Accommodations
Gateway Hotel and Conference Center at Iowa State University
2100 Green Hills Dr., Ames, Iowa
515-292-8600
A block of rooms is reserved under Science Communication Summer Symposium from June 6-11
$139/night, please book by May 16, 2018 to be guaranteed a room at this rate
Click here to make your reservation under this block!
Radisson Hotel Ames Conference Center at ISU
2609 University Blvd., Ames, Iowa
515-268-8808
A block of rooms is reserved under Science Communication Summer Symposium from June 6-11
$115/night, please book by May 14, 2018 to be guaranteed a room at this rate
Note: This hotel had previously been the Holiday Inn Ames Conference Center – ISU
Additional Hotels
For a complete listing of Ames hotels, see the Ames Visitors Bureau site.
Transportation
- Air. Des Moines International Airport is the closest airport to Ames – less than an hour drive. It’s a small market airport, so airfares are variable and can be high. Some central Iowans prefer to fly through the larger, but more distant airports at Kansas City (4 hours), Minneapolis-St. Paul (3 hours) or Omaha (3 hours).
- Ground. Executive Express shuttle service runs frequent trips from Des Moines airport to the ISU campus and Ames hotels; reservations in advance are required. The airport also has a full range of rental car options. Ames has a great bus system for a small city. The Red bus line runs east to downtown Ames along Lincoln Way, with a stop right across from the Memorial Union. The Brown bus line runs from the Gateway Hotel and Radisson to campus. Exit the bus at Gilman Hall and walk south past Parks Library to Morrill Hall. See the CyRide schedules for full details. Parking is available at the Memorial Union ramp.
Around & about
On campus you can find the Christian Peterson Art Museum (M-F 10-4) in the restored Morrill Hall; one of the several exhibit spaces worth a visit. The Ames Visitor’s Bureau maintains a directory of other central Iowa attractions. The Des Moines area hosts a world class contemporary Art Center, a recently rebuilt Science Center, Living History Farms and neighborhoods like the East Village, near the state capitol. See the Des Moines Visitors’ Bureau for more possibilities. Further afield, the Amana colonies are worth a visit.