The following events are meant for adults who want to get out of the house and have some fun for a date night or just an excuse to get a babysitter while the weather is nice enough to actually do things outdoors.

Zoo Brew– every Wednesday during the summer, the Blank Park Zoo offers those 21+ the chance to try different beers while also getting a close up view of the zoo animals. This is a unique way to enjoy the zoo as an adult and gives your Wednesdays something fun to look forward to other than it’s just that much closer to Friday. For more information, go to http://www.blankparkzoo.com/events/ Prairie Meadows Racing– Altoona, go to the casino and revel in the excitement of making bets against horses and seeing if you’ll luck out at the slot machines. They have plenty of food there, with buffet options as well as concession stands. They offer live music and concerts during the summer in case you need a break from gambling for a while. For racing schedules and for other events at Prairie Meadows, go to http://www.prairiemeadows.com/ Shakespeare on the Lawn– Salisbury House will offer the chance to see a live performance on June 16,2016 on their south terrace by the Repertory Theater of Iowa. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $22.50 for members. For more information, their website is www.salisburyhouse.org Valley Junction Music in the Junction/Valley Junction Famer’s Market– May 5-September 29, 2016 in Historic Valley Junction, the Music in the Junction starts at 6pm every Thursday in the summer. The farmer’s market has over 100 weekly vendors selling everything from the typical farm stand choices to baked goods and flowers This is a great way to load up on fresh, seasonal foods and hear local musicians without the crowds of the Downtown farmer’s market. Their website is http://www.valleyjunction.com/events Rent a Canoe/Kayak at Grey’s Lake– Memorial Day through Labor Day, you can rent a boat from 10am to 7pm. Choose from the paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and hydrobikes. You can work as a team in a relaxing setting or just float in relaxation. For more information about boat rentals, go to https://www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/Parks.aspx?Tab=Gray’s+Lake+Park Rent a B cycle and act like tourists– Stations are located throughout downtown and more have been added this year to make it easier to find one. I know it’s cliché to recommend acting like a tourist but have you seen Des Moines while riding a bicycle? It’s a whole different experience than driving through it or even walking. The bikes are very comfortable and have large baskets in front that could easily hold a picnic basket if you were wanting to make a dinner and a ride. For bike rental locations, go to https://desmoines.bcycle.com/ Go to the Art Museum– it’s a free spot to see beautiful art by famous and lesser known artists. Take a seat on one of the large, comfy couches and really try to understand what the artist is trying to say with their piece. Or at the very least, sit and try to think anything other than, ” I don’t get it” like I usually tend to do there. For more information, go to http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org Listen to live music at Sumerset Winery– Indianola, Sumerset offers Sunday Tunes year round, rain or shine bringing the show inside if it gets too bad out. Just $5 per person, you can see a new act every week. Their wine is some of the best in the state and they sell it during the show. For a list of musicians this summer, go to http://www.summersetwine.com/events/event/sunday-tunes/ Go to Alba’s Service Industry Night or Happy Hour – Every Monday, Alba offers $5 specialty cocktails and $5 burgers all night in the bar. This is one of the top rated restaurants in town so this is a great way to get fancy drinks and awesome burgers for a fraction of their normal prices. In case you can’t make the Monday special, they offer a Happy Hour Tuesday through Friday with half off appetizers and $2 off all beer and glasses of wine. Go to http://albadsm.com/ Go Mini Golfing– There’s a few choices in where you can play around town but this is a fun way to while away a summer’s night. It costs around $7 per person so it’s cheaper than a movie and you can test your golfing skills without having to go through a full 18 hole golfing game. Loser buys dinner. For more information, go to http://www.northfortyminigolf.com/id14.html or http://www.westgrandgolf.com/minigolf.html