I love the new entryway/lobby. It's great. So, they have returned to theater at their home stage…read more The plays are still mask required, which helps prevent spread of any virus. Such an easy, simple thing to do. I've only missed one play in over 10 years of going here. They have always been quality produced by volunteers. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- NoScreamingKids. CyHawkApproved, despite the fact he's never been here(he gets a 2+hour break from me). Lot parking. Great staff.

Community theater is so underrated - your friends and neighbors are bringing classic theater to you…read morefor a discount, and much of the talent remains. Ames Community Theater brings plays and musicals to the small college town casting Iowa State University students, music teachers, townies from inside and surrounding counties, and even sometimes casts local kids. Audition; it's fun and they find something to do for everyone! The building is accessible, seating is roomy, it's clean, they sell alcohol and often serve hors d'ouevres on opening and closing night, and the tickets prices haven't gone up in over a decade - $15/ticket for plays and $20/ticket for musicals. It's a nice space for anyone with a love for shows whether it's in volunteering your time and talents or as an audience member!

My first visit was a good one, as Stephens Auditorium was a positive experience, combining…read moreoutstanding customer service with a terrific music venue that hit all the notes. Parking is easy and organized. A handicapped friend raved about their parking situation. The interior is immaculate, with great acoustics. The balcony and side balcony seating are superb options. There are some beverages and nibbles, but I would show up fed! Some social causes were highlighted in the main lobby. I appreciated the kindness and professionalism of the staff and security personnel. The Barenaked Ladies and Toad The Wet Sprocket were fantastic, and the 2600-seat venue performed well!

Covid brought AmesCommunityTheater and Stephens together and we had our first play here since the…read morepandemic began. They did an awesome job with masking and social distancing! The place is very clean. See pics. The play was very good. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5-NoScreamingKids.

Informative classes in expression through illustration, dance, and performance…read more Instructors are a published comic artist and an experienced troupe leader. Both received college education from ISU.

Inside North Grand Mall. Park where you like. The sign on…read morethe east facing entry gets you in. Walking in there is indoor golf. The guys I held the door for carried in their own clubs. Spit on the other side of the wall was a large party. This is the axe throwing area. Not knowing where we were going, we headed back through this area. There are some pool tables and dart boards. Cool! We then were stepping "out" into the mall area. Set up like an outdoor patio. There were tables, chairs, cornhole and more. We crossed the mall and headed into Duck Pin bowling. 8 lanes. Much like regular bowling, just enough room to congregate. Short lanes, pins on strings, small balls. We had to wait, so we hung out in the bar and kitchen area. More dining space, a couple of arcade games, and a batting cage occupied this space. The boys tried their hand at batting. Rather trippy if you ask me. You choose the game. Don your helmet and bat. Get in there, step up, and look"down field." The entire wall of the other side of the cage is video. One tiny square has a trap door that opens just as the pitcher lets go. The ball comes out at the speed that can be 100 mph. It's cool. It helped kill the time as we waited our turn for duck pin bowling. We enjoyed the music, drinks, food, and conversation as we waited. When we got to play, we got a quick run down of how it worked. Top tip. Don't get your fingers pinched by the returning balls! It was fun and easy for everyone to enjoy. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was fun. If I lived closer I'd go regularly. Great indoor space for the cold Iowa days.

Great customer service, competitive prices and plenty to keep you busy. Food and drinks are also…read morepretty good! Thanks for another great experience!

I came for Ankeny High School's graduation ceremony. This is such an impressive and a huge venue!!…read more There is tons of parking but it takes a bit of walking to when it gets busy. The coliseum itself is really well maintained and very clean. Staff were very friendly! There are a ton of steps to walk up to get in so be forewarned. The seats are also not comfortable but no stadium seat really is. I got fidgety an hour in and had to get up to stretch. Overall nice and large venue.

Great place to see a game. It's finally getting back to the level of craziness we saw in the…read moreOrr/Floyd/Eustachy era, thanks to the Mayor and some W's. They also seem to be trying to book a few more music shows in here, which is also a good thing. It's a much better music venue than Wells Fargo Arena...I've seen a ton of shows here in my day, it used to be the go-to stop for Central Iowa. Let's hope they bring it back to what it once was and could easily become again. But above all, it's a basketball arena, and a fantastic one at that. Let's keep it loud and crazy. I've seen KISS in this venue, but I've heard it louder for basketball games.

