Party Buses Des Moines brings reliable, comfortable group transportation to Ames — whether you need a shuttle to Jack Trice Stadium for a Cyclone game, a party bus crawling Welch Avenue after a concert at Stephens Auditorium, or a charter bus moving your whole ISU department to Des Moines and back. Call 515-416-4410 or grab an instant quote online today!
A few of the organizations across Ames that have trusted us with their group transportation.
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Since 2011, Party Buses Des Moines has been moving groups all across central Iowa, with Ames as one of our most-traveled routes. The 30-mile stretch of US-30 and I-35 between Ames and Des Moines moves thousands of commuters, Cyclone fans, and ISU students every week — and when a group travels that road without a private bus, the math usually goes sideways fast. Multiple cars, multiple parking passes, nobody wanting to be the designated driver after a Big 12 tailgate.
That's the problem we fix.
We have vehicles from compact 15-passenger minibuses up to 56-passenger full-size charter buses, all bookable with an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds. No hidden costs show up after you commit. Our reservation team runs 24/7/365, so whether you're locking in a Jack Trice game-day charter for September or scrambling to organize a last-minute birthday crawl on a Friday afternoon, there's always a real person to help you figure out the right vehicle and the right plan.
With thousands of trips completed and a fleet sized to match any group headcount, Party Buses Des Moines is the first call for Ames-area groups who want one clean answer to the transportation question.
Choose from 15–35 passenger minibuses for tailgates and bar crawls on Welch Avenue, 15–50 passenger party buses with full onboard amenities for celebrations, and 40–56 passenger charter buses built for longer hauls down I-35 to Des Moines or out to the Quad Cities. We offer a massive variety of vehicles, so you never pay for seats you don't actually need. Call 515-416-4410 to find the right fit!
Party buses in our Ames fleet come loaded with color-changing LED lighting, a full-length onboard bar, Bluetooth and AUX sound systems, flat-panel TVs, and wraparound perimeter seating — exactly what a bachelorette night out on Campustown or a birthday crawl between Cy's Roost and Olde Main Brewing calls for. Minibuses offer powerful A/C, plush reclining seats, and overhead storage for shorter group hops. Full-size charter buses add undercarriage luggage bays, onboard restrooms, WiFi, and power outlets — the right setup for the hour-long I-35 run to Des Moines International Airport or a multi-day Iowa State research conference in Iowa City.
ADA-accessible vehicles are available upon request; just flag it when you book.
Air-conditioning
Wraparound Leather Seats
Premium AUX / Bluetooth Sound System
LED and Fiber Optic Lighting
Built-in Bar Areas With Ice Storage and Cup Holders
TVs and Premium Entertainment Systems
Party bus and charter bus rental prices for Ames trips run as follows: small party buses (15–20 passengers) run $204–$378/hour; mid-size (20–30 passengers) run $244–$414/hour; large party buses and minibuses (35–50 passengers) run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Mileage, time of year, and vehicle type all shape the final number — but you'll see the exact all-inclusive price before you ever commit. Jack Trice Stadium game weekends, Veishea-adjacent events, and Iowa State graduation weekends in May push demand sharply, so locking in early on those dates saves real money.
Call 515-416-4410 any time for a no-obligation quote, or use the online tool for instant availability.
| Type of Bus | Cost Per Hour Weekdays | Cost Per Hour Weekends | Cost Per Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Passenger Sprinter Limo | $170 – $318+ | $219 – $344+ | $1,526 – $3,113+ |
| Sprinter Van Rental | $187 – $273+ | $218 – $366+ | $1,395 – $2,748+ |
| 15 Passenger Party Bus | $204 – $330+ | $241 – $312+ | $1,396 – $2,817+ |
| 18 Passenger Party Bus | $266 – $330+ | $268 – $378+ | $2,121 – $2,563+ |
| 20 Passenger Party Bus | $244 – $338+ | $268 – $340+ | $1,939 – $2,796+ |
| 25 Passenger Party Bus | $248 – $326+ | $265 – $360+ | $1,827 – $2,854+ |
| 28 Passenger Party Bus | $255 – $337+ | $279 – $351+ | $2,147 – $2,653+ |
| 30 Passenger Party Bus | $297 – $374+ | $318 – $414+ | $2,331 – $3,021+ |
| 40 Passenger Party Bus | $297 – $338+ | $321 – $478+ | $2,297 – $3,473+ |
| 50 Passenger Party Bus | $294 – $441+ | $337 – $490+ | $2,173 – $4,043+ |
| 15–35 Passenger Minibus | $113 – $246+ | $147 – $261+ | $1,098 – $2,105+ |
| 40–56 Passenger Charter Bus | $158 – $327+ | $162 – $348+ | $1,331 – $2,841+ |
| Rates vary by trip length, travel dates, passenger count, amenities, and availability. Use our online quote form or call 515-416-4410 for exact pricing. | |||
Ames has its own transportation rhythm, and it's different from Des Moines. On a home Cyclones football Saturday, Lincoln Way from Duff Avenue west to the stadium backs up solidly two hours before kickoff. Campus parking lots run cash-only or pre-purchased pass only, and rideshare pricing inside the ISU campus zone spikes hard after the final whistle when 61,000 fans exit Jack Trice at once.
