Pleasant Hill

Home to the neighborhood’s namesake lake park and the sprawling golf course, Copper Creek is an idyllic, picturesque community tucked on the north side of Pleasant Hill. “Copper Creek has everything; there are parks in development, a golf course, a movie theater, tons of restaurants, sports bars and shopping. Many Des Moines locals like to retire in Copper Creek,” says Jenn Ho Goh, Realtor at Realty ONE Group Impact who has been servicing the Des Moines greater metropolitan area. Residents can drive along Copper Creek Drive and visit local eateries, catch a film or access Copper Creek Lake for natural outings. Comfortably secluded from the bustle of city life, Copper Creek offers serenity and peaceful living. Compared to the residences in Des Moines, Copper Creek is a relatively young neighborhood with most homes developed in the late 1900s and the early 2000s. Single-family properties typically have three to five bedrooms and are built with Colonial Revival, ranch-style, New Traditional and Tutor Revival architecture. Ranging from single-story, 1,000 square feet ranches to two-story homes close to 3,000 square feet, most properties in Copper Creek may list between $300,000 and $600,000. Unique home design elements that are defining elements of the neighborhood include tile roofs, brickwork or moonstone facades and pastel palettes. The yards are delicately kept and are often a quarter or half an acre in size, and the tree-lined streets are complemented with sidewalks that end in residential cul-de-sacs. “There are also some really big houses on the golf course,” Goh adds. These few estate homes with golf course views are priced at $700,000 and go up to around $1 million. Area students are zoned for the Southeast Polk Community School District, which is a highly rated public school system in Iowa. Young learners may begin primary education at Clay Elementary School and continue to Southeast Polk Junior High School, both of which are rated B-plus by Niche. Southeast Polk High School scores a B and was nationally recognized for its commitment to empowering students. As the main attraction of the locale, Copper Creek Lake Park is an oasis of peace and a natural haven. Residents may relax by the 40-acre lake and take a stroll along the lakeside walking trail, or try fishing under the lake’s catch-and-release guideline. Golfers can perfect their swings at Copper Creek Golf Club, which meanders through the community with green terrain. Farther to the south, Sleepy Hollow Sports Park offers fun activities such as mini golf, laser tag, bumper boats and football in the warmer months. When winter comes, locals may enjoy Stiga and Zipfy sledding and tubing, and the park turns into a haunted theme park every autumn in anticipation of Halloween. Residents may go grocery shopping at Hy-Vee, which is a couple of blocks south, and big-box retailers such as Target and Walmart are located several miles north in Altoona. Grab a brisket sandwich or an order of ribs at Rolling Smoke Barbeque. For authentic Mexican dishes, enjoy a sit-down dining experience at La Feria Mexican Restaurant. Mugsy’s Pizza House and Irish Sports Pub boasts an upscale interior design alongside a full bar, pub fare and arcade games. Copper Creek 9 is a family-owned movie theater that runs a collection of first-run films. Art on the Lake is an annual festival that provides artists with opportunities to flourish and display their artwork. Every Friday in June, Chill on the Hill has live music and alcoholic beverages at Creek Lake Park. Pleasant Hill organizes the annual Summer Fest with music performances, a parade, fireworks and family-friendly activities. The city also organizes celebrations for holidays such as Christmas and Independence Day, and additional festivals include the Art, Wine & Music Festival and the Blues and Brews Festival. Notable events in Des Moines include the Iowa State Fair and the 80/35 Music Festival. Des Moines International Airport is about 17 miles to the south via U.S. Route 65. Major highways, Interstate 35 and Interstate 80, lead into Minneapolis and Chicago, respectively. UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital is about 5 miles west of the neighborhood, and residents may access the city with public transit, which is the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART).