Des Moines

Introduction

Des Moines is the capital of Iowa and the seat of Polk County, with the city's southern reaches crossing into Warren County. It takes its name from the Des Moines River, a name likely rooted in the French Rivière des Moines, or "River of the Monks." The city was incorporated in 1851 as Fort Des Moines and shortened to its present name in 1857.

The city anchors a six-county metropolitan area that is the largest in the state located entirely within Iowa, drawing residents across a broad stretch of central Iowa. For your visit, that means a capital city with the reach and variety of a larger metro while remaining firmly rooted in the state around it.

Before you go

Des Moines sits at the junction of the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River, and its name has never been pinned to a single meaning — local Native Americans, the Moingona, used a term for "river of the mounds," while French Trappist monks called their settlement at the river's mouth "La Rivière des Moines," or "the river of the monks." The city grew out of Fort Des Moines, settled in 1843 and dissolved in 1846, when the city itself was created. Every four years, Iowa's early presidential caucus date turns the city into a hotbed of political dreams and discourse, as candidates tour the state and debate within the city.

Plan around the weather rather than hoping for the best. Summers bring very humid air on top of the heat, producing a heat index that can climb high enough to make outdoor life uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous, even for visitors from hot climates where the heat comes without the humidity. Rain and thunderstorms are common in spring and summer, occasionally severe, and tornadoes of varying intensity are sometimes possible. Winter can bring heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures, with road closures due to snow or ice not at all unusual. Fall, by contrast, is pleasantly cool and typically more dry than wet. For official visitor information, the Catch Des Moines tourism website is the place to start.

Getting there

Most travelers reach Des Moines by car, arriving on I-80 from the east or west or I-35 from the north or south. Neither interstate has tollways, and major traffic jams are rare. To enter the city proper, take I-235, the main thoroughfare, which runs through downtown and is also toll-free. Note that the speed limit on I-235 is lower than on the surrounding interstates, and traffic is heavier during the morning and evening rush hours as commuters travel to and from work; semi-trailers passing through are advised to bypass it. Because most area residents get around by car, bringing or renting one is a good idea — the roads are in good shape and drivers are generally courteous. For distances, Chicago lies to the east, Omaha to the west, Kansas City to the south along I-35, and Minneapolis/Saint Paul to the north. The Iowa Department of Transportation provides safe-driving tips and information on closures due to weather and construction, and public rest areas across the state offer wi-fi.

Des Moines International Airport (DSM) sits on Fleur Drive and consists of a single, fairly small terminal. Allegiant Air, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and United all operate non-stop flights between Des Moines and their respective major hubs, and many flights are now more affordable than in the past. Most hotels offer free shuttle service, and rental cars are available. By bus, the Burlington Trailways–Jefferson Lines terminal is on 2nd Avenue; Greyhound does not serve Des Moines directly but offers through-ticketing with both lines. By train, the nearest Amtrak station is south in Osceola, a town with few traveler services apart from a casino, so it's best to do any extensive overnight stays in Des Moines. You can connect between Osceola and Des Moines by Jefferson Lines bus, which leaves from the Osceola Amtrak station and arrives at the bus station in Des Moines.

Getting around

Des Moines is a car-oriented city, and having a car — whether you bring one or rent one — makes it much easier to reach sights outside downtown. Rental companies including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National operate at the airport next to baggage claim, with other locations around the city. If you drive, I-235 is the main freeway through downtown; traffic is heavier during the morning and evening rush hours, and downtown has several one-way streets, with left turns allowed unless otherwise designated. Street names take some getting used to: the Des Moines River marks whether a north-south street carries an "East" prefix, so "1st Ave" and "E 1st Ave" are entirely different streets. In the colder months, snow and ice are common, so watch parking rules and snow emergencies to avoid being towed, and keep a snow brush, ice scraper, and windshield washer fluid on hand. Gasoline is reasonably cheap, with ethanol blends widely available; the 10% ethanol mix is generally considered safe for newer autos, unlike the 85% ethanol blend.

