Things to Do in Johnston

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.

Pilot and local network meteorologist John McLaughlin has logged more than 7,700 hours of accident-free flight time in both fixed wing planes and rotorcraft. He draws on that experience to lead flights and tours around Iowa such as agricultural and crop condition surveys and holiday lights sightseeing tours. The flights soar over farmland and wilderness, and he also zips over Des Moines for panoramic views of the skyline and river. John also provides flight training and examinations, teaching burgeoning pilots the fundamentals of flight and the best mouth noises to make during takeoff.

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.

At Nova Cinema, cinephiles and casual moviegoers alike nosh on popcorn while watching first-run movies projected on full-size silver screens. Nova Cinema’s selection of talkies changes weekly, with current high-octane thrillers, family flicks, and love stories showing seven days of the week. Recent selections include The Hunger Games, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, _ and _Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, as well as 21 Jump Street, a coming of age story about street signs learning to conquer their fear of heights.