Iowa Events Center – Things To Do With Your Team

The Iowa Events Center is a hub of activity in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. It features three state-of-the-art venues: Wells Fargo Arena, Hy-Vee Hall, and Community Choice Union Convention Center.

The Wells Fargo Arena has been the area’s primary venue for sporting events and concerts since it opened in July 2012. It features 17,000 seats and was recently equipped with two and a half million dollars’ worth of enhancements. These enhancements included Musco LED Sports Lighting throughout the facility, upgraded HD camera equipment, and a center-hung Daktronics HD Videoboard.

Opened in the fall of 2004, Hy-Vee Hall is the Iowa Events Center’s primary exhibit hall. It boasts 100,000 square feet of space, making it the largest exhibit hall in the state. Hy-Vee also features eight meeting rooms totaling 15,000 square feet.

Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center is connected to both Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall, offering an additional 50,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space. It also features 29 meeting rooms and the state’s largest ballroom.

If your team’s next event is taking place at the Iowa Events Center, prepare yourselves for a fun trip to an unexpectedly exciting city. Because the Iowa Events Center is located in the downtown area of Des Moines, you and your team will be within walking distance of many of the city’s best attractions and eateries.

Things to Do

Iowa Hall of Pride

You and your team won’t have to venture far from the Iowa Events Center in order to find fun things to do. In fact, you won’t even have to leave the complex. Located at the south end of Hy-Vee Hall is the Iowa Hall of Pride. This unique attraction honors the achievements of Iowan athletes and performers who served as great ambassadors of their communities.

The Iowa Hall of Pride features a variety of interactive displays and even a game room! In the game room your team can test their accuracy at throwing a football, practice shooting a basketball, play a game of virtual soccer, and more. 330 Park St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Science Center of Iowa

At the Science Center of Iowa you team can learn as they imagine, experiment, and play. From the inner workings of the human body to the outer reaches of the solar system, the marvels of science can be found all throughout this 110,000-square-foot learning center.

In addition to hands-on, interactive exhibits and dynamic live programs, the Science Center of Iowa also features the 216-seat, six-story Blank IMAX Dome Theater. The theater’s impressive domed screen will wrap you and your team in larger-than-life images that surround your field of vision, giving you a front row seat to the onscreen action.

Before you go, stop by the A-ha! Gift Store where everyone can find a perfectly quirky keepsake, and grab a bite to eat at The Food Chain Café. If you’d like, you and your team can even enjoy your food outside in Festival Plaza, the center’s public patio. 401 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50309

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Renowned for its impressive collection of plants both ornamental and native to the Midwest, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a 14-acre public garden situated on the banks of the Des Moines River.

There you’ll find distinctly-themed outdoor gardens like the Water Garden, the Wells Fargo Rose Garden, and The Dorothy and Max Rutledge Conifer Garden, as well as a domed conservatory that houses well over 1,000 exotic plants from around the world. Other notable features of the Great Des Moines Botanical Garden include Iowa’s first living wall, a sculpture garden, and the Garden Shop. 909 Robert D Ray Dr, Des Moines, IA 50309

State Historical Museum of Iowa

At the State Historical Museum of Iowa, you and your team can take part in an exciting adventure through the state’s rich history.

The museum features three floors dedicated to showcasing Iowa’s accomplishments, contributions, and heritage. This information is conveyed through relevant objects selected from the museum’s collection of over 80,000. About 1,500 of these objects are on display at the State Historical Museum of Iowa.

During your visit to the museum, you and your team will learn about life in Iowa before it became a state, the role that it played in the Civil War, and more. One of the museum’s newest and most interesting exhibits is Hollywood in the Heartland. This “blockbuster” exhibit traces Iowa’s notable presence on the silver screen from the early 1900s to today. 600 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50319

John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Opened in September 2009, the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park features artwork by over 20 of the world’s most celebrated artists. The park spans just over four acres located within a major crossroads of the city’s urban grid, making a great place to go if your group is looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Des Moines for a little while.

Picnicking in the sculpture park is allowed, so consider packing a small snack for everyone when you go. Or, if you’ve got the time, get some food to go from one of the many great restaurants located nearby. 1330 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50316

Iowa State Capitol

Built between 1871 and 1886, the Iowa State Capitol building represents one of the nation’s finest examples of 19th century architecture. During your team’s visit to Des Moines, take a tour of the Capitol building and the surrounding grounds for a unique experience that’s sure to be a highlight of your trip.

Self-guided tours are permitted and guided tours are provided at no cost. Guided tours last between one hour to one and hour and 20 minutes. If you plan to visit the Iowa State Capitol with a group of 10 or more and would like to take a guided tour, be sure to schedule your tour in advance. 1007 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50319

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Places to Eat

Buzzard Billy’s

You and your team can enjoy a taste of New Orleans in the heart of Des Moines at Buzzard Billy’s, conveniently located less than a five minute walk from the Iowa Events Center. Buzzard Billy’s is a lively restaurant that serves both traditional New Orleans and classic American cuisine.

The menu at Buzzard Billy’s features everything from burgers and wings, to more unique fare like a gator po’ boy and crawfish etouffee. They also have a kids’ menu with meals like grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and even fried gator! A free ice cream with every kids’ meal will make your team’s dining experience at Buzzard Billy’s extra special for a price that’s especially affordable. 615 3rd St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Fong’s Pizza

Everybody likes pizza and everybody likes Asian food. So why not put the two together? That’s exactly what renowned Des Moines eatery Fong’s Pizza did when they first opened in January 2009.

Fong’s Pizza is a charming pizza joint that specializes in Asian-inspired pizzas, along with appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Their most popular pizza, featured on Food Network, is their crab Rangoon pizza. This unique pie features a base of imitation crab and cream cheese, topped with green onion, asiago, mozzarella, crispy wonton, and a lattice of sweet chili sauce. 223 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Blaze Pizza

If you and your team prefer your pizza to be a little more traditional than one topped with Mongolian beef or General Tso’s chicken, head to Blaze Pizza. Blaze Pizza offers exceptional quality pizzas prepared at lightning fast speed. How lightning fast, you ask? 180 seconds fast. All thanks to their dedicated team of “pizzasmiths” and their blazing fast oven; hence, Blaze Pizza.

The pizzas you’ll find on the menu at Blaze Pizza range from the usual, like the Meat Eater, topped with pepperoni, crumbled meatballs, red onion, mozzarella, and red sauce; to the unusual, like the Art Lover, which features artichokes, mozzarella, ricotta, chopped garlic, and dollops of red sauce. You can even build your own pie if you’d like. Also on the menu are fresh, crisp salads and decadent desserts. 300 Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50309

Olympic Flame

Located near the State Capitol, about 15 minutes from the Iowa Events Center, is the perfect place for your group to get their fix of Greek cuisine while in Des Moines. For over 25 years Olympic Flame has been one of the city’s most popular Greek restaurants.

Authentic Greek cuisine is their specialty but their menu also features American favorites like burgers, fried fish and shrimp, and grilled cheese. Greek offerings on the menu at Olympic Flame include gyros, souvlaki, lamb chops, and falafel sandwiches. If you’ve still got room for dessert, try their decadent baklava or kadaif. 514 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309

As the capital city of Iowa, Des Moines is a versatile travel destination that everyone on your team will enjoy visiting. Thankfully, participating at an event at the Iowa Events Center puts you and your team at the very heart of this charming Midwestern city. This makes it easy to find something fun to do whenever there’s an opening in your team’s schedule during your visit to the Iowa Events Center.