Downtown itself is compact enough to explore on foot, and the free D-Line shuttle (route 42) loops from Western Greenway Park to the State Capitol Building along Grand Avenue and Locust Street, stopping at several downtown hotels, the State Historical Society of Iowa Museum, city hall, and the central public library on weekdays. Local bus service is provided by DART, with regular, express, commuter, and downtown shuttle routes, some running well into the evening; most buses accommodate bicycles. Taxis such as Capitol Cab and Yellow Cab operate around the clock. Cycling is a realistic option: drivers are generally courteous, some corridors into downtown have bike-only lanes, and all city buses allow bikes on board. Des Moines B-Cycle has sharing stations downtown, and hundreds of miles of interconnected paved hike-and-bike paths — including the Neal Smith Trail along the Des Moines River, the Clive Greenbelt Trail, the converted-railroad High Trestle Trail, and the pea-gravel Meredith Trail along the Raccoon River — let you ride long distances away from busy streets, with several trailheads near craft breweries.

Where to stay

Des Moines leans heavily on national chains for its rooms, and you'll find options across the budget, mid-range and upscale brackets. Bed and breakfasts are comparatively scarce here, though the Butler House on Grand offers a romantic alternative on Grand Avenue. If your visit coincides with the state wrestling, girls' basketball and boys' basketball championships, which fall in three successive weeks in March, expect downtown rooms near Wells Fargo Arena to book up fast.

For a budget stay, the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham near the airport covers the basics with breakfast, wifi, an indoor pool and in-room appliances. Mid-range choices include the Clarion Inn near the airport, with an attached Mexican restaurant and buffet, the Hampton Inn in West Des Moines, and the Ramada Tropics Resort, which has the area's only indoor water park. The Des Lux Hotel downtown trades cookie-cutter chain style for antiques, artworks and rooms with fireplaces and hot tubs. If you're splurging, the AC Hotel in the East Village has a rooftop bar with views toward the Iowa State Capitol, while the historic Hotel Fort Des Moines and the Renaissance Savery, connected to the skywalk, put you in the centre of things. The Surety Hotel, a 1918 building renovated and run under Marriott's Autograph Collection, pairs firm mattresses and quality linens with a classy lobby restaurant, though off-street parking sits in a separate building and costs a fair amount.

Food & drink

Iowa cooking runs to meat and potatoes with generous portions, and in Des Moines you should watch for the locally invented steak de burgo — a beef tenderloin built on garlic and butter, sometimes finished with a little cream. For something quick and unmistakably local, the burger chain B-Bops has a following for its quarter-pound hamburgers, and Tasty Tacos is a homegrown fast-food option that holds its own against sit-down places. B and B Grocery, Meat and Deli is a family-run deli known for its Dad's Killer sandwich and the oversized Killossal. If you want a diner breakfast, Waveland Cafe draws a Saturday-morning crowd, while La Mie Bakery and Restaurant is a French-style bakery with omelets and coffee and a patio out back. Zombie Burger, in the East Village, pairs a playful undead theme with creative burgers and milkshakes.

For a sit-down meal, Chuck's Restaurant has served old classics like spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf and steak for decades, and the Drake Diner covers omelets, French toast, reubens and burgers, with shakes and malts made from local dairy ice cream. Jethro's BBQ has earned local favor, Flying Mango smokes Cajun and Creole cooking in Beaverdale, and Masao offers French-Japanese fusion in the East Village. Italian options include Noah's Ark Ristorante, Centro with its coal-fired pizzas, Cosi Cucina, and Tursi's Latin King, one of the area's longest-standing restaurants. Maccabbees Glatt Kosher Deli is central Iowa's only kosher deli, Chicago Speakeasy specializes in prime rib, and at the top end, 801 Chophouse has a reputation as the city's nicest restaurant.

