Des Moines Area passes I swear by

I (my family) have been members to the Science Center, Blank Park Zoo, and AdventureLand for three years/seasons. A main reason is because of my husbands work schedule it's not always easy to go on one big vacation, so we get passes to do family things.  Here's some of the perks and reasons I love having passes, or memberships:

Science Center of Iowa

I love their exhibits, and the imax theater.  On Wednesday you can get a half off Imax admission in the afternoon to see an Imax documentary, For members it's like $2.50 for an Imax movie This is also available to nonmembers too! but I think it's  (It's worth seeing every movie they have)  I like that I can bring in my own lunch and not have to buy food from the Sci Cafe, however it does seem that every time we are there I use my membership to get %10 off from the Sci Cafe because I am always forgetting something (aka pop.) The science center is my go to place on a cold winter's day, or on a hot summer day. I much prefer to go during the winter months and for me with two small kids at home and one in Elementary it's worth it!

Our favorite thing to do there is the Small discoveries, and what we call the lego rocket room, we spend all day in those two rooms. they have big blocks, a bubble area to make huge life size bubbles, a pretend kitchen where you can cook your own food, a food market area for children, a ball run. Up stairs is where you could find all the big kid, and more toddler things to do, they have balls that float on air, rockets you make and launch, a lego race way, and a huge ball wall that is amazing!

I have often met friends at the Science Center, which is a great place for an indoor playdate!


Blank Park Zoo

I love Blank Park Zoo for the chance to get out of my house and walk around and see animals with my children. It's a beautiful zoo. I love it for small kids, it's a perfect place to go for 3 hours and then leave. Our favorite part is always the fish feeding and the Sea Lions. I always leave feeling like it was a good time, For my boys is like an adventure playground! Everything is a new adventure even if it's been the 10th time we have visited the zoo this year.




Adventureland

Yes I take my three kiddo's and their cousins (6 kids totally with just me) and yes I am exhausted by the end of the day.... But totally 100% worth it! I got a secret about Adventureland..... It's not that bad in June on a Tuesday and Wednesday. So we spend most of our early vacation break at Adventureland. There have been times that we have had the wave pool to our selves because no one goes to adventureland in June... Seriously what's up with that?

Yes the water park is where we spend most of our time at Adventureland. We use the family bathrooms to change and usually we don't have to wait to long to change, they have 3 family bathrooms that I know off.  I have yet to buy a pool pass to our local pool, since Adventureland is really the only place that my kids wants to go and on a good day I can drive and get there in 15 Minutes.

Summer is hot, and if you know where your going, you can be in the shade about 75% of the time, there were only a couple days this summer that we went to Adventureland that It was to hot and unbearable.

I really do love their rides, I just really love the water park Adventure Bay more!

I also love that they discount their season tickets in December for Christmas Presents, it makes worth your money to get your pass in December, If you go to Adventureland 3 times it pays for it's self, and Parking is included!

I hope that this blog post helps you see the value in some of these passes. By far these three places are the places I have made lots of memories with my family and friends and I am grateful for the chance to use them!