Fast Facts
- Population
- 214,133 (2020 census)
- Elevation
- About 790–955 ft — the sources differ widely
- Best Season
- May–June, or September–October; August for the state fair
- Nearest Interstate
- I-80 and I-35, which both pass the city
What to Know Before You Arrive
Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843 and was incorporated on 22 September 1851. The name comes from the Des Moines River, likely from the French Rivière des Moines, meaning river of the monks. The city sits at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, which is the geography that put it here.
The capitol is the thing to see and it is genuinely unusual. Completed in 1886, it carries five domes — a central gold one with four smaller domes around it. The central dome is 275 feet high and gold-leafed in 23 karat. You can see it from the interstate, which is a reasonable summary of how a visit to Des Moines starts.
Every four years this becomes one of the most-reported small cities in the world. As the state capital, Des Moines “is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle,” and presidential candidates set up campaign headquarters here. Outside those months it is a straightforward midwestern capital, which is the version most road-trippers will find.
The Road Trip Stop
The Iowa State Capitol at 1007 East Grand Avenue is the anchor, and “free guided tours of the Iowa Capitol are available Monday through Saturday.” Self-guided visits are also possible, so the stop scales from twenty minutes to a proper tour.
Six days a week, and shorter on Saturday
- Open Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday. The building runs 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturdays. The Saturday close is an hour earlier, which catches weekend travellers.
- Tours are free but the times are not published online. The capitol's own page directs you to telephone 515.281.5591 for tour times, so ring ahead rather than turning up hoping.
- Groups of ten or more need to book. A large group tour request is required in advance, and the capitol states plainly that “one-on-one tours are not given.”
- We were unable to confirm whether the regular free tours include a climb into the dome. The State Historical Society of Iowa has described a separate guided tour, by advance registration, that included a climb up the stairs for a view from inside the dome; the pages covering the regular tours do not say whether they do the same. Ask when you call.
Neighborhoods
The Capitol complex
East of the river on rising ground, with the five domes above it and the state offices around.
Downtown and the skywalks
The downtown core, where the Greater Des Moines Partnership describes more than four miles of connected, climate-controlled skywalks above street level, a convenient way to get around all year round.
The East Village
On the east side of the Des Moines River, running from the river east to the Iowa Capitol, a district of independent shops, restaurants and galleries; part of it forms a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019.
Sherman Hill
A residential neighbourhood that the Greater Des Moines Partnership counts among downtown's neighbourhoods and describes as having distinct architecture; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 25 January 1979, in a district roughly bounded by Woodland Avenue and 15th, 19th and School Streets.
The Food Stop
The breaded pork tenderloin, hanging past the edges of the bun, is the subject of an annual statewide contest that the Iowa Pork Producers Association has run since 2003. In Des Moines, Smitty's Tenderloin Shop at 1401 Army Post Road describes itself as a south-side Des Moines restaurant serving breaded pork tenderloins since 1966; its site lists hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The Greater Des Moines Partnership describes the Historic East Village as a neighbourhood of independent shops, restaurants and galleries.
14 breweries within 10 miles of Des Moines, 3 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.
See all 14
- Court Avenue Brewing Co309 Court Ave Ste 100, Des Moines
- Flix Brewhouse3800 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines
- Granite City Food & Brewery (#4)12801 University Ave, Clive
- 1717 Brewing Co322 E Court Ave, Des Moinesproduction site*
- 515 Brewing Co7700 University Ave, Cliveproduction site*
- Alluvial Brewing Company3715 W 190th St, Amesproduction site*
- BackRoad Brewery90 School St, Carlisleproduction site*
- Confluence Brewing Co1235 Thomas Beck Rd Ste A, Des Moinesproduction site*
- Exile Brewing1514 Walnut St, Des Moinesproduction site*
- Firetrucker Brewery716 SW 3rd St, Ankenyproduction site*
- Fox Brewing103 S 11th St, West Des Moinesproduction site*
- Madhouse Brewing Co501 Scott Ave, Des Moinesproduction site*
- Peace Tree Brewing Company - Des Moines Branch317 E Court Ave, Des Moinesproduction site*
- Twisted Vine Brewery3320 Westown Pkwy, West Des Moinesproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
Iowa Cubs
Triple-A baseballA Triple-A ballpark at the meeting point of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers; the team's site describes the Iowa State Capitol and its gold dome as the backdrop to the field.
