Things to do WITHIN walking distance of Hotel:
The Hampton Inn is located along the Des Moines River. From here, you can easily walk or bike (!) to the best of Downtown Des Moines.
There are several bike rental kiosks throughout downtown (https://desmoines.bcycle.com/). We highly recommend exploring the city by bike, especially in June.
Stroll Along the River…
Across the street from the hotel you can access the Principal River Walk which runs from the Iowa Cubs Stadium to the Pedestrian Bridge near Wells Fargo Arena. On your walk, try stopping by:
World Food Prize (beautiful historic building open to tour Saturday morning)
http://www.worldfoodprize.org/index.cfm?nodeID=37207&audienceID=1
Botanical Gardens
http://www.dmbotanicalgarden.com/
If you cross the Pedestrian Bridge to the east side of the river and keep heading north you’ll reach the Des Moines Botanical Center & Cafe. Great place for LUNCH along the river!
East Village
http://eastvillagedesmoines.com/
Also on the east side of the river is the Iowa State Capital and the East Village neighborhood. With its sprawling lawn and golden dome the capital is a great place for a stroll followed by window shopping in the East Village. If you’re in the neighborhood, check out:
- Gong Fu Tea (414 E 6th)
- For a quick bite: Tacopocalypse (407 E 5th) or Zombie Burger (300 E Grand)
- More formal dining: Alba (524 E 6th) One of our Des Monines faves
- Vegetarian: New World Cafe (223 E Walnut)
Court Avenue
On the west side of the river is the Court Avenue district. Lots of fun bars, lots of good beer--
- Grab a pint at The Royal Mile (210 4th St) or a coffee next door at Java Joes
- Check out El Bait Shop (200 SW 2nd) which has 100 beers on tap.
- Late night eats at Fong’s Pizza (223 4th St). Slices start at 10PM!
Farmers’ Market (A Must!)
www.desmoinesfarmersmarket.com
On Saturday morning before the Wedding, check out the Downtown Farmer’s Market on Court Ave. Stretches of downtown streets are blocked off to make room for the market. Corn, not quite in season, but you’ll see plenty of greens, peas and strawberries.
Sculpture Garden (Another Must!)
http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/visit/pappajohn-sculpture-park.aspx
Check out the impressive Pappajohn collection at the Des Moines Sculpture Garden in the West Gate District at 11th & Grand/Locust. This is acres of PUBLIC ART in the heart of downtown. From the hotel, it’s a nice walk or a short drive. Lots of great eats and drinks in the area to check out:
- Pizza at Centro (Locust & 10th)
- Intimate Dinner and Drinks at Proof (Locust & 12th)
- Local Coffee at Ritual Café. Pick up a Miel Latte and wander through the sculpture garden.
Things to do in greater Des Moines:
Art Center (MUST, MUST, MUST)
http://www.desmoinesartcenter.org/
Our favorite place to visit in all of Des Moines! Admission is free to all galleries. Check out the exhibits, the permanent collection, and save time to take a walk out back through the Rose Garden.
Gray's Lake
https://www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/Parks.aspx?Tab=Gray%27s+Lake+Park
Just south of downtown, Gray’s lake is a lovely place to walk, bike or rent a paddle board. At night, enjoy a beautiful lighted bridge. More walking and biking options across the street at Water Works Park.
Local Brews
Lots of great breweries in the Midwest, Des Moines is no exception. Try Confluence near Gray’s Lake – they make their own beer and have an awesome spacious tasting room.
Ingersoll
Just a hop skip and jump from downtown, is the ‘Ingersoll District’. Ingersoll has a great collection of restaurants--
- Eatery A (Ingersoll & 29th) – recently on the James Beard Award list – they have a great patio and 1/2 price pizzas during their daily happy hour
- Star Bar (2811 Ingersoll)
- Zanzibar's Coffee (2723 Ingersoll)
- Stam Chocolate (2814 Ingersoll) for desert!
Sherman Hill
The historic Sherman Hill neighborhood is a 15-block area full of Victorian homes dating back to the 1880’s. We recommend:
- The Wallace House (756 16th St) home of former Vice President Henry Wallace
- Hoyt Sherman Place (1501 Woodland Ave) built in 1877
- For provisions stop into nearby Gateway Market (2002 Woodland Ave)
- Smokey Row (1910 Cottage Grove Ave) is a great spot to grab coffee or a milkshake
- For a bit more history, try a walk through Woodland cemetery (2019 Woodland Ave)
The Shops At Roosevelt
La Mie Bakery (841 42nd St) is one of the best breakfast spots in Des Moines. The Cheese Shop is right next door. Cured meat, local brews, more cheese!
Drake Neighborhood
Mars Cafe (2318 University Ave) is home to some of the best coffee in town. Coffee is served space- style, try the Sputnik! If you want more than just coffee, try the Drake Diner (1111 25th St) near Drake University campus.
Valley Junction Historic District
On Thursday nights, the Valley Junction district in West Des Moines hosts a farmers' market and live music.
A few other places to eat in Des Moines...
- Our favorite greasy-spoon breakfast is Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave).
- The Flying Mango (4345 Hickman Rd) has award winning BBQ.
- Walking distance from the Hampton Inn, Tumea & Sons (1501 SE 1st) is family owned, cheesy, gooey, old school Italian. Wall to wall family photos.
Things to do outside of Des Moines:
Trestle Bridge (Madrid) (MUST!)
http://madridiowa.com/high-trestle-trail/
Bike ride across the trestle bridge. Bikes can be rented in Madrid for a flat and scenic 12 mile ride to Woodward and back. The bridge gives a breathtaking view of the Des Moines River. Stop at Flat Tire Lounge for a congratulatory drink after your ride.
For the Kids
Science Center
If you’re looking for family friendly activities the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater is a short walk from the hotel.
Living History Farms (114th St & Hickman Rd in Urbandale) (MUST!)
http://www.lhf.org/en/visit/about_the_farms/
This is one of our country's best open air history museums and Alex’s childhood stomping ground. You can churn butter, stock up on rock candy, and take a tractor ride through Iowa's history.