The 30-mile run back to Des Moines on I-35 at 11 p.m. after a night game is a different kind of stress entirely.
Party Buses Des Moines is built around exactly that reality. All-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds means you know the number before you decide — no surprise surcharges show up at checkout. Our 24/7 reservation team is one call away to help you sort through vehicle size, pickup logistics at the Scheman Building drop-off zone, or multi-stop itineraries that start in Ames and end at a hotel in West Des Moines.
We've coordinated ISU move-in shuttles, corporate conference transfers between the Iowa State Center and the Iowa Events Center, and enough Welch Avenue crawls to know which lot fills first on a Friday night. The right vehicle, the right price, and a plan that actually works — that's why Ames groups keep calling us back. Reach out at 515-416-4410 whenever you're ready.
Party Buses Des Moines handles every kind of group trip in Ames and across Story County. From airport transfers and Big 12 game days to prom night, corporate shuttles, and weekend winery runs, we match the right vehicle to the right occasion and make the logistics disappear. Call 515-416-4410 to get started!
The closest commercial airport to Ames is Des Moines International Airport (DSM) (5800 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321) — about 35 miles south on I-35, roughly 40 minutes in normal traffic. That drive is painless with one bus. It becomes a logistics puzzle the moment your group splits into multiple cars, because DSM's cell phone lot requires timed coordination, curbside commercial pickup is in the upper-level Arrivals area, and there's no convenient staging for four cars waiting on a delayed flight at 1 a.m.
An Ames airport shuttle through Party Buses Des Moines handles all of it cleanly. Your group assembles once your full party is together with luggage, your coordinator calls us, and the bus moves to the commercial pickup zone — no hunting for cars scattered across different terminals, no rideshare surge pricing for a group of 12 at midnight. For ISU athletic teams, conference travel, or large family groups flying out together, one bus is almost always faster and simpler than the alternative.
Call 515-416-4410 to book your DSM transfer.
Campustown's Welch Avenue strip — running from Lincoln Way north toward Chamberlain Street — packs more bars per block than almost anywhere in Iowa: Cy's Roost, People's Bar & Grill, The Space, and a dozen more, all within walking distance of each other. That density is what makes a Welch Avenue bar crawl one of the most popular bachelorette itineraries in central Iowa. The problem isn't finding bars.
It's getting the whole crew there, keeping everyone together between stops, and getting home safely at 2 a.m. when rideshare demand in Campustown spikes.
An Ames party bus rental from Party Buses Des Moines solves all three. Our 15- to 50-passenger party buses come with a built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, and Bluetooth sound — so the crawl starts the moment you climb aboard. We build the custom route, handle every stop, and have the bus waiting when the last call bell rings.
No one draws straws for who's staying sober. Call 515-416-4410 to plan your night.
Whether the birthday group is heading to dinner at Olde Main Brewing (316 Main St, Ames, IA 50010), catching a live set at the Maintenance Shop inside the Memorial Union, or making a night of it across multiple Campustown spots, a party bus arrival makes the whole occasion. Our 15- to 50-passenger party buses can be matched to your color theme, playlist loaded, and routed entirely around your itinerary — no split cabs, no designated driver debates, no group that gets there late because someone's GPS sent them to the wrong lot.
For milestone adult birthdays that take the party down to Des Moines — rooftop bars on Court Avenue, late nights in the East Village — a full charter bus moves everyone together on I-35 and brings the whole crew back home to Ames at the end of the night. We match the vehicle to your headcount so you're not paying for empty seats. Call 515-416-4410 any time to build your birthday itinerary.
