Visiting Ames for a Game?

The primary gateway to Ames is Des Moines International Airport (DSM), located approximately 41 miles south of the city via I-35, a drive of roughly 47-50 minutes. Uber and Lyft both operate from DSM to Ames, with average fares around $60-70 for the trip. Executive Express runs an on-demand shuttle service between DSM and Iowa State University with tickets in the $80-190 range, and is a solid option if you want a guaranteed seat rather than surge-priced rideshare on game weekends.

Ames is a small, compact college town where a car is strongly recommended, as intercity public transit infrastructure is limited. Within Ames and the ISU campus, CyRide operates a free or low-cost bus network that is especially useful for getting between the Campustown neighborhood and campus venues on game days. Uber and Lyft are available in Ames but supply can be extremely tight immediately after large football games, so plan ahead or arrange a pickup spot away from the stadium crush.

The ISU campus edge and Campustown area (along Lincoln Way) are the best bases for visiting sports fans, putting you within walking or short CyRide distance of Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum. Hotels cluster heavily in this zone, with options like the Courtyard Ames, Hampton Inn and Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and Comfort Inn near ISU Campus; nightly rates typically run $90-160 on normal weekends but can spike well above $200 on home football Saturdays, so book early. The Gateway Hotel and Conference Center sits directly on the ISU campus and is a premium choice for fans who want to be closest to the action. Avoid booking hotels near the I-35/Highway 30 interchange if walkability to campus matters, as that corridor is several miles from the stadium.

Ames is a pure college football town, and game days at Jack Trice Stadium transform this otherwise quiet mid-Iowa city into a passionate sea of cardinal and gold. The Iowa State-Iowa Hawkeyes rivalry (the Cy-Hawk Series) is one of the most heated in-state rivalries in the Big 12, meaning away fans traveling for that matchup should expect an especially charged atmosphere. Beyond football, Hilton Coliseum on campus hosts Iowa State men's and women's basketball, and the building has a legendary home-court atmosphere known as 'Hilton Magic,' so checking the schedule for a multi-sport weekend trip is well worth it. Campustown along Lincoln Way is the hub for pre- and post-game bar and restaurant activity, and the area fills up fast on football Saturdays.