Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Adventureland, Altoona, IA

Photo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily Favorite

Adventureland

3200 Adventureland Dr · Altoona, IA

Why you should go…

Adventureland is an amusement park in Altoona, northeast of Des Moines, open since 1974. Its seven roller coasters include the wooden Tornado and Outlaw, the enclosed Underground, and the Monster, which drops at 101 degrees into five inversions. Adventure Bay, the park's water park, adds wave pools, lazy rivers and slides. In the fall the park runs Phantom Fall Fest, its Halloween event.

  • #amusement park
  • #roller coasters
  • #water park
  • #des moines area

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Adventureland, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Iowa State Capitol

    Free

    Tour a five-domed statehouse topped in 23-karat gold, with 29 kinds of marble and a law library ringed by four stories of balconies.

    6.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    Pappajohn Sculpture Park

    Free

    Stroll 4.4 downtown acres of large outdoor sculpture, including Jaume Plensa's 27-foot figure made of letters.

    8.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Living History Farms

    Under $25

    Ride a tractor cart between working farms of 1700, 1850 and 1900 and walk the shops of an 1876 prairie town.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Madison County

    Free

    Iowa county famous for its historic covered bridges, made famous by The Bridges of Madison County.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    John Wayne Birthplace & Museum

    Under $25

    The restored 1907 birth home and museum of actor John Wayne, with film memorabilia and archives.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Rail Explorers Boone

    $50+

    Pedal-powered railbike rides through the Des Moines River valley beside the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours