Things to Do in Newton

While touring the country in an RV, Chris and Jamie Rademacher hatched the idea to open a campground. Despite being newcomers to the business, they're off to a pretty good start—their Des Moines West KOA was recently awarded a 2011 KOA President's Award for exceptional quality and guest service. Set on rolling farmland 1.5 miles north of I-80 exit 106, the well-groomed grounds are convenient to the interstate but secluded enough to ensure peace and quiet. RV sites include full hookup and pull-through capability, and cabins allow families and groups to smooth out their experience of "roughing it" with amenities such as porch swings, working kitchens, and a staff of liveried deer to hold open their doors. During daytime hours, guests can tap into WiFi networks, cast a line into the nearby stocked fishing pond, or take a dip in the heated pool, open Memorial Day–Labor Day.

Roy Michael, who has been a PGA professional for 15 years, conducts golf lessons and intensive group seminars at Echo Valley Country Club, where he is the head of instruction. Roy tweaks the mechanics of students’ full swings on the driving range as they take aim at target greens or listless physicists attempting to discover gravity. On the practice green, the instructor assesses putting strokes and offers advice for correcting each pupil’s physical and mental approach to this notoriously difficult part of the game. As golf is not learned through rote repetition alone, students also receive instruction through on-course play, which is better for seeing the importance of course management, maintaining a positive mindset, and learning to deal with distractions from clouds shaped like turkey legs.

As children and their caretakers enjoy a leisurely day at Union Park, a cluster of animals—storks, giraffes, brown bears, and ostriches among them —suddenly storms past. What sounds like a stampede is really the family-friendly site of The Heritage Carousel of Des Moines, which has been entertaining guests since 1998. For only 50 cents, participants can hop aboard the turn-of-the-century replica carousel, which builders hand carved from basswood and hand painted. As the dulcet tones of an old-fashioned band organ hum in the background, the carousel accommodates children, wedding parties, and bull riders in training. Elsewhere, riders can pause from carousel excursions to sample other Union Park attractions such as multiage play equipment and the Rocket Slide, whose recent repainting replicates its original look from the early 1970s.

Erv Wagner began shooting arrows at insolent targets in 1956, and since then he has earned a national title and maintained active membership in the National Field Archery Association, the Iowa Bow Hunter Association, and Mid-Iowa Archers. He passed down his love of outdoor sport to his son, and together they run Archery Field & Sports. They outfit first-time archers with the appropriate gear before granting tailored instruction at group or private lessons. Guests can test their aim at a 45-yard indoor range or inhale Mother Nature's fresh breath while shooting at a 20-target outdoor range. Those in need of a little more color can square off against opponents and drab blades of grass at the outdoor paintball field. Their pro shop dispenses the necessary paintballs, along with archery and hunting supplies.

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.