Stephens Auditorium (1900 Center Dr, Ames, IA 50011) on the Iowa State campus books acts year-round in its 2,700-seat hall — and the parking situation on Iowa State's campus on a concert night is exactly what you'd expect when 2,700 people funnel through a single venue surrounded by permit-restricted lots. The nearest public parking is Union Drive Garage, a 10-minute walk, and it fills early. A concert bus rental in Ames drops your group steps from the main entrance on Center Drive and picks everyone up curbside when the show ends.
For touring acts that come through Hilton Coliseum (1700 Center Dr, Ames, IA 50011) — which holds 14,267 for arena shows — the parking crunch is worse. Lots on the Iowa State Center complex fill from the north via University Boulevard, and post-show exits through the Scheman Building lots back up against Lincoln Way for 30 minutes after final bow. Party buses with a built-in bar, Bluetooth sound, and LED lighting keep the energy going from door to door — no scramble, no surge, no standing in a cold Iowa parking lot waiting for a rideshare.
Call 515-416-4410.
Iowa State University and Ames's growing biotech and research corridor — including firms along S. Dakota Avenue and the Iowa State University Research Park on N. Loop Drive — keep us busy with group trips between Ames and Des Moines. The Iowa Events Center (730 3rd St, Des Moines, IA 50309) hosts major conventions that pull ISU faculty, staff, and industry partners out of Ames on a regular basis, and the 35-mile I-35 commute during weekday rush hour can stretch well past an hour each way.
A corporate bus rental in Ames keeps your team together, gives everyone WiFi and power outlets for the ride down, and cuts out the parking-garage hassle at the Iowa Events Center's 5th Avenue approach. Minibuses handle executive transfers for 15–25 people comfortably; a full charter bus covers department-wide conference travel. For recurring shuttle programs between the ISU Research Park and Des Moines offices, we build custom routes.
Call 515-416-4410 to discuss your group's schedule.
CYRide handles a lot of the daily campus traffic in Ames, but it stops running before bar close and doesn't cover the private-event crowd heading to a family reunion at Reiman Gardens (1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA 50011) or a corporate cookout at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. A private charter bus or minibus fills that gap cleanly — one vehicle, one flat rate, everyone together from start to finish.
The Iowa State Fair draws over a million visitors to the Iowa State Fairgrounds (E 30th St, Des Moines, IA 50317) each August, and the Ames-to-Des Moines I-35 corridor is clogged all eleven days. Parking near the fairgrounds fills before 10 a.m. on peak weekends, and the walk from remote shuttle lots on East University Avenue can stretch 20 minutes in the August heat. A private party bus from Ames drops your group at the Grandstand entrance and waits nearby — no lot hunting, no heat-soaked hike, no rideshare surge on the way back at 10 p.m.
For any private outing that needs one dependable vehicle and zero transportation logistics, call 515-416-4410.
Iowa State's Homecoming weekend in October draws tens of thousands of alumni back to Ames for the parade down Lincoln Way, the bonfire, and the Cyclones game at Jack Trice Stadium. It is one of the busiest transportation weekends of the year across Story County. Prom season in Ames and the surrounding school districts — Ames High, Gilbert, Nevada, Ballard — runs through April and May, and the right venue for a prom dinner in Des Moines fills up fast on those weekends.
For prom: book by December or expect premium pricing or no availability — Ames, Story City, and the surrounding district proms all cluster in a tight 6-week window in spring, and a bus that works for 40 students booked in January costs significantly less than the same vehicle booked in April. A typical 6-hour prom rental — school pickup, dinner stop at a West Des Moines restaurant, venue drop-off, and return — runs $1,800–$2,200 booked early. We work with parent committees across Story County every season.
Call 515-416-4410 to lock in your date.
Ames Community School District runs field trips to science and history destinations across central Iowa — the Science Center of Iowa (401 W Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50309), the State Historical Museum of Iowa (600 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309), and Living History Farms (11121 Hickman Rd, Urbandale, IA 50322) are all popular destinations that require a 30–40 minute bus ride down I-35 each way. Coordinating that through a fleet of yellow school buses that are already committed to morning routes is the recurring problem teachers face every spring.
Charter buses in our network offer real advantages for school groups: TV monitors and DVD players for educational content on the ride, overhead bins for lunchboxes and project supplies, and undercarriage storage for equipment that doesn't belong in a student's lap for 45 minutes. Onboard restrooms on full-size coaches mean fewer pit stops on longer trips — important when you're working with a timed entry at a museum. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available; just flag the need when you book.
Call 515-416-4410 to discuss your field trip dates and headcount.
