Iowa Staycation in Des Moines

*I received complimentary admission to facilitate this review as a 
US Family Guide Blogger.  All views and opinions shared are my own.*

My family loves exploring our "backyard" and traveling around our home state of Iowa.  One place we love to take a day trip or a weekend vacation to is   Des Moines.  Besides being the state capital and home to several family members, there are a variety of fun, family-friendly destinations.  A new spot we recently checked out was Monkey Joe's in West Des Moines.

LP with Monkey Joe

Monkey Joe's is a fun, inflatable-filled indoor play and party center perfect for kids ages 12 and under.  When we visited the West Des Moines location.  There were seven inflatables, including two for kids ages 3 and under.

LP on the "Pirate Ship"

LP loved the "Pirate Ship" inflatable.  He especially loved the slide part of it.  I was surprised how fast the slide was, but he thought that was the best part!  He definitely had no fear when jumping and bouncing around the entire play center, but really, what four year old boy does???  LP was the perfect age for Monkey Joe's.  There are other indoor play places in the Des Moines area; I really feel like Monkey Joe's is the best fit out of all the options for preschool and elementary aged kids.

MP watching her big brother LP go down a slide

MP wasn't sure about all the bouncing and jumping, but she loved pointing out all of the monkeys in the play center.  And boy are there a lot of monkeys.  She also enjoyed checking out the arcade area, running around and watching her big brother go down slides.

As a Mom, my favorite part was that adults got in for free and there was no time limit.  I also appreciated their pride in keeping the place clean and safe.  I saw each employee at one point or another cleaning around the center.  And to keep kids safe, when you enter they give each adult and child in the same group a matching number bracelet system; they then check each bracelet before you leave to make sure the correct kids are leaving with their parents or guardians for the day.  Even our 4 month old daughter JP got a bracelet!  She never left the comfort of my baby carrier I was wearing on my chest, but she still got one.  Also, one quick Mom Note: remember socks for the entire family, including yourself.  Socks must be worn around the play center, and if you don't bring your own, you can purchase a pair from Monkey Joe's.

The Des Moines Monkey Joe's is located at 1600 Valley West Drive, Suite 200 in West Des Moines, across the road from Valley West Mall and next to Hy-Vee and Goodwill.  It is open Monday-Saturday, 10am to 8pm and Sunday 11am to 6pm.  I recommend you follow them on Facebook and Twitter to receive special discounts.  Also, you can get a $2 Off Admission coupon right now for the West Des Moines location from US Family Guide.

What do you look for in a family friendly staycation?  Have you ever been to a Monkey Joe's?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!