eat prior. Then made our way to the concert. The place was packed. Lots of people sitting in the grass, lawn chairs and blankets. We found a nice spot to stand or sit. There are adult beverages to be purchased and not only the regular bathroom but they brought in a number of portable bathrooms to match the sold out show. It was a perfect night on the river to enjoy the music and dance a little. The breeze off the river helps keep things cool. We had a good time. Things seem organized and well timed. I hope to attend another soon.

This park is awesome and expansive! Trails and fields, playground equipment and build outs…read moreeverywhere, forts and lookouts, and a skate park!!! I took my kids here today and we had a great time! There are plenty of places to sit, nice concrete trails perfect for walking, biking, scootering or skateboarding! The pond was still frozen, but I'm sure it's lovely when it defrosts. I like big parks like this because even if it's a hot sunny day and tons of people are here, there's still plenty of room to spread out and not feel like you're on top of each other.

What a great park! This park has everything: softball/baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis…read morecourts, pond, long walking/ bike paths, kids climber, and lots of slides. There is also a new community shelter that is a tornado safe room. The super lame part of this safe room is that it's locked!! It's only for private rentals and events. So if there is a tornado, make sure to book the shelter in advanced so you can use the safe room. The kids climber and slides are excellent. They are newer, safe plastic without any sharp metal parts protruding. There is even a huge metal slide that is built into the ground. It's like the old school slides we had as kids. It's so fun. The kids love it. I even tried it a few items. Let me tell you, as an adult that weighs more than 2 or 3 kids, you fly down that slide!! It's almost a little scary how fast you go as an adult. The kids are fine but adults who weigh more really take off. At the base of the slide, be ready to dismount because it launches you! I would have given this park 5 stars but the restrooms make it a 4. The restrooms are gross. While there are probably nice, clean restrooms in the shelter, it's only for private rentals or events. Most of the public restrooms are port-a-potties. At the open shelter toward the east next to the police station, there are restrooms with running water, but they are just as gross. Also, there is no soap in these restrooms. Even with the restroom status, this park is definitely a must for all ages.

Good park geese are a little too tame for my preference was hoping to be chased maybe lose a toe. I…read moreeven honked at them while I approached. They did not respond. Maybe nothing worth protecting.

The park looks good but not big enough I rate it 5 star the the down hill look smooth and I would…read moreagree going to prairie Ridge Skate Park!

This was a beautiful riverwalk with well maintained paths and bridges. There was also gorgeous…read morelandscaping and nearby gardens. The path is about 1.2 miles long, and great to walk, bike, and jog. The riverwalk connects the east and west sides of downtown via two pedestrian bridges, so it's handy to walk to local attractions. I loved how there were maps of the nearby trails and businesses. The river itself smelled fresh, and I didn't see any litter or trash floating around. Props to Des Moines, Principal Financial and the Iowa state government for making this happen!

Great Place to ride a bike or walk. Also enjoy a nice picnic and with a nice view to take some…read morepictures . Must Visit With Plenty Restaurants near by.

Wow! Beautiful lake and grounds, covered with grass and highly established trees. Walking and…read morebiking paths, along with a cool concession area, bathrooms and a park with swing set! I sat here and soaked up the warm air under a shade tree, drinking my coffee. No better way to end this work trip.

