I am from California, moved to Minnesota in 2016 and Waukee the end of 2016 - needless to say, I've…read morebeen around and visited many pumpkin farm/apple orchard places. Wills Family Orchard is, by FAR, the best I've EVER been to. The lady in the shop, the gentleman leading the hayride and the young man overseeing the pumpkin patch were all very friendly and helpful! They went above and beyond to ensure my two young daughters and I had an amazing time. Every step of the way they were informative, friendly and engaging. The apple picking was amazing - petting the goats was unforgettable and the play area for the children was so much fun. We highly recommend this place!!

Had a great experience here! Went with my family and the kids really enjoyed all the activities and…read morewe picked apples. You must get some of their apple cider donuts- made fresh and so good!

Came here for the Friday at Farm and had a great time! The music was not too loud and enjoyable,…read morethere is plenty of room for seating and shade leaves. There was a nice little farmers market and a few food vendors to choose from. I will definitely be going back. Relaxing and fun for all ages

We went there for Fridays at the Farm. But unfortunately out of the 150 people there none of the…read morevendors and 145 of the patrons did not wear masks. We will not be back to this COVID-19 petri dish. Because I would prefer to stay alive.

I was able to attend a small event recently at Speckled Hen Farm encompassing Speckled Hen and a…read morecouple of businesses they closely partner with. Lone Oaks Farms and Covered Bridges Winery. Until a few days ago I'd never heard of Speckled Hen Farm. Kris was our host at Speckled Hen along with Luann from Lone Oaks and Kevin from Covered Bridges winery. I guess they are kind of little hidden gems in nearby Madison country... The Speckled Hen store features a lot of fun, farm-inspired merchandise, handmade baked goods and artisan bread, farm fresh eggs, local honey, gourmet food products, and fresh seasonal produce. Kris and Luann were wonderful hosts filling us in on their history, how they select the people they bring into their businesses as vendors and for their events. And setting up an al fresco table of some small plates for us...! To Speckled Hen Farm it was a 32 min drive from where I live in Clive. A trip to the Northern part of Ankeny or to the South side can take me just as long...so it's really not far away at all and it's a nice drive. If you're like me and you enjoy a little bit of a day trip to find new things... It's worth the short drive from the metro! Check out upcoming events at Speckled Hen on their Facebook page and site (as well as those for Lone Oaks and Covered Bridges Winery on their respective pages). Everything from scratch pizza nights with dough handmade by Kris and cooked on the open pizza ovens in the patio area behind the store... Live music, prairie walks, photography workshops, etc. And if you have friends coming into town Speckled Hen also has a four bed two bath airbnb on site. The Roost! https://www.speckledhenfarmsiowa.com/ https://www.facebook.com/peacelovechickens

This property is absolutely beautiful! A hidden gem in Winterset Iowa. I got invited out through…read moreYelp & I'm so happy we went! The little farm shop had so many fun funky finds to choose from. We took home a homemade dip mix, garlic & chive! We can't wait to try it. This place has so many events to fill your summer bucket list. Be sure to check out their website! The owners were so sweet & informational. Spend an afternoon here wine tasting & you will have a weekend well spent.

If you're looking for a relaxing break while exploring downtown Des Moines, I'd definitely…read morerecommend spending an hour or two at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden! The gardens are beautiful year-round, with a mix of tropical plants, seasonal flowers, and peaceful walking paths. The conservatory is my favorite part--it feels like stepping into another climate, and there are so many unique plants to see! Outside, you'll also find beautifully landscaped gardens overlooking the Des Moines River. Whether you're visiting as a couple, with family, or just looking for a quiet place to explore, it's an easy stop to add to your itinerary! If you're visiting Des Moines, I'd definitely put the botanical garden on your list!

This place is honestly magical. We've talked about going to the Des Moines Botanical Garden for…read moreyears and just never made the time. We finally went during the holidays, and I'm so glad we did. Everything was decorated beautifully, the self-guided walk was easy, and there were photo opportunities everywhere. It was busy with families, but the timed ticketing really worked -- it never felt packed or overwhelming, which I appreciated. Going on a snowy, cold night actually made it even better. It felt cozy, festive, and kind of special. They also have concessions with drinks for kids and adults (with or without alcohol), which was a nice surprise. There's a restaurant inside called Flora that's reservation-only, plus brunch options. We also saw the little igloo huts you can reserve for dinner or small groups (I think around 8 people), which looked really fun -- definitely want to look into that more. Parking was free, and if you want to make it more of an experience, you can even ride the trolley over from the East Village. Overall, this was easily a 10/10 for us. Can't believe it took us this long to go -- we'll definitely be back.

Always good vegetables. Wait in anticipation each year when they come out with sweet corn and…read moremelons.

The best sweet corn! Locally grown and available usually starting by July 4th. They also sell jams…read moreand may have tomatoes and melons. This is one of several trucks that are located around the metro

First off, our 8- & 10-year-olds had a blast. The whole place is hands-on and they were busy the…read moreentire time, never bored. There was some super interesting stuff in the engineering/Lego room that kept us parents engaged as well. You could bring a toddler all the way up to an early teen and they can all be engaged the whole time. The planetarium doesn't have a ton of seats & they don't lean back, and the kids were a little creeped out by the black hole presentation. The bathrooms are kind of rough, and a lot of the activities are showing age. Kind of dirty throughout, which surprised us (we're frequent flyers at museums, so we know they don't have to be this dirty). We appreciated that they took our ASTC membership - highly recommend if you travel and love science centers!

Nice, family friendly museum located in downtown Des Moines, but there are way too many screaming…read morekids running around. Why do people bring children under 8 to these types of places? It's not like they will even know or comprehend any of these things, much less be able to sit still during demonstrations or when viewing exhibits. It was nice to see that all science demonstrations and shows in the planetarium are included in your ticket price. If you check out a few of those, then it is well worth the admission even as an adult!

An annual tradition for my family on Thanksgiving weekend, and we are not alone. Seems like…read moreeveryone I knew went, and why not? Beautifully decorated trees, silent auction, kids activities, holiday shopping, Dutch pastries, local dance studio performances, and more! Indoors at the Iowa Events Center to escape the cold Iowa weather, only $5 admission and all this benefits Blank Children's Hospital. Did I mention several free, fun selfie stations? It's a must do!

This festival is 35 years old. It is for the benefit of Blank Children's Hospital! What a great…read morecause. This festival has a variety of activities (craft, lectures) plus shopping. They have snacks for purchase and they have a photo opportunity with Santa too... There were young and old alike that was partaking in this event! It is fun to see all the trees that individuals or companies decorated for this great organization. There are a few that are also available for purchase. If you are looking to see these trees you must hurry as this festival only runs from the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving to Sunday. It does not allow you to think about as it will be gone for another year in a blink of an eye.

Stopped by for some wine and had a great time! Lots of selection and friendly staff. Sat on the…read morepatio and enjoyed the beautiful scenery!

What fun! Loved our fall themed tasting. Our mini pie and cider tasting was perfect to kick off…read moreautumn. It was so yummy and balanced.