Riverview Park (Iowa)
Riverview Park was an amusement park in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1915 to 1978. For a second stop, Casey's Center is 2.2 mi away. The best weather comes with May, June, August, September and October, at 64–83°F.
A theme park inside Des Moines
Check the season before you go
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 13°, with about 37" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Des Moines
Riverview Park (Iowa) is inside Des Moines, which has 64 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 6 miles away
Des Moines (DSM) has airline service, about 6 miles from Riverview Park (Iowa).
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Highs and lows by month
Plan a visit to Riverview Park (Iowa) around the weather below.
Riverview Park (Iowa)
Riverview Park was an amusement park in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1915 to 1978. What began in pre-1915 as a zoological garden and trolley destination in an area of Des Moines known as Highland Park would become Riverview Amusement Park, a popular family entertainment oasis in early Iowa history. It was built upon an island, accessed via a wooden bridge, by a group of nine local businessmen that were headed up by a Des Moines movie-theater mogul named Abe Frankle. In the early years various entertaining events and attractions that made Riverview Park a fondly remembered family get-away included free acts featuring death-defying daredevils and musical band concerts.
- Type
- Theme park
- Elevation
- 807 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 1.8K a year
Where to base yourself for Riverview Park (Iowa)
The first towns with rooms are Des Moines (64) and Ankeny (30).
- 1Casey's Center
- 2Iowa State Capitol
- 3Adventureland
- 4Des Moines Art Center
- 5Drake Stadium
- 6Blank Park Zoo
- 7Pappajohn Sculpture Park
- 8Hilton Coliseum
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Riverview Park (Iowa) | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | in town | — | 64 45 hotels · 9 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 212,086 | $195K | D |
| Ankeny | 8 mi north | 10 min | 30 28 hotels · 1 motel · 1 campground | 77,833 | $331K | B− |
| West Des Moines | 9 mi southwest | 15 min | 32 29 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 74,224 | $309K | C+ |
| Urbandale | 8 mi west | 10 min | 17 15 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 48,570 | $336K | B+ |
| Altoona | 8 mi east | 10 min | 13 10 hotels · 1 motel · 2 RV parks | 22,796 | $275K | C+ |
| Saylorville | 4 mi north | 5 min | 7 5 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 3,366 | $314K | — |
| Clive | 9 mi west | 15 min | 9 7 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 19,861 | $401K | B− |
| Johnston | 7 mi northwest | 10 min | 6 5 hotels · 1 campground | 25,065 | $369K | B+ |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Nearby, too
These well-known places are within 28 miles.
12 mi Stadium & arenaCasey's Center
23 mi MuseumIowa State Capitol37 mi Theme parkAdventureland
44 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
52 mi Stadium & arenaDrake Stadium
67 mi Zoo & aquariumBlank Park Zoo
73 mi MuseumPappajohn Sculpture Park
827 mi Stadium & arenaHilton ColiseumPhoto credits
Casey's Center: Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Iowa State Capitol: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain · Blank Park Zoo: Lawrence Lansing, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Dsmspence, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hilton Coliseum: Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:14, 17 June 2009 (UTC), Public domain
Questions people have about Riverview Park (Iowa)
Is Riverview Park (Iowa) open in winter?
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days.
Is Riverview Park (Iowa) in Des Moines?
Yes. It’s inside Des Moines, IA.
When is the best time to visit Riverview Park (Iowa)?
May, June, August, September and October, with highs of 64–83°.
What is the closest airport to Riverview Park (Iowa)?
Des Moines (DSM), about 6 miles away.
Where should I stay near Riverview Park (Iowa)?
Des Moines (in town, 64 places to stay), Ankeny (8 mi, 30 places to stay) and West Des Moines (9 mi, 32 places to stay).
What locals in Des Moines say
Ask a question, or answer one, in Des Moines’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.