The Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa, offers guests with gaming opportunities and thoroughbred horse and greyhound races. The casino and racetrack is within 20 minutes of hotels in Altoona, Ankeny and downtown Des Moines. These hotels are also less than 20 minutes from recreation at Water Works Park, the largest park in the greater Des Moines area. The horse racing season runs from April through October.
The Adventureland Resort hotel is right off Interstate 80 and is a five-minute drive from the Prairie Meadows Casino and Racetrack. Outdoor recreation facilities at this hotel include three outdoor swimming pools in a courtyard setting and two game rooms with arcade machines. Snacks and beverages are available at the pool area. The hotel's has two casual eateries, Parkview, which has a breakfast buffet, and Central Park, an Italian restaurant with pizza and pasta selections. The hotel's family suites have balconies or patios next to the pool area, a separate living room area and kitchen.
The Baymont Inn in northern Des Moines is a 15-minute drive from the racetrack at Prairie Meadows. This budget-conscious hotel provides an indoor swimming pool, RV parking spaces and lobby breakfast area. A fitness room is available for guests. Some of the units are suites with whirlpool tubs. Restaurants on 14th Street are within five minutes of the Baymont Inn. The hotel is 10 minutes from Riverview Park, a recreation area on the Des Moines River. This park was once an amusement area, but now features walking trail, including the John Patt Dorian Trail; this bicycling trail runs past the Des Moines Botanical Gardens and Sec Taylor Stadium.
Located in Ankeny, the Courtyard hotel is a 15-minute drive from Prairie Meadows via Interstates 80 and 35. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool area with whirlpool tub and sauna, fitness room and two eateries, the Courtyard Cafe and Lobby Lounge. Breakfast is served at the Courtyard Cafe, and the Lobby Lounge offers dinner. The two-room suites have living rooms with sleeper sofas; some guest rooms have king beds and whirlpool tubs. Delaware Avenue, Ankeny's primary thoroughfare, offers shopping and dining options within five minutes of the hotel. Saylorville Lake is a 10-minute drive from Courtyard and provides chances for canoeing and fishing activities.
The Hotel Fort Des Moines is in the heart of Des Moines' downtown district, approximately 20 minutes from Prairie Meadows in Altoona. This boutique hotel was built in 1919 and is one of the oldest continually operating hotels in Des Moines. Hotel Fort Des Moines is within walking distance of theatrical performances at the Civic Center and Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs baseball team. The hotel offers on-site dining at Django, a vibrant restaurant with French cuisine. Other hotel features include a fitness center and 60-foot indoor pool. All rooms are nonsmoking.
