Des Moines

Des Moines—a modest Midwestern city in a modest Midwestern state—is politically significant and rich in history. It is home to iconic attractions such as Pappajohn Sculpture Garden and the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge.

Overview Attractions / Activities Food Final Comments

Compared to many cities, the capital of Iowa does not possess much of a wow factor. Rather, Des Moines chooses to embrace a slower and more relaxed pace and way of life.

The attractions here are lovely and rich in history but are generally less grand. So, as long as you temper your expectations and find a moment to enjoy the peace while taking in some history, you’ll have a grand time.

When you visit, make sure to follow this Des Moines Adventure Guide to maximize your time here.

Recommended Duration of Visit

2 days (ideal), 1 day (doable)

Click for some interesting facts about Des Moines

The word “Iowa” comes from a Native American tribe (the Ioway people).
Iowa is the number one producer of corn.
The Iowa primary is the first in the presidential election cycle.

Before You Go

Flights / Getting There: While flying directly into Des Moines is the most efficient strategy, driving to it while visiting other states or cities in the area would make sense as well.

Overview

Climate: Des Moines’s climate intuitively follows the normal pattern of North America. There is one distinction: winters (December, January, February) are very cold.

Communication: English is the official language.

Navigation: Traveling by car is the best way to explore most of what Des Moines has to offer.

Lodging: Lodging, in general, is relatively inexpensive in a small city such as Des Moines, but it’s even better to stay on the outskirts.

Activities Planning: Many attractions are free to visit, but some are far enough apart to necessitate driving. However, most of the attractions can be easily walked to, because the city is not very big.

Special Considerations

N/A.

General: Winters are especially brutal in this region. Make sure to bring plenty of cold gear for visits planned during the Winter.

Peak Seasons: Summer is the ideal season for the simple fact that it’s warmer. But, to be perfectly honest, I don’t think a place like Des Moines even has a “peak” season.

Currency: United States Dollars (USD). Currency Converter.

Things to Do: Attractions and Activities

Most of the time, attractions are paired up based on similarity and/or proximity. All the names provided are easily searchable on Google Maps.

Iowa State Capitol: Iowa State Capitol, the seat of the Iowa General Assembly, is one of the nicest capitols I’ve ever seen. Standing atop a hill, it offers a panoramic view of the city alongside numerous unique sculptures and monuments.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 30 minutes.

Gray’s Lake Park: This scenic park features a 1.9-mile (3.1-kilometer) highlighted walking path and options for kayak and boat rentals. In general, the view of the lake and nature makes Gray’s Lake Park a great place for a stroll or run.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

If you arrive early morning (or several hours before noon), there might be very few or no people around.

Gray’s Lake Park is one of the farther attractions, but it’s also near the Des Moines Water Works Park.

Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens: This garden, named after Iowa’s governor from 1969 – 1983, is recognizable by a massive Asian pavilion atop an undulating bridge.

The garden’s history is actually rather inspirational. It was “dedicated to the man who was the first public official anywhere in the United States to offer the endangered Vietnamese “Boat People” a safe haven; created Iowa SHARES to send food and medicine halfway around the world to feed starving Cambodians; kept the Tai Dam of Loas intact as a people and a culture by arranging for them to resettle in this state; and welcomed so many other people from all countries of Asia to become Iowans.”

Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens attempts to “transport strolling visitors to a picturesque Far Eastern paradise.” Visitors will be greeted by bonsai-like evergreens, granite boulders, and statues, among others.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge: The Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge represents one of the many reasons why Iowa is of integral importance in the United States political landscape. Not only does it feature a nice walk along the scenic Des Moines River, but it also symbolizes Iowa’s consistent and active participation in politics.

The bridge honors many women throughout history. For instance, Carrie Lane Chapman Catt—a graduate of Iowa State University—is one of the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement and among the first 4 honorees of the bridge.

The Rotary Riverwalk Park is also nearby.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 45 minutes.

There’s parking along the nearby street, but it would also be reasonable to park closer to the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge and walk over.

It is actually quite feasible to start at the bridge and walk to many of the other attractions on this list. For example, it's about a 10-minute walk from Cowles Commons.

Cowles Commons: Cowles Commons features nice water sprinklers and some interesting art sculptures. While normally a fun attraction and a great place to relax, it sometimes hosts some great community events as well.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 30 minutes.

Downtown Des Moines: Downtown Des Moines is home to the historic courthouse, the Downtown Farmer’s Market, and a plethora of great restaurants, among others.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 – 3 hours.

In addition to the coin-only meters, there are special green parking meters that give you increments of 15 minutes of free parking.

It would not be a bad idea to just park downtown and walk around (i.e. it's a relatively short walk from Cowles Commons).

Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Pappajohn Sculpture Park is arguably the most popular attraction in Des Moines.

Although famous for the Nomade sculpture (shown in the photo), this clean and spacious park contains over 20 sculptures of varying sizes. There are also plenty of benches and seating arrangements scattered throughout.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

Giant Garden Trowel: This 23-foot (7-meter) garden trowel made from metal and plastic weighs over 2,300 pounds (1043 kg).

For some reason, the Giant Garden Trowel (named Plantoir) is located in one of the loveliest areas in Des Moines, as evidenced by the gorgeous flower arrangements nearby. In fact, it has a rather absurd amount of space dedicated to it.

I kinda dig it.

Cost: Free to visit Recommended Duration of Visit: 10 – 15 minutes.

Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a very short 5-minute walk from the Giant Garden Trowel.

The trowel is not easily seen from Pappajohn Sculpture Park because it’s behind a building.