March 5, 2010March 5, 2010

night. Each performance is unique and brings people together through music.

On March 16th Jester Park is hosting a campfire complete with a hike and learning about the wild night-life in the Park. It begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free for all ages. More information is available at www.conservationboard.org.

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, check out the annual parade. It starts at 12 p.m. at 15th and Locust and follows Locust all the way to the Embassy Suites where a reception will be held until 4:30 p.m. according to “The Des Moines Register.”

If traveling isn’t a problem, carpooling with friends to lower costs

If this is the case, sticking around in Des Moines may not be such a bad Spring Break after all. Des Moines does offer some fun activities and is not too far from Omaha or Minneapolis.

To kick off Spring Break, Dashboard Confessional is playing at People’s Court on March 12. For any concert lovers, band tickets are on sale at www.iowatix.com.

Another concert is “Yesterday and Today,” an interactive Beatles experience at the Des Moines Playhouse. Tickets are $25 and show times are 7:30 p.m. March 11-12, and 6 & 9 p.m. on March 13. By sharing a Beatles song that has meaning to your life you help create the playlist for the

is a good idea even if it only gets a group out of Des Moines for a day or two.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Be taken away to the Tropical Rainforest and Desert among other exhibits all for $11.50, a small price to pay for an escape from the cold and a chance to see exotic animals.

If travel sounds bleak for break, the Blank Park Zoo is always another option. It has grown and opened new animal exhibits in the past few years, such as the Red Pandas and the Discovery Center. The zoo is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (hours may change in the month of March) and tickets are $10.95 per person. This will save gas money for something else while still getting to see animals.

The Des Moines Botanical Center is another great option to get out of the cold and see beautiful flowers. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can walk through the gardens for only $5. It’s a great place for a picnic in the afternoon and they offer lunch at the Riverwalk Cafe inside open Mon. through Sat. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

After visiting the Botanical Center, feel free to take a walk by the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens and Chinese Culture Center of America close by to the center.

If a movie experience sounds like more fun, try out the Des Moines Blank Imax Dome Theater at the Science Center. The movies playing now include Avatar, Dolphins, The Alps, Dinosaurs and Imax Hubble. For show times and tickets, visit the website at www.sciowa.org.

Some other places to check out during the break that won’t drain the wallet include Grays Lake, Raccoon River and the Des Moines Art Center.

Grays Lake has a beautiful walking path with a great view of the skyline and also offers paddle boats or water bikes to rent for the lake.

The Raccoon River offers several paths for walking, running, or biking. There is also the beach, which may not be quite ready in March but the shelter houses and playgrounds still make it a great option for a picnic. There is even a dog park available.

The Des Moines Art Center is free there are displays of great paintings, sculptures and more. The rose garden and beautiful landscaping behind the building are also spots for exploring. There is a restaurant in the art center open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tues. through Sat.

After going there, the East Village offers opportunities to discover the fun and unique shops it has to offer. While there, Noodle Zoo offers a great lunch menu and The Village Bean is a perfect place to relax and sip coffee between stores.

If, however, students are still itching to get out of Iowa, carpooling to the Mall of America for a day of shopping and experiencing the amusement park could be a great way to take a mini vacation.

Some Grand View students are going to spend time their Spring Break outside of Iowa.

Devlin Hogans, broadcast and journalism sophomore, said“ I’m going to Daytona Beach to play in a baseball tournament.”

“I’m going to Baytown Mission,

Texas and South Padre Island with some friends,” Wes Dawson, business management freshman, said.

“We are driving to Steamboat to my Aunt and Uncle’s Condo and we are going skiing and going to go ride snowmobiles for a few days too,” Jake Housby, Liberal Arts sophomore,said.

Also going to Colorado is nursing sophomore Katie Freml. “I am going to this year for a couple days just to get away from the stress of school and to enjoy some downtime and shopping,” she said.

“I’m going with the choir on a Spring Tour in Texas. It’s nice because I only cover my own expenses,” Michael Tallman, theatre arts and broadcasting sophomore, said. “Otherwise, I’d be at my parent’s home eating cookies n’ cream ice cream while watching reruns of Match Game.”

Other students are planning to go home and see their friends and family or work.

“I’m going home to West Point to spend time with my family and friends, I have been really busy with track every weekend and haven’t been home since Christmas,” Betsy Craig, business sophomore, said.

“I’m staying in Des Moines, and if the snow doesn’t melt by Spring Break, I’ll be sledding, making snow angels, or ice skating downtown with my friends,” Bobbi Pearson, sociology freshman, said.

“Well since I don’t get a chance to work that much during school, I am going to work full time at a daycare while enjoying a break from school. Hopefully there will be some sunshine to go with it,” Stephanie Voss, elementary education junior, said.

•••• written by Courtney Townsend