Skip the usual gift card this year. These Iowa experiences include creative workshops, cooking classes, outdoor adventures, animal encounters, and more.
First things first: there’s nothing wrong with a gift card. It’s practical, easy to wrap (or email), and lets the recipient pick out exactly what they want. But if you’re hoping to give someone something a little more memorable this year, consider giving an Iowa experience instead.
Think pottery classes, a behind-the-scenes farm tour, or a chance to try something they’ve never done before, like climbing a fake boulder. Here are a few ideas like that around the state of Iowa.
For the creative type
Mainframe Studios — Des Moines
As the nation’s largest nonprofit building for creative workspaces, Mainframe Studios is a special place. The downtown Des Moines creative hub is home to artists working in a wide range of mediums, and its workshops offer opportunities to try something new. Consider gifting a class, like bird ornament painting or even an acro class, or check out the studio’s gift guide for more inspo.
You can also look at individual artists’ pages for events they put on themselves, like a wet-felted bowl workshop with Megan Hammer Art. So specific, so unique! Participants transform soft wool fibers into a custom felted bowl using water, soap, and a little elbow grease. The beginner-friendly class provides the materials and instruction, and participants leave with a bowl of their own—yet another gift option.
You can also look into classes with JJ Gaffers, a glassblowing studio located inside Mainframe, for an extra unique experience.
Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio — Cedar Rapids
A pottery class is a gift that comes with a little room for trial and error. At the Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio, folks can explore clay and warm glass through multiweek classes or one-day workshops.
Clay options include wheel throwing and hand-building, while warm glass classes introduce participants to techniques for creating glass art. The studio also offers occasional Friday Nights Out for adults for a social evening. Gift certificates are available, so you can give someone the opportunity to choose a class that catches their eye.
Willow and Stock — Iowa City
‘Tis the season for wreaths. For a fun seasonal workshop, consider gifting a class at the Iowa City-based flower shop, Willow & Stock. The upcoming wreath-making classes offer a chance to learn the basics of putting together a beautiful arrangement, with the added bonus of taking home the finished creation.
Eastern Iowa Arts Academy — Cedar Rapids
For a young person who loves music or art, a membership to the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy could help turn an interest into a regular creative outlet. Its memberships are designed for K-12 students and include access to classes, camps, open studio time, and social events. There are additional opportunities for students interested in music, including rock academy and open jams, so you can make “School of Rock” happen in real life.
For the food lover
Cooking with Alessandra — Des Moines
Maybe your friend knows their way around the kitchen, or maybe they seem like a great candidate for “Worst Cooks in America.” Either way, a cooking class is a great gift idea.
Cooking with Alessandra, located in Des Moines’ East Village, offers small-group Italian cooking classes with a hands-on approach. Classes include making traditional dishes such as lasagna and calzones from scratch. The atmosphere is relaxed and BYOB-friendly, so it’s a fun outing for couples or friends.
Culinary Annex — West Des Moines
Travel around the world (sort of) with a cooking class at Culinary Annex in West Des Moines. The teaching kitchen hosts hands-on classes led by local chefs, covering cuisines and techniques from across the globe.
The class lineup changes, but past and popular options include making sushi, preparing bibimbap, folding dim sum, cooking Thai food, and exploring different curry dishes. Each public class also includes a booklet of recipes to take home, so really, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
The Dinner Detective — Des Moines and Cedar Rapids
Whodunit! Give your favorite true crime aficionado a night of dinner, comedy, and crime-solving with The Dinner Detective. The interactive murder mystery show has locations in both Des Moines and Cedar Rapids and, unlike a traditional murder mystery staged in front of an audience, The Dinner Detective places its actors among the guests. That means the person sitting at the next table—or even you!—could be part of the mystery.
Guests follow clues, question suspects, and try to figure out who committed the crime while enjoying a multi-course dinner. The shows mix true-crime themes with comedy and improvisation, so no two performances are exactly alike.
For the adventure seeker
Climb Iowa — Grimes and Des Moines
For the person who never seems to sit still—you know who they are—consider a gift card or membership to Climb Iowa.
A pass to the indoor climbing and bouldering facility gives them a reason to get moving during the colder months, when outdoor activities are off the table. It even offers belay and bouldering 101 courses for the newbies who are up for trying a new hobby. No need to bring your own gear—Climb Iowa has rentals available.
Rail Explorers — Boone
While this is a gift that might be best suited for delayed gratification, given the impending winter doom, a rail-bike ride is one of the best ways to soak in the beauty of Iowa. Rail Explorers offers motor-powered rail bikes on a 12.5-mile round trip along the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad.
The pièce de résistance is the 156-foot-high Bass Point Creek High Trestle Bridge. Check the seasonal schedule and gift options when planning.
Discovery Flight — Des Moines
Know someone who has always wondered what it would be like to fly a plane? A discovery flight could be just the ticket. These introductory flights, offered by US Flight Co, give folks a chance to experience general aviation and, depending on the program, try some of the controls with an instructor.
Greenbriar Riding Academy — Springville
This one’s for the horse lovers. Gift an introductory riding experience at Greenbriar Riding Academy. Or, for something bigger, consider a monthly membership, which includes private or group lessons, horsemanship classes, access to horse shows, and more.
For the animal lover
Hansen’s Dairy Farm — Hudson
Check out where your dairy products come from with a visit to Hansen’s Dairy. With a hands-on tour gift card, you’ll fully immerse your loved ones and friends in all things dairy.
The guided tour includes opportunities to bottle-feed a calf, milk a cow, pet kangaroos (yes, kangaroos), make butter, and sample dairy products, including ice cream.
Tours require reservations and operate seasonally, so check the website for current details.
For families
Some of the best experience gifts are ones the whole family (or friend group) can enjoy. Instead of wrapping up another toy or gadget that requires endless amounts of batteries, consider tickets, an annual membership, or a day trip to one of Iowa’s attractions, including:
- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque
- The Iowa Children’s Museum in Coralville
- Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines
- Adventureland in Altoona
- Lost Island Themepark and Waterpark in Waterloo
