Situated on the campus of Iowa State University, Reiman Gardens is a vibrant, 14-acre oasis perfect for nature lovers and families alike. This year-round destination features stunning seasonal flowerbeds, an immersive indoor butterfly wing, captivating outdoor sculptures, and peaceful walking paths. Whether you are exploring the tropical conservatory or taking in the beautifully landscaped gardens, it offers an enchanting and educational escape in the heart of Ames.

Nestled within the scenic Greenwood Park, the Des Moines Art Center is a world-class cultural institution offering completely free admission to its incredible collections. Housed in an architectural masterpiece designed by three legendary architects—Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pei, and Richard Meier—the museum features an impressive array of modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works. Visitors can explore vibrant indoor galleries, enjoy the peaceful outdoor courtyard, and wander through the adjacent sculpture park, making it an accessible and inspiring destination for art enthusiasts and casual travelers alike.

Spanning 160 scenic acres in Madrid, the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens Click to open side panel for more information  is an expansive public sanctuary showcasing thousands of plant varieties alongside peaceful woodland and prairie trails. The crown jewel for families is the Treehouse Village, an immersive, inclusive woodland attraction that lets visitors play in an elevated forest setting. Featuring several unique treehouses, a suspension bridge, a wheelchair-accessible swing, and a network of fully paved trails, this vibrant destination seamlessly combines outdoor adventure and accessibility for nature lovers of all ages and abilities.

The 50212 area—centered around Ogden and the surrounding Boone County landscape—is most famous for the legendary Kate Shelley High Bridge Click to open side panel for more information  structures spanning the Des Moines River valley just down the road.

Steeped in rich railroad history, the area features two distinct landmarks side by side:

• The Historic Boone Viaduct (Old Kate Shelley High Bridge): Completed in 1901 by the Chicago and North Western Railway, this massive steel trestle stands 185 feet high and stretches 2,685 feet long, making it one of the highest and longest double-track railroad bridges ever built. Though closed to rail traffic in 2009, it remains a towering monument to engineering history.

• The New Kate Shelley Bridge: Built directly alongside the original span by Union Pacific and opened in 2009, this modern heavy-rail concrete and steel megastructure stands 190 feet tall to handle today’s massive freight traffic.

Both structures honor the legendary 15-year-old local heroine Kate Shelley, who famously braved a midnight thunderstorm in 1881, crawling across a nearby wooden rail bridge to save an oncoming passenger train from crashing into a washed-out creek.