Jack Trice Stadium (1732 S 4th St, Ames, IA 50011) holds 61,500 Cyclone fans, and on a Big 12 home game Saturday, every parking lot within a half-mile is full two hours before kickoff. The Reiman Road lots fill fastest; University Boulevard backs up from Lincoln Way to the north end of campus. Rideshare pickups inside the ISU campus zone post-game face a 20–30 minute wait during peak exit, and surge pricing runs 2–3x on the app by the time the crowd thins.
A charter bus rental to Jack Trice changes the whole calculation. Your group boards together, the tailgate starts on the bus, and the bus drops near the stadium's southeast gate on South Fourth Street before parking in a designated oversized-vehicle area. Post-game, the bus is waiting — no lot hunt, no surge, no driving after the tailgate.
Hilton Coliseum (1700 Center Dr, Ames, IA 50011) hosts Big 12 men's and women's basketball, wrestling, and gymnastics on the same complex, with the same parking pressure on big matchday weekends. One bus is the answer for groups of 15 or more for either venue. Call 515-416-4410.
Ames has a strong wedding venue corridor: Reiman Gardens (1407 University Blvd), the Scheman Building on the Iowa State Center campus, the Hunziker Room at Hilton Coliseum, and rural venues like Whiskey River Event Center east of Ames on E 13th Street. Most of these venues sit in or near campus, where weekend parking is imperfect and guests flying in from out of state have no good way to self-navigate from a Des Moines hotel to a reception on the ISU campus at 6 p.m. on a Saturday.
A wedding shuttle in Ames from Party Buses Des Moines runs the hotel-to-venue loop cleanly — staggered pickups from the Hilton Garden Inn or the Ames Marriott on South Duff Avenue, ceremony drop-off at the venue entrance, and return loops after the reception until the last guest is back at the hotel. Nobody in your wedding party navigates Lincoln Way construction in formal attire. A 14-passenger Sprinter limo handles the bridal party transfer on the day itself.
Because we've been coordinating these runs since 2011, your timeline stays tight and your guests stay comfortable. Call 515-416-4410 for a free wedding quote.
Story County and the surrounding central Iowa wine corridor have grown steadily over the past decade. The Cellar Winery at Snus Hill (2183 320th St, Madrid, IA 50156) sits about 20 miles southwest of Ames and draws tasting groups year-round. Summerset Winery (15101 Fairfax Ave, Indianola, IA 50125) is a popular day-trip destination roughly 60 miles south via I-35.
In Ames itself, Olde Main Brewing (316 Main St) and Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines anchor a craft beer scene that pub crawl groups regularly weave together into a full afternoon-to-evening itinerary.
The obvious reason to take a party bus: every stop involves drinking, none involves a designated driver debate. Your group stays together in a comfortable bus sharing every pour and every story — no splitting into cars, no one anxious about the drive back from Slater on a dark county road at 9 p.m. We build the route around your stops, handle timing between venues, and have the bus ready to close out the night wherever you want to end it.
Call 515-416-4410 for a free quote on your Ames winery tour.
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Compare real-time pricing and vehicle photos from our fleet. You can browse various makes, models, and amenity packages to find the perfect fit for your group.
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Party Buses Des Moines serves Ames and the entire central Iowa region. Whether you need a bus in Story City, Nevada, Gilbert, Boone, or further out to Des Moines, Ankeny, or Ames via I-35 — our fleet covers the corridor. Any group, any direction, any occasion.
Call 515-416-4410 to confirm availability in your area!
We Go Anywhere!
Party Buses Des Moines proudly serves Ames, Iowa and every nearby community across Metro Des Moines. If you don't see your city listed, call us at 515-416-4410 — we go anywhere your group needs to roll!
Put this together for my mom's milestone birthday on a freezing January night, and it kept all sixteen of us warm and together while we made our way around Ames. The lights and music had the whole group in a good mood before we even reached dinner, and there was room for everyone to actually visit instead of shouting across a parking lot. She said it was the most fun she'd had in years.
Adrienne
Cole
Our office holiday party needed a way to get everyone from the building to the restaurant and back without anybody sliding around on icy roads. This took care of it. The team piled on, the sound and the glow inside loosened people right up, and the ride turned into half the fun. Folks who never chat at work were swapping stories by the end. We've already penciled it in for next December.
Fatima
We got married on a gorgeous October weekend and used this to move the wedding party and guests between the ceremony and the reception. It ran trip after trip so nobody stood waiting in the cold, and the older relatives appreciated how easy it was to step on and off. The crew rode together with music going and it set the tone for the whole night. Reliable from the first run to the last.