Iowa Wild
AHL (ice hockey)AHL hockey, with the Minnesota Wild as its NHL affiliate; Iowa Wild home games are played at Casey's Center. The arena, part of the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines, was renamed Casey's Center on 1 July 2025 and was previously called Wells Fargo Arena.
Iowa Wolves
NBA G LeagueThe NBA G League affiliate; its 2026-27 schedule lists 24 home games at Casey's Center, the arena it shares with the Iowa Wild.
No MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL or MLS team plays in Des Moines. The city's minor-league teams include the Iowa Cubs (Triple-A baseball), the Iowa Wild (AHL hockey) and the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League basketball); the last two share Casey's Center, which also lists the IFL's Iowa Barnstormers as a home team.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pella | 58 min | 43 mi | routed |
| South-east of the city, a town founded in 1847 by Dominie H. P. Scholte and more than 800 immigrants from the Netherlands. The local visitors bureau lists Dutch bakeries among its attractions, along with a windmill designed and built in the Netherlands and re-assembled in Pella in 2002. | |||
| The Bridges of Madison County | 49 min | 37 mi | routed |
| South-west around Winterset, where the Iowa Department of Transportation's historic-bridge pages describe covered timber bridges in Madison County, among them the Roseman Bridge, 7.5 miles south-west of Winterset, the Holliwell Bridge and the Hogback Bridge. The John Wayne Birthplace & Museum in Winterset states that he was born there on 26 May 1907. | |||
| Ames | 44 min | 34 mi | routed |
| North on I-35 to Ames, at the intersection of Interstate 35 and U.S. Highway 30, the city of Iowa State University, which the university's own pages date to 1858. The city's visitors bureau lists 27 statues of the university's mascot, Cy, around town. | |||
| Iowa Cityguide | 2 hr 10 min | 114 mi | routed |
| East on I-80 to Iowa City, where the University of Iowa's Old Capitol Museum records that the legislature moved the state capital to Des Moines on 1 December 1857. The city's literary organisation describes Iowa City as a UNESCO City of Literature. | |||
| The Loess Hills | 2 hr 20 min | 124 mi | routed |
| West along the Missouri River in western Iowa, where the U.S. Geological Survey describes wind-deposited loess layers as much as 200 feet thick in places and says that Shaanxi, China, has loess layers as deep and extensive. | |||
1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Worth a Weekend
6 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Des Moines in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.
Lakes Nearby
1 lake we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research that we could check against an official page — not every lake there is.
Saylorville Lake
- Fishingyes - wipers, catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, muskie, northern pike, panfish
- BoatingCorps ramps at Lakeview, Sandpiper, Cherry Glen; marina and county launches
- Rentals & marinaSaylorville Marina (separately managed) has a boat launch
- SwimmingOne designated beach (Oak Grove); no lifeguards
- CampingFour Corps campgrounds, 525 sites; reservations required
- Entry$5 per day boat launch (Apr-Sep); $5 per vehicle beach; $40 annual pass
- SeasonCherry Glen and Lakeview ramps open all year; Sandpiper March-November
Levels fluctuate; no vessels recommended north of the Mile Long Bridge
Run by US Army Corps of Engineers (Rock Island District)
*Check before you go. Every lake here links to the official page we checked it against. Each states a price we read off that page on the date we checked. Fees, seasons, water levels, algal advisories and ramp closures change without notice and belong to the agency that runs the water. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something the lake lacks. Never assume a lifeguard. Whether a beach is staffed turns on the season, the day, and which agency runs that particular beach — two beaches on one lake can differ. If that matters to your family, confirm it with the agency before you set out.
Wineries Nearby
1 producer we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is.
Jasper Winery
Winery near Water Works Park in Des Moines offering flights and wine by the glass.
- HoursFall: Thu-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 1-5pm; closed Mon-Wed
- Phone(515) 282-9463
2400 George Flagg Pkwy., Des Moines, IA 50321
*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.
