Grinnell is a fantastic destination for both residents and tourists. You’ll find a wide array of indoor and outdoor activities to keep everyone active year-round. From recreational sports leagues to peaceful nature preserves, there truly is something for all ages and interests.
Family Fun and Community Programs
The Grinnell Recreation Department offers extensive year-round programming.
- Youth Activities: Programs for children ages 3 through 14 focus on fun while introducing basics and developing skills in sports like basketball, soccer, and volleyball.
- Programs for Adults: Adults can join softball, volleyball, or kickball leagues or take a pickleball clinic. The Walk with Ease program, hosted with Public Health, is a proven program developed by the Arthritis Foundation to help seniors and people of all ages reduce pain, build confidence in walking, and improve overall health.
- Family Activities: Get the whole family involved with fun events like Imagination Playground, trunk-or-treating, or a flashlight Easter egg hunt. Jung's Tae Kwon Do is a family-based program, with students aged 6 to 50+ learning self-defense, building character, and gaining confidence. For younger children (ages 7 and under), the Imagination Playground offers unstructured, child-directed play critical for social, emotional, and intellectual development.
- Special Programs: Children in grades 1st–6th can enjoy Play Days at the GARC (Grinnell Athletic and Recreation Center) on scheduled no-school days.
Make a Splash
Beat the heat or sharpen skills with Grinnell's aquatic options.
- The Grinnell Mutual Aquatic Center amps up the fun with two thrilling water slides, a lazy river, a zero-depth entry pool, and a lap swimming pool.
- The Tiger Sharks Swim is a competitive program open to youth swimmers focused on learning and improving strokes for swim meets.
Parks, Preserves, and Trails
Grinnell is home to beautiful green spaces and extensive trail systems for nature lovers.
- The city boasts 11 beautiful public parks, a disc golf course, and a recreation trail that connects to Rock Creek State Park.
- Central Park is a community hub, hosting the Grinnell Farmers Market on Thursdays and Saturdays (seasonally) and Thursday Music in the Park (seasonally). It also features a renovated playground, splash-pad, picnic shelter, and paths for walking and biking.
- Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park and Grinnell Athletic and Recreation Center complex (GARC) offers numerous outdoor facilities, including baseball/softball fields, tennis and pickleball courts, soccer fields, a sand volleyball court, a sledding hill, and a walking path.
- Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve is a 450-acre park with 7 miles of hiking trails for excellent viewing of native wildlife, and is also used for cross-country skiing in the winter.
- The Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA), a 365-acre field station, is open to the public for quiet enjoyment, including hiking, bird watching, and photography.
- Rock Creek State Park is a premier camping destination in central Iowa, offering boating, year-round fishing, horseback riding, and winter activities like skiing and snowmobiling on the trails.
- Poweshiek County Conservation administers 9 park and wildlife areas, encompassing over 2,173 acres, with seasonal camping available at Diamond Lake Park.
Sports and Leisure Facilities
Grinnell has top-tier facilities for golfers and sports enthusiasts.
- Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park and GARC complex provides indoor and outdoor basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, as well as an outdoor driving range.
- The Grinnell College Golf Course is a picturesque 9-hole course open to the community. In winter, it transforms into a spot for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding.
- Oakland Acres Golf Club is a beautiful 18-hole course with a large putting green and driving range, and offers golf simulators during the winter months.
Facility Rentals
The Grinnell Recreation Department hosts a variety of rental facilities for public use, including open-air shelters with electrical outlets and an enclosed facility with a small kitchen. You can find more information on the City of Grinnell's website.
Grinnell is a great place to be active year round with indoor and outdoor recreational activities. There is something for everyone!
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