I was fortunate enough to be able to be at Gray's Lake Park here in Des Moines, IA. The park itself…read morewas flat and featured a long bridge among many basic and lush amenities here. Definitely a place I'd want to come back to. One full circumference around Gray's Lake Park was approximately 2 miles and the fact that I was here doing more than just one of these loops around was proof positive that I was certified crazy. I was here for the annual Equilizer Endurance run event that featured a 24, 12, or 6 hr timed run. The park itself was beautiful and scenic. The lake was tranquil and quiet as i rounded the park with some reckless abandon and full crazy mode on. The bridge had some neon lighting installed on it. Initially thought it was something odd, but when night fell, the bridge illuminated itself and we could see it at all points around the park itself. I noticed that Gray's Lake Park has at least one centralized restroom facility on site, which is awesome for those who need them on any particular day. For my experience here at Gray's Lake Park, I didn't need to use it, which was surprising. I enjoyed the aspect that the park itself was accessible and lush at the same time. There are 2 main parking lots at the public's disposal. We parked at the main one that's close to Fleur Drive. There's also another one next to the restroom facilities. To be honest, October 29, 2022 was a great day to be here at Gray's Lake Park. I'm sure any other day would be as sweet, but I was here on that day doing what I do best: attempting to run a marathon or ultra in Des Moines, IA. The overall experience here at Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA was as peaceful as grueling since I was here doing a stupid stupid thing. There were passerby's as well as families walking around and people choosing to do a picnic on a fine Saturday afternoon. Some people were wondering if there was a race going on, until they saw my race number. "Oh" they said. It was nice to see other peoples using the park on a Saturday afternoon, other than being active like how I was. Anyone and everyone can use the park for legitimate activities. Best thing is the restroom facilities on site, so you don't have to leave and go elsewhere and then return to the park for additional added fun. A friend of mine pointed out the city of Des Moines skyline when we were near the restrooms and it was nice to see that, hidden amongst the trees that lined the canal just beyond the walking path. Gray's Lake Park is suitable for all ages as well as pets, but keep them on a leash so they don't wander off unexpectedly. If you enjoy the peaceful calm and want stress to leave you temporarily, consider coming to Gray's Lake Park in Des Moines, IA. It is pretty cool if you are either in the area or just passing thru. Gray' Lake Park is located at 2101 Fleur Drive in Des Moines, IA. It's a few miles from the Des Moines regional airport, also on Fleur Drive. It's a place where you can go to chill before your flight if you need to and enjoy mother nature in her glory before leaving. Everything is wide open spaces, except for the restroom facilities. Best thing to do is bring your own stuff like chairs and tables, to enjoy a day here outside. Best bet would be to come here early to secure a good prime parking spot. I arrived here in a private vehicle and had a fun time here at Gray's Lake Park. If you are familiar with the DART bus system, consider the routes you need to come here. And as always, there's Uber and Lyft at your disposal. For the most part though, the experience here is immeasurable, especially because I ran a marathon here at Gray's Lake Park. Hope to be back soon, if travels and races allow me to do so. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

Love the Norwalk City Park. It's a great park! It's located right next to the Norwalk Library and…read morehas a cool little pond next to it. Very scenic and beautiful. I like taking my kids here because it's a very safe park. I don't have to worry about thugs or weirdos like I do at some of the south side parks. The kids love playing on the train caboose and I think that's a neat add on to an already very nice park. I let them play on the equipment a bit and then we will usually shoot some baskets as well. When we are done playing we will walk up to the library located on the same grounds and hang out there for a while! So convenient. In the winter time they convert the basketball court into an ice skating rink! So freaking cool! Toward the back of the park they also have a dog park for the furry friends. Something for everyone here :) This park has everything you need: Picnic Tables Playground Swings Train Caboose Basketball Courts Ice skating Dog park Library Pond

The roller boogie was wonderful! Staff were courteous and, attentive, and made routine safety…read moreannouncements!

IN ABSOLUTE HORROR AND DISBELIEF! My friends daughter works…read morehere and it is absolutely disgusting! She showed me videos of ROACHES IN THEIR FRIDGES AND OTHER FOOD STORAGE AREAS! Paying 300+ for my son's birthday party in a crumbling building full of bugs is just infuriating. On top of all of that I talked to the man in charge who just had a real arrogant attitude. He had a real charm story how it was his parents business before him. But at this point his parents would be ashamed of what this establishment has become. Also you can't even trust google reviews on this place because the owners spam report bad reviews till its taken down .

We spent a few days in the Des Moines area recently and there are definitely a lot of beautiful…read morespaces in the area. One of my favorites was the Robert Ray Asian gardens. We spent about an hour here walking through the gardens and appreciating the quiet, calm, and beauty of the area. There were lots of people walking and hiking and multiple people that stopped to take photos in front of the bridge at the end of the park. We also saw people fishing as it is located right next to the Des Moines River. This is a gorgeous spot to get out and be in nature, listen to the water and feel the sun on your skin. You can tell it's truly loved and cared for by the community and there were lots of other little pups for our dog to meet while we were there. My only regret is that I didn't grab some food before we stopped here so that we could have enjoyed a nice little picnic. If you are in the area it is definitely worth the stop.

What a gem in the middle of the city! Nestled along the river, this garden is easy to visit yet…read morefeels tucked away. The path winds through various areas of the garden and also offers a few seating options. It felt organic and not so pre-planned. The views of the water, bridge and city make this spot even more enjoyable. Parking is very plentiful.

This park is a perfect spot for a picnic or a day to cool off in the shade or splash pool. There is…read morea free splash park that is really nice, perfect for kids to cool off and plenty of tables with umbrellas around the have lunch or to watch the little ones from. There is a great shelter area that is perfect for get together's. There is plenty of space for tables and a grill. It was a great place for my husband's work picnic! The shade helped to fend off the heat of the day. Other features of the park are a basketball court and disc golf course. There is a nice sized parking lot and plenty of walking trails. This is a great location for enjoying the nice weather and some outdoor fun.