Zoos and Aquariums Nearby
Within 60 miles of Des Moines, nearest first.
Blank Park ZooAZA-accreditedDes Moines
- Hours
- 10am-4pm (late Oct-early Nov 2026 listing, weather permitting)
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Adult from $20 (ages 13-64) · Child from $15 (ages 2-12)
Blue Zoo Aquarium — some details below are unconfirmedDes Moines
* We could not confirm: official site blocked automated reading; details not checked; hours/admission not checked. Check their site before you go.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 1 of these carries an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Venues and Annual Events Nearby
Within 60 miles of Des Moines, nearest first.
Where to see something
Hoyt Sherman PlacetheaterDes Moines
- Address
- 1501 Woodland Ave.
- Capacity
- 1,252
1877 mansion with theater added 1923.
What is on, and when
Iowa State FairfairDes Moines
- Usually
- August, over several days
- Held at
- Iowa State Fairgrounds
- Since
- First held 1854 (Fairfield)
National Balloon ClassicIndianola
- Usually
- Late July-early August, over several days
- Held at
- Memorial Balloon Field (15335 Jewell St)
- Since
- Founded 1989 (Indianola hosted national championships from 1970)
Knoxville Nationalssports-motorsportKnoxville
- Usually
- August, over several days
- Held at
- Knoxville Raceway
- Since
- First held 1961
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.
Water Parks and Amusement Parks Nearby
Within 60 miles of Des Moines, nearest first.
AdventurelandSeasonalamusement park and water parkAltoona
2026 season opened May 16
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Every one of these runs a season rather than opening year round. Opening and closing dates move every year and we hold none of them, so check the park’s own calendar before you build a day around it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.
Roadside Oddities Nearby
Elwood the GnomeGiant statue / World's largestAmesabout 28 miles away
- Cost to see it
- Costs something — we did not find the price published
- When you can see it
- Only while it is open, and we did not find its hours published
- Nearest road
- US-30
Giant concrete garden gnome
Read on the page we checked
These are things you can go and look at, not a recommendation of any of them. Oddities move, get sold and quietly disappear more than anything else we list, so check anything you are driving a long way for. Where this list says we did not find a price or opening times published, that is exactly what we mean. A blank is not “free” and not “always open”. Some sit on private land and can only be seen from the road — please do not go onto anyone’s property. Every entry links the page we read it off.
Practical Road Trip Info
Two interstates cross here. I-80 and I-35 both pass the city, which makes Des Moines one of the easiest capitals in the country to reach on a long drive.
Half a day covers the centre. The capitol, the sculpture park and the East Village are close together and the capitol tour is free.
Avoid Sunday if the capitol is the reason. It opens Monday to Saturday only.
The Iowa State Fair runs for 11 days in August at the fairgrounds at 3000 East Grand Avenue. The fair lists its 2027 dates as August 12 to 22; check the fair's own site for current dates before booking.
9 public campgrounds within 25 miles of Des Moines, all bookable ahead. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
The capitol tour
Free, Monday to Saturday, with five domes and a gold-leafed ceiling to look up at.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Monumental outdoor sculpture in a 4.4-acre park at 1330 Grand Avenue. Admission is free and picnicking is allowed; touching and climbing the sculptures is not.
An Iowa Cubs game
Triple-A baseball at Principal Park, at the meeting point of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, with the Iowa State Capitol as the backdrop to the field. Ticket information is on the team's own site.
The Blank Park Zoo
A zoo on the south side of Des Moines, on SW 9th Street, whose site says it cares for over 2,500 animals.
Plan Your Visit
Iowa State Capitol
- Address
- 1007 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319
- Hours
- 8:00 a.m.-4:45 p.m. weekdays; 8:00 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sunday
- Tours
- Free guided tours Monday through Saturday; self-guided also available; one-on-one tours are not given
- Tour times
- Not published online — telephone 515.281.5591
- Groups
- Groups of 10 or more must request a tour in advance
- Link
- legis.iowa.gov
We checked opening hours, seasonal opening, fees and operating status on 2026-10-12. These change without notice — confirm with legis.iowa.gov, smittystenderloinshop.com, desmoinesartcenter.org, history.iowa.gov, iowastatefair.org, caseyscenter.com, iowawild.com and iowa.gleague.nba.com the week you travel.
