12/04/2025
✨ Top 10 Things We Love About Ames in December
1. Downtown twinkle lights
Main Street feels like a cozy little Christmas village every night.
2. Holiday shopping at local boutiques
Handmade gifts, ISU spirit wear, and festive finds you won’t see anywhere else.
3. The Peppermint Milkshake at Chick-fil-A
Minty, creamy, nostalgic… basically Christmas cheer in a cup. 🎄🥤
4. Snow on ISU campus
The Campanile, Lake LaVerne, and Central Campus look straight out of a winter postcard.
5. Cyclone basketball energy
Hilton Magic is alive, loud, and one of the best parts of December in Ames.
6. Walks through Ada Hayden or Brookside Park
Quiet, peaceful, and stunning under a fresh layer of snow.
7. Warm comfort food from Cornbread
Their soul-warming dishes hit exactly right on cold December nights.
8. Reiman Gardens Christmas Light Walk
A magical, glowing winter wonderland — the Winter Wonderscape is a must-see for all ages.
9. Small-town kindness amplified
More waving, more helping, more smiling — December in Ames just feels better.
10. Coming “home” to a cozy stay
Blankets, Netflix, soft lighting, and a peaceful neighborhood — Stay Ames makes winter feel magical.