Pierce
Hosted our fantasy football draft as a night out this year and rented this to keep the league together while we hit a few spots around Ames. The bar on board and the sound made the rides between bars as fun as the bars themselves, and nobody had to sort out parking. Twelve of us, one rolling headquarters, zero arguments about who was getting where. We're making it a tradition.
Ames party bus and charter bus rental prices depend on vehicle size, your travel dates, and total hours needed. Small party buses (15–20 passengers) run $204–$378/hour; mid-size buses (20–30 passengers) run $244–$414/hour; large party buses and minibuses (35–50 passengers) run $294–$490/hour; and full-size charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Jack Trice game weekends, prom season (April–May), and Iowa State graduation weekends in mid-May are peak pricing periods.
The fastest way to get your exact quote is to call 515-416-4410 — all-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds, no commitment required.
Yes. Charter buses heading to Jack Trice Stadium approach via South Fourth Street on the stadium's east side. Oversized vehicles park in designated lots on the south end of campus — the specific lot depends on your event and pre-purchased pass.
All stadium-adjacent parking for major home games requires passes bought in advance through Iowa State's athletics ticket office; day-of oversized-vehicle passes are not guaranteed. We confirm the current approach and parking plan for your game date when you book, so there's no guessing at a closed gate. Post-game, the bus is nearby and ready when your group exits — no scramble to a remote rideshare lot.
Call 515-416-4410 to lock in your game-day charter.
Des Moines International Airport (DSM) serves as the practical air gateway for Ames — it's about 35 miles south on I-35. Commercial bus pickup at DSM uses the upper-level Arrivals curbside, with buses waiting in a holding area and pulling forward once the group is assembled with luggage. The key step: wait until your entire party has cleared baggage claim and is physically together before calling us to bring the bus to the curb.
DSM limits commercial loading time, so a coordinated assembly makes the pickup smooth. We track your flights in case of delays — no standing on the curb wondering if the bus knows you're running late. Call 515-416-4410 to arrange your group's airport transfer.
Three windows drive demand spikes in Ames every year: Iowa State home football Saturdays from September through November, prom and graduation season from late April through mid-May, and Iowa State Homecoming weekend in October. During football home games, vehicles across Story County and Des Moines fill quickly for the same dates — groups that call in August for September games consistently get better pricing and more vehicle options than groups calling two weeks out. Iowa State's graduation weekend in May is the single tightest window of the year; families booking bus transfers from Des Moines hotels to the Hilton Coliseum ceremony should call as early as possible, as availability typically locks up months in advance.
Yes — multi-stop itineraries that begin in Ames and extend to Des Moines (or vice versa) are some of our most common runs. A typical corporate trip might start with pickup at the Iowa State Research Park, stop at a Ankeny restaurant for lunch, and end at a conference hotel in Downtown Des Moines. A bachelorette itinerary might open on Welch Avenue in Campustown, continue to the Court Avenue District in Des Moines, and return to Ames at close.
Just tell us your stops, approximate timing, and headcount — we build the route and quote it all-inclusive. Call 515-416-4410 or use the online quote tool.
For most Ames events, booking at least 4–8 weeks ahead gives you strong vehicle selection and baseline pricing. For high-demand periods — Iowa State home football games, Homecoming weekend in October, prom season (April–May), and ISU graduation in mid-May — plan for 3–6 months of lead time. Those dates pull from the same vehicle supply that serves all of Story County and central Des Moines.
Waiting until two weeks before a Cyclones home game against a ranked opponent or the night before graduation typically means premium pricing or no availability. The earlier you call, the better the options. Reach us at 515-416-4410 any time.
Ames punches well above its size as a destination. Between Iowa State University's venues, the Campustown bar district, Story County's outdoor spaces, and the easy I-35 corridor down to Des Moines, a party bus itinerary here can run as long as you want it to. Here's a breakdown of the spots our groups visit most.
Jack Trice Stadium (1732 S 4th St, Ames, IA 50011) is the 61,500-seat home of Iowa State Cyclones football and one of the most electric game-day environments in the Big 12. Named for the first Black athlete at Iowa State, the stadium sits on the southwest corner of campus near South Fourth Street and University Boulevard. On major home game days — especially rivalry matchups against Iowa or ranked conference opponents — parking lots surrounding the complex fill by 9 a.m. for a noon kickoff, and the Reiman Road corridor backs up to Lincoln Way within 90 minutes of gates opening.
