Things to Do in Ankeny

When owner Aaron Stevens says that climbing “builds strength, self-confidence, and trust,” he’s speaking from experience. For much of his life, Aaron suffered from acrophobia, otherwise known as a fear of heights. To deal with his fear, he took an unexpected strategy. He started climbing.

Today, when he walks around Climb Iowa’s 10,000 square feet of top-roping, bouldering, and lead-climbing stations, his proudest moments are when he sees guests “persevere on the climbing wall and achieve a level they never thought they could attain.” An avid outdoorsman, Aaron and his crew oversee simulated climbing terrains that include cracks, overhangs, laybacks, verticals, and slabs. In addition to open sessions, Climb Iowa’s team members lead classes tailored for both beginning and intermediate to advanced climbers. They also offer yoga classes to keep climbers lithe, along with youth summer camps and a recreational and competitive climbing team. Beyond the classes, an extensive stock of gear equips climbers for adventures inside and outside of the gym. Climb Iowa’s construction reflects its team’s love of the outdoors, sporting an eco-friendly design with plentiful natural lighting, geothermal heating and cooling, bicycle racks, and parking spaces for Flintstone cars.

The 2010–11 season was a milestone for the Iowa Energy. Just their fourth season as part of the Developmental League—which has helped produce nearly one-third of the NBA's players as of the 2011–12 season—the team claimed its first league championship, defeating the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Prior to their title run, the Energy had made back-to-back playoff appearances fueled by first-place finishes in the league's Central Division. The Energy plays all of its home games at Wells Fargo Arena, where future basketball stars of the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, and Washington Wizards learn the basics of the NBA game and how to do veteran players' laundry.

Blank Park Zoo educates the public about the wonders of the wild by re-creating far-flung habitats and ecosystems that house more than 1,000 animals and 104 different species ranging from Siberian tigers to hissing cockroaches. Zookeepers lead special behind-the-scenes tours of the indoor rainforest or the African barn to establish deeper connections between people and animals without forcing them to read each other's dream journals. Both of these exhibits include hands-on feedings that allow humans to go face-to-face or nose-to-beak with hungry giraffes and parakeets. Recent new arrivals welcome curious kids to commiserate with the growing pains and early bedtimes of young wallabies, camels, and seal pups, setting a foundation for learning that may be continued in classes designed for those aged 6 months to 5 years.

In addition to raising awareness about the environment, Blank Park Zoo contributes to conservation efforts to preserve the future of native animals and their natural homes. The zoo participates in seven endangered-species breeding programs and donates a portion of admissions proceeds to several different wildlife initiatives.

On June 14, 2008, the Iowa Cubs played a home game in front of a total of zero fans. The empty ballpark was the result of flooding throughout Des Moines. It was also another strange footnote added to a long line of odd occurrences that have come into play in the baseball history of Iowa’s capital.

The marriage between Des Moines and baseball stretches back to 1887, before cars roamed the streets and robots were considered for managerial positions. Teams came and went over the years, until 1969, when the Iowa Oaks debuted as part of the American Association. Finally, in 1981, the Oaks became the top minor-league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and they were renamed a year later. Under the direction of the big-league Cubs, the Iowa Cubs have enjoyed several bouts of success, highlighted by an American Association league title in 1993.

Sticks sprung from humble origins when, in 1992, Sarah Grant began carving ornaments and candlesticks from birch, poplar, and driftwood in a small studio in Des Moines. As her work began to attract national interest and demand for it grew, Sarah enlisted the aid of other local artists and expanded her inventory to include handcrafted heirloom-quality furniture, whimsical sculptures, and intricate keepsakes.

Today, the artists’ work is showcased in more than 100 galleries across the country. Their installation projects have even decorated the walls of Blank Children’s Hospital, the Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa, and the student center at Iowa State University.

Sticks artists can often be spotted by the shores of local rivers, gathering driftwood for their work. They assemble the wood into custom-designed tables, beds, and armoires within their spacious, light-filled studio before painting them with colorful, whimsical designs, from smiling suns and moons to lush landscapes. The versatile artists even take their tools and paintbrushes to homes, businesses, and underground mad-scientist labs to craft custom art installations and interiors.