TidBit Tuesday - "When in Iowa"

Since our time here is winding down I thought I would list activities or places that we have loved while living here: Soooo here is goes -

1. Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market - yummo, and great family outing.
2. Thymes Remembered - this is one of my favorite places. A little tea room and craft shop located in Perry. It is such a fun place to "do lunch" with friends, with your daughters. Women have red hat parties there, or take your duaghter and her friends there for their b-days. It is very "sophisticated" and out of the ordinary!


3. Waukee Farmer's Market - Wednesday nights during the summer, this little treasure is one you have to try at least once, they have incredible bbq sandwiches and kettle corn!


4. Centennial Park - love the covered bridge, love the stream that runs through it, love the sandbox, love that I can walk to it.


5. Waukee Public Library Storytime - I LOVE this - Waukee's library is perfect size, not overwhelming, and they do a great storytime for toddlers and preschool kids.


6. Howell's Pumpkin Patch - a must on our Fall activities list. They have a play area for kids complete with corn pit, slide, tire swings, pedal tractors, etc.


7. Maple Grove Apple Orchard - we found this little beauty just this past year, apple sling shot, huge inflatable pillow thing, and yummy applesauce doughnuts!


8. Bridges of Madison County - they are really fun to see, and the town of Winterset is very quaint.


9. Machine Shed - I love it for the merchandise (John Deere toys, clothes, etc. and old fashioned toys) Shawn likes the down home cooking, but its also a great photo opp.


10. Ledges State Park - located about 45 minutes north of Des Moines, it is as close to "mountains" as you'll get here, and really beautiful - take a picnic and enjoy nature.


11. Raccoon River Park - Sam loves the beach and the playground. They also have a great
    
12. Grey's Lake - paddle boats for rent for only $6 or so. It is really fun to get out on the water.


13. State Fair - you can't leave Iowa without going to it at least once. It is so much fun, our favorites are the potato sack slide, the Little Helper's exhibit, and the fried veggies and pickles!!


14. American Gothic tribute - on University Ave, east of Alice's Road you can't miss the iron sculputure of this great painting, only in Iowa.


15. Balloon Fest in Indianola - this was a great thing to see, and super relaxing as you just sit
    
16. Um the ZOO! We go to the zoo usually once a week during the summer, and it never gets old to Sam. It is the perfect size, not to big, not super small and has a great variety of animals. The science center is right along with this one too - and a great way to do both and for cheap is through Happy Hollow Zoo located in San Jose CA. You can attend both the science center and the zoo through reciprocity, and its only $60 for a family! Not to shabby, especially if you use it as much as we do.


17. Fareway - its family, its Fareway! I love this grocery store, I'm not sure if its the cart service after you buy or the meat counter, but the best meat I've every purchased came from Fareway. The people love my kids too!


18. Culver's - I know, I know lame-o, but Sam loves "the hamburger house" and we love their butter burgers and concrete mixers.


19. Pella Tulip Festival - about 1 hour away the first weekend in May. The tulips are beautiful and the the windmills and wooden shoes great to see, um did I mention good food?


20. Finally I guess this doesn't qualify as an Iowa thing, but we are 3 hours from Minneapolis, 2 hours from Omaha, 2.5 hours from Kansas City, and 5 hours from Chicago - all incredibly awesome places to visit!!

Its pretty pathetic that most of mine are related to food! I know, but we love it. We feel like we've really be able to take full advantage of all the great things about living here, but there are a few places that I've never been that I'm hoping to visit before we leave this great state; Does anyone have any other "MUST SEES" for me??