What to see and do

Start downtown with the Iowa State Capitol, easy to pick out by its gold-leaf dome and four smaller copper-topped domes; you can climb the 298 steps from the second floor for a view from the top, see historic flags including Civil War-era examples, and tour the ornate State Law Library. Nearby in the East Village, the State Historical Society of Iowa Museum traces the state's glacial past, mammoths, and frontier and prairie life with hands-on activities for kids, plus fossils, Native American and wildlife displays. On Grand Avenue you'll find the Des Moines Art Center, with a permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century contemporary art, and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Western Gateway Park, a family-friendly downtown green space with picnic areas, walking trails and public restrooms. Also on Grand Avenue are Terrace Hill, the Governor's Mansion, sitting above the Raccoon River and offering guided tours, and the Salisbury House, a 42-room Tudor, Gothic and Corolean-style home filled with art, furniture, tapestries and books. South of downtown, the Science Center of Iowa runs six experience platforms plus planetarium shows in its 50-foot dome, while the Des Moines Botanical Garden is especially popular during cold Iowa winters and connects to the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens and its pavilion.

For live performance and art, Hoyt Sherman Place combines a fine art collection with a 1,400-seat theater in an 1887 mansion. The city's calendar fills up in the warm months from May through October, when streets host festivals and celebrations where different cultures bring music to parks and stages and food stands sell dishes from their homelands; most are free to attend, though vendors charge for food and drink, and you should expect closed streets and bridges around festival areas and parade routes. The Des Moines Arts Festival takes over Western Gateway Park for a three-day weekend in June with artists from around the country, stages and food vendors. The Iowa State Fair runs for ten days in August at the Fairgrounds, centered on agriculture, the arts and food, with beer tents and Grandstand shows at night. In October, Taste of Des Moines gathers more than 40 mostly local vendors, often at Drake University. The Salisbury Automobile Classic displays antique and classic cars to benefit the Salisbury House. Beyond downtown, Blank Park Zoo offers permanent exhibits and activities such as behind-the-scenes tours and giraffe feedings throughout the year.

When to go

Des Moines has four distinct seasons, and the one you choose shapes what you can comfortably do outdoors. Summer is hot and very humid, with the combination of heat and moisture pushing the heat index high enough to make time outside uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous, even if you come from a hot climate. Heat waves can raise conditions further. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer and occasionally severe, and tornadoes are sometimes possible. Spring brings rain and thunderstorms that are common and occasionally severe, with tornadoes of varying intensities sometimes a possibility, so outdoor plans can be interrupted by storms.

Fall is your most reliable bet: pleasantly cool and typically drier than the rest of the year, it makes for comfortable time outside. Winter is the opposite extreme, with heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures, and road closures from snow or ice are not unusual. If you are unaccustomed to the cold, it can be as much of a concern as the summer heat.

Festivals & events

Three days in Des Moines

Day one: Start in Des Moines, the seat of Polk County, and get your bearings along the Des Moines River, whose name traces back through French Rivière des Moines and the Moingona to the Monks who once lived near its banks. Walk the riverfront where the Des Moines meets the Raccoon River, the confluence that gave Fort Des Moines its reason for being. Note that the city sits within Polk County and reaches into Warren County, and that its summers are warm while winters turn bitterly cold, with rain spread across the year and fall offering the mildest walking weather.

Day two: Plan a day around the water. The Des Moines River and the Raccoon River shape the downtown grid, so follow them on foot and let the current set your pace. Catch Des Moines can point you toward what is happening in town, and most of the riverside is easy to reach without a car. Neither the heat of summer nor the chill of winter should keep you from the river for long, but check conditions before you go.

Day three: Because Des Moines sits between Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, it works well as a stop rather than only a destination. If you are flying out, the Iowa Department of Transportation and Des Moines International Airport, known as DSM, serve the city, with the airport approach along Fleur Drive. Use your last hours to revisit the river confluence and the old fort site, then head out by air or by road toward whichever of those cities is next.