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    Principal Park

    4.4 (33 reviews)

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    ICubs Game!
    Emily B.

    Went to the Cubs game with my girlfriend on a beautiful 80° Saturday night. Parking staff was great, price $13. Parks were very clean even with how crowded it was. Bathrooms very cleanly, no terribly long lines. Lots of different food options: tacos, hot dogs, bbq, snacks, alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages. Fun atmosphere!! Prices for food were better than expected especially in this economy right now.

    Came here to watch the Bananas play!
    Adam M.

    Event staff were helpful and knowledgeable. Concessions and booths were well run and efficient which gave us more time in our seats for the game.

    Chad B.

    When we moved to Des Moines we were excited about having Triple AAA baseball in town. We weren't as excited that it was the Cubs being Toledo Mudhens fans, the AA team for the tigers, but we learned to adapt. The stadium is very nice and kept well. It is not as big as some other AAA stadiums but it is adequate in size and has many extra perks like a kids area and club options. Having been to numerous minor league stadiums, we are very happy with Principal Park. Like most places, parking is a pain... but it is worth the wait and is only $10. We are looking at season tickets so that says a lot of how we feel about the park.

    Anna H.

    I was here for a game with my work group. We had great seats that were in the direct sun for a bit before it moved, then it was much cooler. The food and drink selections seemed diverse. My boss had a rice, chicken & bean bowl that looked really good. There are a few stands that sell vodka lemonade. The first one was great, but then I went to a different one that wasn't so much. I was asked if I wanted another shot for $5. Um no, because for $14 I should have enough in one. I look forward to another visit and another game in my future.

    Eric E.

    Nice park, we're Cubs fans so that's great, but they have some improvements to make. Let's start with the good stuff. They're the Cubs. They've been the Cubs since 1980, and will probably continue being the Cubs AAA team for the foreseeable future. The park was constructed at the confluence and the view from the upper deck behind home plate reveals the Capitol building across the river. It's a neat view. Concessions have just about everything you could want at a ballpark. The park itself plays small though. I'm a little bit surprised they haven't added on here. The bleachers are meager and the outfield 'seating' is reduced to those or the indoor restaurant-type deal in left field. Seems like a missed opportunity. We had first row seats down the left field line and sat down only to have the meshed netting a couple feet from our face. Thankfully there were plenty of open seats in back of us, so we moved about five rows back for a better view. They have a mini-Wrigley Field manual green scoreboard here that almost goes unnoticed. They also have a video screen that's in dire need of upgrading. Another thing they lacked were sculptures of former players. The only bronzed sculptures that we found were of children outside the left field gate. And while those were neat, many a great has played for this team, why not represent a couple of them? Surely a local artist can be hired to create a statue or two. This was my second game here, the first was over ten years ago. The place seemed nicer back then. It's time for some capital improvements. Eamus Catuli!

    Capitol building in the distance.
    Carol G.

    If you like baseball and people watching this is the place to spend an afternoon or evening in Des Moines. The ballpark is in a nice setting near the Des Moines River with a view of the state capitol building. There are nearby restaurants in downtown Des Moines if you want to eat before or after a game OR there is plenty of good food at the ballpark too. If the team wins that is icing on the cake!

    General Admission seating
    Trixie T.

    Get there early! We had a ton of fun, even though our team lost! We paid $10 for good parking. The stadium is easy to maneuver through. Clear signage for area seating. There is a ton of food options. It's clean, even the restrooms were clean and it was a Saturday night. Friendly staff, comparable prices, awesome security. It was a really good time!

    Adam H.

    Wow. Nice place. I'm a former sports reporter who spent time in Texas and New Jersey, and I've seen my share of ballparks. Principal Park is one of the nicest setups of them all. Baseball, at this level, is always good. This team (and its opponents) are no exception. I wasn't a huge fan of the over-crowded walkway area, but there are many factors that contribute to such a situation, including the game time and the number of fans ... and there are many homers here. We had excellent infield seats, but the truth is: there did not appear to be a bad seat in the house. Top notch baseball and friendly confines. Fantastic experience.

    Just one of Principal Park's craft beer stations. Lots of taps, and for (relatively) reasonable prices, too!
    Eric S.

    MAJOR LEAGUE III: BACK TO THE MINORS The home of Cubs' Triple-A team is a great way to spend a summer evening in Des Moines. Although Principal Park doesn't actually count towards my checklist of MLB venues, I had an absolute blast here on 6/8/18 watching the Iowa Cubs face off against the El Paso Chihuahuas (yes, seriously, that's the team name from west Texas). One of the best things about minor league games is the minor league pricing. I paid only $14 for a spot in the first row along the 3rd base side, roughly halfway between the left field wall and the dugout. That same seat at Wrigley Field would fetch a king's ransom, likely $100 or more. Parking is $6, but I walked to the stadium from my airBnb. I got my ticket scanned and was given a free hat (woohoo!!) upon entry. There were no security pat-downs or metal detectors, likely because it's central Iowa and not the inner city hopelessness of Chicago's southside. With first pitch more than an hour away, I strolled around the concourse and chatted up some vendors. Everyone was super friendly, especially the older woman from whom I purchased half a dozen "silos" (25oz) of Michelob Ultra, at $9.25 each. I'm sure she appreciated my repeat business. To put into context how much I drank that night, here's some quick beermath: 1 "silo" = 1pint 9oz......x 6 = 150 fl oz = 1.2 GALLONS. That's more than a standard 12-pack, some hardcore sh*t that'd make Brockmire and the Morristown Frackers proud. As my beercan graveyard began to accumulate, one of the Chihuahuas coming in from the outfield bullpen commented on my habit: "please tell me you're not driving home." "hell no I'm not!" "cool. well then, that's pretty impressive." For food, I got one of Principal Park's signature items, a stunning sandwich called the Slaughterhouse ($13). It was a grilled pork chop topped with pulled pork, sliced ham, bacon, cheese, and fried onions with BBQ sauce. Poor, stuttering little Porky Pig was completely annihilated to make this delicious item. Among the between-inning entertainment, the hot dog launcher was easily the coolest. Riding around on a golf cart, employees fired foil-wrapped hot dogs into the crowd from a CANNON SHAPED LIKE A HOT DOG. Hilarious and unique, that earns them huge points in my book. The evening ended with an El Paso victory (oh well) and a terrific fireworks show, featured here at every Friday home game. I sauntered on home with a stomach full of domestic light beer and pig parts, barely managing to avoid falling into the nearby Des Moines river. * TL;DR * You don't have to witness a major league game to have a majorly good time. In fact, sometimes not being in The Show means you can kick back & relax even more, and at a fraction of the cost! Factor in the outstanding selection of craft beers and you've got yourself a hella fun evening. With amazing vibes all around and an atmosphere that caters to the casual fan, spending a few hours at Principal Park is one of the better things you can do in Iowa's capital city. Chill attitudes and a goddamn Hot Dog Howitzer, need I say more?

    Karrie T.

    Great fireworks.. AND love the drink holders in the stalls of the restrooms!! Nice work! Bravo I-Cubs!

    Hy-Vee Mezzanine
    Jenni H.

    Taaaaaake me out to the ballgame....to the lovely confines of Principal Park. (*COMPLETE DISCLOSURE* I am actually a life long St Louis Cardinals fan. But I also have lived in Iowa for most of my life.) While I can't say I've actually been to an Iowa Cubs game-- I have frequented this field literally dozens of times to watch Iowa City West compete for the State Title in high school baseball. Food options are plentiful. From BBQ, fried foods, pizza, baseball staples and more. Bathrooms are well placed throughout and clean. There really isn't a bad seat in the house. Pricing seems... typical? And parking is a non issue. A go-to for us is the Hy-Vee Mezzanine. A perfect spot to sit down with your littles or let them stretch their legs out a bit. (Plus, it gets a wonderful breeze going through it-- kind of like a wind tunnel.) And even with it being up high, the view is still stellar. A great facility in the heart of downtown Des Moines. Catch a ballgame, grab a hotdog and then walk for a celebratory beverage at one of the fine establishments a stone's throw away from the park.

    Kristyn M.

    My employer hosted a company outing at the ball park! We had to find our own parking but our company HR had the baseball tickets right at the gate for us. We all were seated up at the HyVee mezzanine ,it was blocked off for us. We had food that was set out preparation for us. The buffet consisted of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, and a drink. That's very limited food choices with people with any kind of food restrictions I'm not sure if that was a request. If that was even something they offer would be a good idea to look into if you are going to rent an area at the Ballpark. But after the food was served and we all got settled into our seats and bought some adult beverages and enjoyed a really fast paced baseball game the park puts on a good show and it is great fun for the whole family if you like baseball. Had a couple people that apparently had never witnessed a baseball game and they were highly confused on what the timer was for but I like how games are sped up now that there is a Time requirement on in between pitches. I think overall the park does a really good job puts on lots of entertainment in between Innings entertainment races, games, free t-shirts, free hot dogs, all kinds of things to keep everybody engaged and what is going on at the park. I do enjoy the nights where the ballpark does a fireworks display after the games and I think it is worth the trip out there.