Sources — 44 claims, 44 checked against the source on 2026-10-12
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| “Free guided tours of the Iowa Capitol are available Monday through Saturday”; self-guided tours also available; building open 8:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m. weekdays and 8:00 a.m.–3:45 p.m. Saturdays; address 1007 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319; tour times by telephone on 515.281.5591; groups of 10 or more must request in advance; “One-on-one tours are not given&rdquo | Tour the Capitol — Iowa Legislature | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| The capitol tour page does not state whether visitors can climb to the dome | Tour the Capitol — Iowa Legislature | Checked |
| The Iowa State Capitol was “completed in 1886” and is “one of two state capitols to feature five domes, a central golden dome surrounded by four smaller domes”, the other being the Rhode Island State House; the main dome is 275 feet and 23-karat gold leafed | Des Moines, Iowa — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Population 214,133 at the 2020 census; elevation given as 850 feet in the body text at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers and 794 ft in the infobox; Wikidata carries a third figure of 955 ft, so the guide gives a range rather than a number [cross-checked 2026-10-12] | Des Moines, Iowa — Wikipedia | Checked |
| “Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843”; incorporated 22 September 1851; “It is named after the Des Moines River, likely derived from the French Rivière des Moines meaning ‘River of the Monks’&rdquo | Des Moines, Iowa — Wikipedia | Checked |
| “as the state's capital, it is the site of the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle”, with many presidential candidates setting up campaign headquarters in Des Moines | Des Moines, Iowa — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The shop's own site describes a south-side Des Moines restaurant serving breaded pork tenderloins since 1966, at 1401 Army Post Rd, Des Moines, IA 50315; hours listed as Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (checked 2026-10-14) | Smitty's Tenderloin Shop | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The association runs an annual statewide breaded pork tenderloin contest and states that it has done so since 2003 (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa Pork Producers Association - breaded pork tenderloin contest | Checked |
| The fair is held in Des Moines for 11 days in August at 3000 East Grand Ave; the site lists the 2027 fair as August 12-22, 2027 (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa State Fair - official site | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The park is at 1330 Grand Avenue, on 4.4 acres, with dozens of monumental sculptures, and is open during city park hours, sunrise to midnight; picnicking is allowed and touching or climbing the sculptures is not (checked 2026-10-14) | Des Moines Art Center - Pappajohn Sculpture Park | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Principal Park is at the meeting point of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers; the Iowa State Capitol and its gold dome serve as the backdrop to the field; the club is a Triple-A affiliate (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa Cubs - Capital City Cubs | Checked |
| Loess layers as much as 200 feet thick in some places in westernmost Iowa along the Missouri River; Shaanxi, China, is compared as having loess layers as deep and extensive (checked 2026-10-14) | U.S. Geological Survey - geology of the Loess Hills, Iowa | Checked |
| The downtown skywalk system is described as more than four miles of connected, climate-controlled walkways above street level and a way to get around all year round (checked 2026-10-14) | Greater Des Moines Partnership - getting around downtown | Checked |
| The Historic East Village is on the east side of the Des Moines River and extends east to the Iowa Capitol; independent shops, restaurants and galleries (checked 2026-10-14) | Greater Des Moines Partnership - Historic East Village | Checked |
| Part of the East Village forms a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 (checked 2026-10-14) | East Village (Des Moines) - Wikipedia | Checked |
| Sherman Hill is listed among downtown neighborhoods, has distinct architecture, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979 (checked 2026-10-14) | Greater Des Moines Partnership - Sherman Hill | Checked |
| NRIS 79000926: Sherman Hill Historic District, Des Moines, roughly bounded by Woodland Ave., 19th, School, and 15th Sts.; published 1/25/1979 (checked 2026-10-14) | National Park Service NPGallery - Sherman Hill Historic District | Checked |