Bus groups approach from the south via S. Fourth Street and park in designated oversized-vehicle areas. Post-game exits along University Boulevard toward I-35 clear slowly; groups with a bus skip the 40-minute lot crawl entirely. Check the Iowa State athletics parking page before game day for current lot assignments.
Phone: (515) 294-3114
Hilton Coliseum (1700 Center Dr, Ames, IA 50011) holds 14,267 fans and is consistently ranked among the loudest arenas in college basketball — the "Hilton Magic" atmosphere has produced upset victories over more Final Four programs than any comparable mid-major arena in the country. It sits at the heart of the Iowa State Center complex on University Boulevard, sharing parking lots with Stephens Auditorium and the Scheman Building. Lots on the north and east sides of the complex serve most event-night traffic; University Boulevard from Lincoln Way north backs up solidly after high-profile games.
The coliseum also hosts wrestling, gymnastics, and arena concerts. Bus drop-off is at the main Center Drive entrance on the north side of the building. Post-event rideshare demand inside the ISU campus zone consistently surges; a pre-arranged bus pickup off Center Drive avoids the wait entirely.
Phone: (515) 294-3347.
Stephens Auditorium (1900 Center Dr, Ames, IA 50011) is Iowa State's premier performing arts venue — a 2,747-seat hall that hosts Broadway touring productions, nationally recognized recording artists, and the Iowa State Center Broadway series. It sits directly adjacent to Hilton Coliseum on the Iowa State Center campus, sharing the same parking lots. On Broadway nights and concert weekends, the Union Drive Garage (capacity roughly 1,400) is the nearest public option and fills within the first hour after doors open.
Street parking along University Boulevard and Elwood Drive has a two-hour limit enforced on event nights. A bus drops your group at the Center Drive main entrance, waits off-site during the performance, and returns for curbside pickup. For groups coming from Des Moines hotels or Ankeny, the roundtrip bus ride is the smoothest version of the evening.
Phone: (515) 294-3347.
Reiman Gardens (1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA 50011) spreads across 17 acres on the southern edge of the Iowa State campus — a year-round destination for field trips, wedding photography, and group outings, with rotating seasonal displays, butterfly wings, the elaborate Chris & Ann Reiman Rose Garden, and one of the largest butterfly houses in the Midwest. Admission is $9 for adults, $5 for children ages 4–17. The parking lot off University Boulevard is small — roughly 80 spaces — and fills quickly on peak spring and summer weekends, particularly during the butterfly season (May through October) and the annual Winter Wonderscape light display in November and December.
Bus groups drop off at the main University Boulevard entrance. For school field trips, advance reservation with the education department is strongly recommended at least two weeks out. Check the Reiman Gardens visitor page for current hours and group rates.
Phone: (515) 294-2710.
Olde Main Brewing (316 Main St, Ames, IA 50010) anchors the downtown Ames craft beer scene in a historic 1898 building one block from the Ames City Hall. The brewery pours 20+ house beers on tap, runs a full kitchen with a menu that goes well past bar food, and hosts live music on weekend evenings in the main hall. It's a natural anchor stop for pub crawl groups that want a sit-down experience before moving to the Welch Avenue strip.
Parking on Main Street and the adjacent side streets is metered during the day and free evenings, but the lot behind the building fills on busy weekend nights. For groups of 20 or more, calling ahead for a reserved section avoids the wait. Olde Main is less than a mile from Hilton Coliseum, making it the default post-game destination for Cyclone fans who want a beer and a meal before heading home.
Phone: (515) 233-0000.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park (5205 NE 26th Ave, Ames, IA 50010) covers 1,500 acres of restored tallgrass prairie and wetlands on the north edge of Ames — two connected lakes, 5+ miles of paved trail, and one of the best birding sites in central Iowa. It's a popular destination for corporate team-building outings, family reunions, and school group nature days from early spring through fall. The main parking lot off NE 26th Avenue handles standard passenger vehicles comfortably; oversized buses park along the paved shoulder at the northern lot entrance, which has room for two to three large vehicles.
There's no admission charge. You'll find restrooms at the main trailhead, picnic shelters (reservable through the City of Ames Parks Department), and a fishing pier on the south lake. For large groups bringing kayaks or rental equipment, arrival before 9 a.m. on summer Saturdays avoids the mid-morning trail crowd.
Phone: (515) 239-5350 (Ames Parks & Recreation).