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Places in Ames

Coffee, cafés & 2,931 local spots in Ames

2,931 places in Ames: 342 places to eat and drink, 282 shops, 301 things to do and 57 places to stay. Local spots first, with directions to every one.

All places
2,931
43 per 1,000 residents
Eat & drink
342
5.1 per 1,000 residents
Shops
282
34 gifts · 16 antiques · 13 books
Things to do
301
121 outdoors · 44 arts · 53 landmarks
Places to stay
57
0.8 per 1,000 residents

What kind of places does Ames have?

Read from every listing. The page puts what stands out first.

A coffee town36 independent cafés, coffee shops and bakeries, 60 with the sweet shops and chains.Galleries & stages44 galleries, museums, theaters and music venues.Antiques & vintage16 antique, vintage and secondhand shops.Gear up & get out19 outfitters, rentals, charters and gear shops.
The map

Where Ames gathers

453 of Ames’s 2,931 places sit within a five-minute walk of Main St.

Main St
453places in a five-minute walk of Main St15% of Ames’s places
★ What stands out · Eat & drink

342 places to eat & drink

230 restaurants, 60 cafés & treats, 43 bars & breweries. Local spots first.

See all →
See all 60 cafés & treats →
Things to do

301 things to do

121 parks & outdoors, 83 fitness & sports, 53 history & landmarks. Local spots first.

See all →
See all 44 arts & culture →
Shops

282 shops

48 clothing, 34 gifts & boutiques, 34 home & hardware. Local spots first.

See all →
See all 16 antiques & vintage →
Places to stay

57 places to stay

55 hotels & inns, 2 camping & rentals. Local spots first.

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See all 55 hotels & inns →
Everyday

1,510 errands & services

Groceries, gas, the barber, the vet, the bank.

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Offices & pros 270Hunziker Property Management · Dogtown University · Friedrich RealtyHealth care 247Ames Orthodontics · McFarland Clinic · Pollard Family DentistryHome services 158Adams Funeral Home · Cell Phone Repair · Neighbors Heating and CoolingBanks & insurance 135Wells Fargo · Scott Richardson, State Farm Insurance Agent · Greater Iowa Credit UnionHair & beauty 128Heroic Ink Tattoo and Piercing · Asylum · CosmoProfAuto & gas 124NAPA Auto Parts · Wilson Toyota of Ames · HondaGroceries & convenience 41Kum & Go · AJ's Liquor · Kum & GoPets 38Ames Pet Hospital · Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center · All Pets Animal HospitalOther services 369Bitstop Bitcoin ATM · Iowa State University Book Store · Cardinal Gymnastics Academy
Community

439 schools, churches & public places

Where Ames learns, worships and gets things done.

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Schools & childcare 171Ames Community Preschool Center · St. Cecilia Catholic School · Iowa State University Memorial UnionCommunity groups 121Ames Regional Economic Alliance · Iowa Sports Foundation · Iowa State University FoundationTown & public services 78Ames Police Department · Ames City Parks and Recreation Department · Highway DepartmentPlaces of worship 69Ames First United Methodist Church · Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation · Ames United Church of Christ

Talk & tips

Favorites, openings and closings from Ames neighbors.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Is Vinyl Cafe the best coffee in Ames?

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Some place details from Overture Maps (CDLA-Permissive-2.0), checked against the Census town line. Places added by neighbors go live once a second neighbor confirms them. Spot a mistake? Open the place and tap Edit mode.

How we sort and count

Each list puts neighbor favorites first (ratings and photos), then the most complete listings (a website, a phone number, a note), with local, independent spots ahead of national chains. Categories come from each place’s map category, so a café filed under “Shops” still shows up with the cafés. “A five-minute walk” is a quarter mile from the busiest spot on the map. Per-1,000 figures use the Census population.