    Patrick T.

    There will never be another Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Nolan Ryan, or Kent Hrbek (my fave of all time) but Many future Cubs stars have played in Des Moines before they were called up to Wrigley Field. Some notable I-Cubs alumni include Greg Maddux, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark Grace, Doug Glanville, Joe Carter, Corey Patterson, Carlos Zambrano, Kyle Farnsworth, Kerry Wood, Steve Trachsel, Tuffy Rhodes, Bruce Kimm, Shawon Dunston, Héctor Villanueva, Mark Prior, Sam Fuld, John Grabow, and Rod Beck. Wood and Prior both made rehabilitation starts for the I-Cubs in 2004 and 2005 before returning to the Chicago Cubs' active roster, and many Cubs players such as Derrek Lee, Daryle Ward, Alfonso Soriano, and Ryan Dempster have also made stops in Des Moines for rehab purposes. Even today many Cubs stars such as Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez made stops in Iowa. That make this place, a place to see future Hall of Fame Legends before, during, and after their prime! Principal Park is on the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River in downtown Des Moines. The stadium seats over 11 thousand fans, with 4,088 club seats[6] and has 45 luxury suites, 12 of which are in a building in left field that also houses the Cub Club restaurant (which rules and you can see a separate review for on yelp. The Iowa State Capitol building is visible from beyond the center field fence, while some seats also provide views of the Des Moines skyline. Now they also just put in a beautiful large High Def screen for replays and adds! I have been to many minor and major league fields and trust me this is a beauty! Fun stuff for the whole family! They have a kid zone, a local craft beer area, and the site lines in all the seats are great! The stadium is on the walking and bike paths as well so even if you are not a baseball fan you can enjoy the beauty of the complex as a passer by! Every time I have ever been, the staff has been wonderful and they have some fun family events that you can even go on the field and run the bases and the Friday night fireworks are legendary! They don't have as many concerts anymore but The Beach Boys and Dave Mathews Band have both rocked here so thats cool as well! This is a summer hot spot for Des Moines I'm so glad we have it!

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    Review Highlights - Principal Park

    MAJOR LEAGUE III: BACK TO THE MINORS The home of Cubs' Triple-A team is a great way to spend a summer evening in Des Moines

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Lauridsen Amphitheater

    Lauridsen Amphitheater

    3.7(3 reviews)
    1.8 mi

    I get to review my one visit! Concert in the summer of '24…read more I cant believe that this is my first time here since this was built in 2019. It is rare that we go to an outdoor concert but I was able to find one that the hubby was interested in. We went early as I feared there would be a huge line to get in. We went about an hour before the concert. Came from the north on MLK and turned right into the park. Parking was extra and they lined us up on the lawn. There were people who looked like they had been there for awhile and enjoying the weather doing a little tailgating. We got our vehicle situated and pulled out our chairs. We walked only a little bit to security. You need to remove your chair from the carry bag and not take any big bags inside. The venue is nice open space. Flat ground. The Amphitheater was not even used, they had another stage set up in front of it. An area marked off for standing admission so you can be close to the stage. We opted for the general admission which put you further back and could sit. You snag a spot on the lawn and claim it. Food trucks and venues all around for your grazing pleasure. Everyone at our concert was respectful. The weather was perfect. We enjoyed the people watching. Had a couple drinks and enjoyed it all. We were far enough back that even with people standing up close to the stage we could still see and enjoy. The getting out of the parking venue is a pain. Only 1 major exit on our side and hundreds of cars trying to get out. Thank goodness for the traffic help otherwise we would have been there forever. It did take about 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot, but once back on MLK it was normal traffic.

    It's great to have a new venue for live music in Des Moines! I went here this summer (2019) during…read morethe first year it has been open. I admit I rarely go to outdoor concerts so take that with a grain of salt. The amphitheater is located in Water Works Park. We went for the Ben Folds/Violent Femmes concert. Traffic was backed up on Fleur which did not anticipate. It was a 10 minute or so delay. Parking cost $10 which really was outrageous considering I did not see any actual parking lot! We parked along a road, then walked to join a long line of people waiting to enter. I enjoyed listening to the band we came to see. But since the place is brand new I have a few ideas for what could have made it better- Parking of course The whole venue is flat, why did they not slope the general admission area slightly to improve the view?

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    Lauridsen Amphitheater - Beer garden!

    Beer garden!

    Lauridsen Amphitheater
    Lauridsen Amphitheater - National Senior Games Athlete celebration

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    National Senior Games Athlete celebration

    Principal Park - stadiumsarenas - Updated May 2026

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