Has it really been 16 years since I last visited Reiman Gardens and wrote a Yelp review about it?…read more Maybe, and it seems that the facility has significantly expanded since then. Gayle and I stopped by today to wander and enjoy. It's still a little confusing to get here as it seems that you're entering the Jack Trice Stadium complex instead of the Reiman Gardens parking lot. But once we were parked, it was an easy walk into the main building to pay our admission and start our journey. Reiman Gardens is a year-round facility that is owned by Iowa State and no doubt also hosts various University events and weddings. The Butterfly wing is still there, plus some sort of goth theme in another greenhouse. Also inside is a cute little gift shop and lots of office and meeting space. The outside is expansive, with lots of nicely landscaped grounds and plenty of shade in various areas. Gayle and I especially enjoyed the large Gnome, the Sycamore Falls complex, the various hordes of pollinators on some flowers, and just wandering around the various curved paths. Some parts are a little close to a busy road, but we chose to concentrate on the Gardens present. Maybe it was also the soothing sound of water in various places. We spent at least a couple hours here and allowed ourselves to be immersed in the various shades of solitude within a campus that seemed so far away. Gardens staff were friendly, helpful, and excited about being there. Hopefully, I won't wait so many years before coming back.

Our family visited on a Friday morning. We spent most of our time in the butterfly wing. There were…read morenearly 1000 butterflies fluttering about and our girls had the most wonderful time observing. Afterwards, we walked around the gardens and had some interesting finds, such as the Up house replica and world's largest concrete gnome.

The Octagon Center of the Arts has since moved down the block a few spots. I recently wandered into…read morethe shop and the adjacent gallery that was featuring a sign history of Ames. Great Stuff.

I really love this place! Cool art store/gallery/space to rent!…read more I have enjoyed concerts, classes, and art shows here! The rooms are beautiful and big enough for a nice crew to be in, but not huge enough to make things not feel intimate! The store is full of hand made, art stuff! Like Prints, one of a kind things, local art, jewelry, kitchen items, books, dvd's, cd's you name it! If it's art they probably have it! Perfect store for gift shopping for the unique someone who has everything...

I am currently in my final semester of studying Kinesiology, and this school has been nothing but…read moregreat. Campus- All together (no walking through a city)) with lots of grass and trees sprinkled throughout for a cohesive feel. Many different buildings with all sorts of architecture- some are original buildings, some are big limestone Washington DC lookin, big concrete block lookin, or all futuristic looking with huge glass fronts. Plenty of sidewalks to get you where you need to be. Maintenance of the grass and snow is pretty good. The use of sand instead of salt can be a nuisance when you come home and dump a sandbox out of your shoe. Class- I honestly enjoyed about 90% of my classes, especially because my classmates and I enjoyed what we were studying. Most professors are great and actually care about your education, always an outlier though. Don't buy or sell your books at the bookstore. Sports- Cyclones are (usually) decent in the big 12 conference, and its been a big part of my experience going to tailgates, football, waiting in the freezing cold for basketball, being on ESPN, and seeing friends compete in volleyball and gymnastics. For smaller sports, they often give out prizes or food to bring in students. Extracurriculars- I have been involved in research, college ambassadors, tutoring, student ministry (Salt Co.), club frisbee, and many intramural sports (fantastic program to take advantage of if you're not already). These alone have had a huge impact on my overall experience and getting to meet so many people! Dorms- I lived in Larch and it was pretty typical, as most are. Great to live in the dorms freshmen year to get acquainted with campus and meet lots of people. However after that I'd move out if you're looking to save any $ Overall, Ames is a ehh city with a great university. Go out and have fun at college, it will be a fun 4 years of you make the most of it!! GO CYCLONES.

Beautiful campus and warm hospitality! My daughter and I went for a college visit earlier this…read moremonth. Sign up for a campus visit online. If you have a mobility disability or any other disability, let them know and they will accommodate your needs as best as they can. They were ready to wheel me around in a wheelchair for their campus tour. The admissions representatives were organized and very excited to host prospective students and their families. They had a complimentary dining center meal to give you a taste of their on-campus boarding experience. ISU has a wide variety of housing options to fit your budget. They also have a strong House system. If you decide not to join a fraternity or a sorority, you have an active community to participate in inter-mural games and sports, to have dinner with or just hang out. We got to enjoy a bit of that with the honor's Anders House. We played board games at night and enjoyed meals with students. They love snacks and treats from parents. Academically, ISU is a fabulous STEM school school. It has many professors and opportunities for students to engage in research. It also has a fantastic Mandarin Chinese program with excellent teachers. I am proud that my eldest daughter is a Cyclone and hope my 2nd daughter seriously considers it as well.

Built to have the best acoustics we have ever experienced anywhere in the world. Amazing!…read more The scene/prop shop and costume shop/ green room are 3,600 square feet. Dressing rooms have full bathrooms with shower and lighted makeup tables (counter style).