You've done Pella.  You've driven to Ames more times than you can count. But if you haven't pointed your car southeast toward Fairfield, Iowa yet, you're overdue — and spring is the absolute best time to finally make it happen.

Fairfield is just under two hours from Des Moines, and it is going to surprise you. In the best, most "why didn't anyone tell me about this sooner" kind of way. Whether you're planning a Mother's Day outing, a girls' trip, or just a weekend that feels like more than a weekend, Fairfield delivers the kind of day that people talk about on the drive home and then start planning a return trip before they've even unpacked.

Here's what spring in Fairfield looks like — and why your mom (or your group chat, or honestly just you) deserves this one.

Start the Morning Right at Café Paradiso

Before anything else, coffee. Café Paradiso on the downtown square has been roasting its own beans on-site since 2002, and the difference is immediately obvious in the cup. Settle in, soak up the artsy, intimate vibe, and let Fairfield ease you in gently. This is not a grab-and-go situation. This is a linger-over-your-latte-and-look-around situation. You're on Fairfield time now.

Spring Events Worth Timing Your Trip Around

Fairfield's spring calendar is genuinely stacked, and any one of these is reason enough to make the drive.

The Fairfield Renaissance Faire (April 25–26) transforms the town into a full-on celebration of all things medieval — costumed performers, artisans, entertainment, and the kind of joyful absurdity that makes for great memories and even better photos. It's family-friendly, it's festive, and it's exactly the kind of event you won't find in every town.

First Fridays (May 1 and June 5) are downtown Fairfield at its most alive. On warm evenings, bands play in the gazebo, food vendors and local crafters line the sidewalks around the square, and the shops and galleries stay open late while the whole community shows up to mingle. It's relaxed, it's charming, and it's the kind of neighborhood-gathering energy that cities spend millions trying to manufacture. Here it just happens naturally.

The Fairfield Farmers Market opens May 2 — a perfect excuse to start a Saturday morning wandering stalls of locally grown produce, handmade goods, and the kind of small-town market energy that makes you want to buy things you didn't know you needed.

And keep an eye on the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center calendar all spring and summer. Shows range from nationally touring acts to locally produced performances — this spring they're bringing I Am, He Said: A Celebration of the Music of Neil Diamond (April 23), and the lineup keeps growing. Check [facc.org] before you visit because there's a good chance something is happening the weekend you're in town.

Peony Season: The One You Have to See

If you can time your visit for the week before Memorial Day, do it. The Abingdon Heirloom Peony Farm is home to a stunning collection of peonies that bloom in a glorious, fleeting burst of color that locals and visitors alike plan their calendars around. It's the kind of natural beauty that photographs beautifully but honestly looks better in person — lush, fragrant, and very Fairfield. Located just a short drive northwest of Fairfield. (its in the country, ya'll)  Come for the flowers, stay for everything else.

Lunch at Taco Dreams (Order the Hawaiian Plate Special)

By now you've earned lunch. Taco Dreams is a Fairfield favorite, and if the Hawaiian plate special is on the menu, order it without overthinking it. It's the kind of unexpected combination that perfectly sums up what Fairfield does with food — creative, confident, and genuinely delicious. This is not your average taco spot.

Shop, Browse, and Discover Downtown

Fairfield's shops are the kind that make you slow down and actually look at things. Foxy Curations for vintage-meets-modern home goods and gifts. Overland Sheepskin for a level of luxury that feels out of place in the best possible way. The At Home Store for the cook (or aspiring cook) in your group — imported food goods, beautiful tableware, kitchen equipment that makes you want to go home and actually use it, and in the back, a whole world of natural yarns in every color imaginable with classes if you want to learn what to do with them. And Adela's Gift Shop is chocked full of springtime goodies. Have some time for a little arts & crafts? GG's Signs and Designs hosts regular sessions for a variety of classes. Or try a flower arranging class at Petal Flower Boutique.

Pop into the ICON Gallery to see what's on the walls — the rotating exhibits are consistently worth stopping for, and admission is always free.

A Little Something for Mom (and Honestly, for You Too)

If this is a Mother's Day trip — or really any trip where someone deserves to be treated — Cedar Rose Spa is your answer. Their menu covers a genuinely impressive range: massage, red light therapy, sauna, and cosmetic acupuncture for anyone curious about that particular kind of glow-up. Book ahead, because word has gotten out.

Dinner: Choose Your Own Adventure

End the day well. For something relaxed and flavorful, El Paso Tex-Mex delivers the kind of satisfying, crowd-pleasing dinner that works for every group dynamic. If you want to make the evening feel more special — a real sit-down, linger-over-it dinner — Char Steakhouse is the move. Either way, you're finishing a great day in a great town with a great meal. There are worse ways to spend a Sunday in May.

The Drive Home Conversation

It will go something like this: "Why don't we come here more often?" Followed by someone pulling up the Fairfield events calendar on their phone before you've hit the highway. Followed by a date being circled.

That's just how Fairfield works.

Des Moines to Fairfield: About 1 hour 45 minutes via Highway 34 East. Plan to arrive by mid-morning and you'll have more than enough time to do it all — or at least enough to know exactly what you're coming back for.

Start planning at visitfairfieldiowa.com