Things to Do in Ames Iowa: Giant Gnomes, Metal Art & Unexpected Stops
We were on our way to Minnesota for Unicon21 and decided to make a stop in Ames, Iowa.
Usually, we keep stops like this pretty brief. Grab food, stretch legs, maybe find one weird thing and move on.
Ames did not cooperate.
What started as a quick stop turned into a full day of metal art, giant gnome energy, butterflies, gardens, and one of those “wait, why did no one tell us about this?” travel days.
If you’re looking for unusual things to do in Ames, Iowa, this college town has more going on than we expected.
Metal Art in Ames Iowa
We have a soft spot for all things large, metal, and slightly unexpected, so when we spotted the metal turkey at the Iowa Turkey Federation, we obviously had to stop.
Because of course Iowa has a metal turkey.
The feathers are what got us. The detail work is ridiculous in the best way, and the whole thing feels like exactly the kind of roadside-adjacent stop we end up loving.
Then we found another metal sculpture — a woman’s head with flowing metal hair. Up close, you can actually see the individual strands worked into the piece.
Ames really said, “Sure, we’re a college town, but also please enjoy our dramatic metal sculpture situation.”
Reiman Gardens
Reiman Gardens was the reason Ames went from “quick stop” to “okay, apparently we’re spending the day here.”
We originally went because of Elwood, the World’s Largest Concrete Gnome. That was the hook. Giant concrete gnome? Obviously we were going.
But Reiman Gardens ended up being much more than a gnome photo stop — butterflies, sculptures, garden playhouses, tropical plants, and enough little surprises that it deserved its own full post.
If Reiman Gardens is on your Ames list, you can read our full breakdown here: Reiman Gardens Ames Iowa.
Elwood: The World’s Largest Concrete Gnome
Elwood deserves his own mention because he is enormous, concrete, and somehow deeply unsettling.
He stands inside Reiman Gardens holding a daffodil like the final boss of whimsical landscaping. Technically, he is the World’s Largest Concrete Gnome, which naturally raises questions.
Is there a resin gnome out there causing trouble?
Is there a gnome ranking system?
Did Elwood win by material category?
We do not know. We simply stood next to him, took the required photo, and accepted that this was part of our day now.
Why Ames Iowa Surprised Us
Ames was not supposed to be a major stop.
It was supposed to be a quick detour on the way to somewhere else — which is exactly how some of our favorite travel days happen.
Between the metal art, Elwood, Reiman Gardens, and the general “how did this turn into a whole thing?” energy, Ames ended up being a lot more interesting than we expected.
That’s the kind of stop we love most: not overly polished, not screaming for attention, just quietly sitting there with a giant gnome and a metal turkey waiting for people like us to notice.
Planning a Stop in Ames Iowa
If you’re passing through central Iowa, Ames is worth more than a gas station stop.
Reiman Gardens can easily take a couple of hours on its own, especially if you want to see the butterfly wing, wander the outdoor gardens, and take the obligatory photo with Elwood.
The metal art stops are quicker, but they’re exactly the kind of thing we love working into a road trip day — easy, weird, memorable, and not a huge commitment.
Give yourself time to wander a little. Ames surprised us, and honestly, that was the best part.
More Iowa Road Trip Stops
Ames ended up being one of those places we were glad we didn’t rush through. If you’re building an Iowa route, start with Reiman Gardens, leave room for the unexpected, and don’t underestimate the power of a good roadside turkey.
And if you want the full garden breakdown, don’t miss our dedicated Reiman Gardens Ames Iowa post.