Des Moines in 2 days
A two-day plan for Des Moines, day by day: the Lilac Arboretum, Blank Park Zoo, Water Works Park, the Art Center, Salisbury House and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park on the first day, then Terrace Hill, Hoyt Sherman Place, the Polk County Courthouse, the Principal Riverwalk and the Iowa State Capitol. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Des Moines in 2 days
Day 1
Lilac Arboretum and Children's Forest
City arboretum on the south side with a large lilac collection that blooms in May, plus trails.
Blank Park Zoo
Family zoo on the south side of Des Moines with a wide collection of animals and an Australia section.
Water Works Park
Very large park on the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers with trails, a lake and the old water treatment works.
Des Moines Art Center
Art museum in Greenwood Park with modern and contemporary works in buildings by Saarinen, Pei and Meier.
Salisbury House
Tudor-style mansion of the 1920s modelled on a house in England, with art and antiques, shown on guided tours.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Free downtown park displaying large modern sculptures, including Jaume Plensa's Nomade, in an open landscaped setting.
Day 2
Terrace Hill
Victorian Second Empire mansion of 1869, the official residence of the Iowa governor, open for public tours.
Hoyt Sherman Place
Mansion of 1877 on Woodland Avenue, now a historic house and event venue with its own theatre.
Polk County Courthouse
Courthouse of 1906 in downtown Des Moines, a working government building rather than a visitor sight.
Principal Riverwalk
Landscaped path and park along the Des Moines River downtown, with public art, pedestrian bridges and views of the skyline.
Iowa State Capitol
Gold-domed statehouse of the 1880s overlooking downtown, with free tours, a stairway rotunda and a stained-glass interior.
Watch: Des Moines
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Des Moines
Late spring to early autumn (May to September) is the best time, though summers are hot and humid. Winters are cold and snowy, and some outdoor sights are less pleasant then. The Iowa State Fair takes place for 11 days in mid-August and fills hotels.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Des Moines on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Des Moines on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Des Moines on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Des Moines
- Downtown, the East Village, the Principal Riverwalk and the Western Gateway are walkable; the larger sights in the suburbs are best reached by car.
- The Iowa State Capitol is free to enter and offers guided tours; check the days and times, as access can change.
- Salisbury House, Terrace Hill and Hoyt Sherman Place have limited days and tour times, so check before going.
- The Iowa State Fair runs for 11 days in mid-August and fills the fairgrounds; outside the fair the grounds are quiet.
- The Downtown Farmers' Market runs on Saturday mornings from May to October.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Blank Park Zoo: Lawrence Lansing, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hoyt Sherman Place: C. A. Tucker, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iowa State Capitol: Published in above-mentioned work, which was by Benjamin F. Gue, Public domain
- Lilac Arboretum and Children's Forest: Sara, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Dsmspence, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Polk County Courthouse: Stephen Matthew Milligan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Principal Riverwalk: Phil Roeder, CC BY 2.0
- Salisbury House: Jmaxschwerd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Terrace Hill: Self-created photograph by Jonathunder, GFDL
- Water Works Park: James Anshutz, Attribution
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
