The West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department's goal is to provide plenty to do and much to enjoy for kids, adults and seniors. There are two aquatic centers, plenty of playground equipment, and courts or fields on which to play tennis, soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, cricket and horseshoes. In planning its programming, the Parks and Recreation Department looks beyond the obvious to include such things as rugby leagues for both men and women, classes in fencing, cricket leagues and programs that embrace the city's growing ethnic diversity, including Latino soccer leagues created to incorporate the distinct playing style popular in Latin American countries.

With more than 631 acres offering both active and passive recreational opportunities, Racoon River Park is the crown jewel of the West Des Moines park system. Its centerpiece is the 232-acre Blue Heron Lake, which provides boat access for area fishing and water enthusiasts. The entire lake is designated as a no-wake zone, and it includes a 700-foot beach open to public swimming during daylight hours during the summer. Picnic shelters and a nature trail circling the lake make it a family favorite. The family pooch is also welcome at Raccoon River Park, where a dog park opened a few years ago.

The developing 80-acre Valley View Park is home to Valley View Aquatic Center, which features a leisure pool with spray toys, a lazy river and water slides, plus a 10-lane, 25-yard competitive pool with diving board and drop slide.

One of West Des Moines' oldest and most-visited community parks, the 62.15-acre Holiday Park is home to the newest aquatic center in West Des Moines. Holiday Park Aquatic Center features the only swirl water slide in Central Iowa. The park is also home to the West Des Moines Little League, Cricket Leagues and the West Des Moines Girls' Softball Association.

The American Legion park is one of West Des Moines' oldest and prettiest parks.  The 9.93-acre park features mature trees with large open play spaces. Some amenities include two handicapped-accessible picnic shelters with grills, modern restrooms, the city's only outdoor wading pool and a 6-foot halfpipe skateboarding structure.

Crossroads Park is home to the Latinos Soccer Leagues of Central Iowa, this is the city's most visible park. The 17-plus-acre park also includes an open-air picnic shelter with grills and modern restrooms, six tennis courts, a softball field, a large play area and biking and walking trails.

An annual show of incredible native flowers and fall foliage makes Southwoods Park one of the most unusual in the metro area. The wooded hilly landscape that dominates the 40-acre natural park preserve provides the best hiking in the city. In 1999, the Rothchild Memorial Nature Trail opened, inviting park users to discover some of the scenic undeveloped land that follows Jordan Creek on its way to the Raccoon River. A natural waterfall is one of the many features of this walk. A recently installed 9-hole disk golf course is regarded by players as the best such course in the metro area.

Also in the talking and planning stages is a cultural arts and recreation complex that would be unlike anything currently available in Central Iowa.  Some ideas under discussion include an indoor aquatics center; a cultural center with a 1,000-seat auditorium and a smaller, more intimate black box theater; support spaces for the theaters, including a backstage area, fly, set storage and green rooms; a gymnasium that could be divided into three basketball courts; an indoor playground; an indoor walking and jogging track; a climbing wall; a fitness center; community and preschool classrooms; a community room available for rent for various functions; and art studios.