| The visitor guide lists the park as open daily from sunrise to midnight with free admission (checked 2026-10-14) | Des Moines Art Center - Pappajohn Sculpture Park visitor guide | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Admission to the Art Center is always free; the museum is in Greenwood Park and consists of three buildings by Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei and Richard Meier (checked 2026-10-14) | Des Moines Art Center - plan your visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Three connecting buildings: Eliel Saarinen 1948, I. M. Pei 1968, Richard Meier 1985 (checked 2026-10-14) | Des Moines Art Center - architecture | Checked |
| The museum is at 600 E Locust St, just west of the State Capitol; admission to the museum and research center is free (checked 2026-10-14) | State Historical Society of Iowa - State Historical Museum of Iowa | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Museum hours: closed Sunday and Monday; Tuesday to Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (checked 2026-10-14) | State Historical Society of Iowa - State Historical Museum of Iowa hours | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| A guided Iowa State Capitol tour held 7 March 2026 by registration included climbing stairs for a view from inside the dome; the page does not say whether regular tours include the climb (checked 2026-10-14) | State Historical Society of Iowa - guided capitol tour event | Checked |
| Wells Fargo Arena was renamed Casey's Center on July 1, 2025; the Iowa Wolves (NBA G League), Iowa Wild (AHL) and Iowa Barnstormers (IFL) call it home (checked 2026-10-14) | Casey's Center / Iowa Events Center - official site | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The Iowa Events Center is located in downtown Des Moines (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa Events Center - plan your visit | Checked |
| Iowa Wild home games are played at Casey's Center; the Minnesota Wild is the NHL affiliate (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa Wild - home games | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The 2026-27 schedule lists 24 home games at Casey's Center (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa Wolves - 2026-27 schedule | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Pella was founded in 1847 by Dominie H. P. Scholte, with over 800 immigrants from the Netherlands; Dutch bakeries are among the attractions (checked 2026-10-14) | Visit Pella - about | Checked |
| A windmill designed and built in the Netherlands was re-assembled in Pella in 2002 (checked 2026-10-14) | Visit Pella - Dutch heritage | Checked |
| Pella is described as forty miles southeast of Des Moines (used for the compass direction; checked 2026-10-14) | Pella, Iowa - Wikipedia | Checked |
| Winterset is described as approximately 30 miles southwest of Des Moines (used for the compass direction; the article also says 35 miles south; checked 2026-10-14) | Winterset, Iowa - Wikipedia | Checked |
| Madison County covered timber bridge on Elderberry Avenue over the Middle River, 7.5 miles southwest of Winterset (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa DOT - Roseman Bridge | Checked |
| Madison County covered timber bridge over the Middle River, 2 miles southeast of Winterset (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa DOT - Holliwell Bridge | Checked |
| Madison County covered timber bridge over the North River, 4.2 miles northwest of Winterset (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa DOT - Hogback Bridge | Checked |
| The museum states that John Wayne was born in Winterset on May 26, 1907 (checked 2026-10-14) | John Wayne Birthplace & Museum | Checked |
| Ames is at the intersection of Interstate 35 and U.S. Highway 30 (checked 2026-10-14) | Discover Ames - getting here | Checked |
| Lists 27 statues of Iowa State's mascot Cy throughout Ames (checked 2026-10-14) | Visit Ames | Checked |
| Iowa State University was founded in 1858 (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa State University - student health and wellness, about Iowa State and Ames | Checked |
| The legislature voted funds for a college building for the Agricultural College in Ames (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa State University sesquicentennial - timeline 1858-1874 | Checked |
| Iowa City is in eastern Iowa on Interstate 80 (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa City, Iowa - Wikipedia | Checked |
| On December 1, 1857 the legislature moved the state capital to Des Moines (checked 2026-10-14) | University of Iowa Old Capitol Museum - history | Checked |
| The organisation describes Iowa City's designation as a UNESCO City of Literature (checked 2026-10-14) | Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature | Checked |
| The zoo is on the south side of Des Moines on SW 9th Street (checked 2026-10-14) | Blank Park Zoo - FAQ | Checked |
| The zoo states that it provides care to over 2,500 animals (checked 2026-10-14) | Blank Park Zoo - home | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Des Moines, not drive time.
- Des Moines International (DSM) — 5 miles
- Ottumwa Regional (OTM) — 69 miles
- Fort Dodge Regional (FOD) — 72 miles
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map