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Des Moines Rental
Cars
Rent a car from National Car Rental
on your next trip to Des Moines
Iowa and the
Des Moines International Airport
The Many Wonders of Des Moines
Des Moines is the capital and largest city in
Iowa. Des Moines is a large center for insurance,
financial and publishing industries, as well as being a very important
city in the presidential
campaign since
the capital
is home to
the Iowa caucuses. They
have been the first important electoral
election in nominating the
President since 1972. Many of the
presidential hopefuls have opened an office in the capital in hopes
of becoming the nominee.
The meeting of the
Des Moines and Raccoon rivers has
been an attraction for
people for at least 3,000
years and several prehistoric occupied areas have been
uncovered in the downtown
area by archaeologists. Three prehistoric villages
were found in Des Moines, from
about A.D. 1300 to 1700. 15 to 18 prehistoric
Native-American mounds were
discovered in downtown
by early settlers. Unfortunately, all have been destroyed
because of various renovation reasons.
Presently, Des Moines has major
construction going on in the downtown area.
In 2005, the Iowa
Events Center, the new Science Center of
Iowa, and the Blank
IMAX Dome Theater opened.
In 2006 the new central branch of the Des Moines
Public Library, designed by
world-renowned
architect
David Chipperfield of London,
opened for the public.
In 2001 the World Food Prize Foundation,
headquartered in Des Moines, announced it will
restore the former public library building as the Dr.
Norman Borlaug World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. In 2002
the Principal Financial Group and the city of Des Moines
introduced plans for the Principal Riverwalk,
which will include walking bridges across the river,
walking and hiking trails, a
fountain and skating plaza, and
in front of the city
hall, a civic garden. Many
of the old downtown buildings are being
changed into loft apartments and condominiums. This new
idea is apparent by
the success of the East Village,
which now house studios, a district of shops,
and housing, between the Capitol
area and the
Des Moines River.
The city has become a cultural center for Iowa
and home to performing arts
groups, art and history museums
and the Civic Center of Greater Des
Moines brings great Broadway shows and other
live professional theater. The
Des Moines Playhouse and the Temple for
Performing Arts are other places for comedy,
live theatre and the performing arts.
Since 1973, the Metro Opera and
the Des Moines Symphony have
been a constant pleasure to the
cities' residents and visitors.
In July, throughout the
city, Jazz in July offers free shows
every day at various places.
The Wells Fargo Arena can
accommodate 16,980 and brings large national
touring acts for concert performances.
The Vaudeville Mews, People's, and
the House of Bricks bring in local,
regional, and national bands, on
a smaller scale.
The Simon Estes Riverfront
Amphitheater hosts
music events such as the Alive Concert Series
and is an outdoor amphitheater
on the banks on the river.
In 2002, Blues on Grand was awarded
the Blues Club of the Year from
the Blues Foundation and hosts
live blues music.
The Funny Bone Comedy Club
arranges for stand-up comics.
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5800 Fleur Drive Des
Moines Iowa 50321
Tours in Des Moines
The Des Moines Art Center, with a wing designed
by architect I.M. Pei, holds art exhibitions and
educational programs as well as hands-on art
classes. The Center showcases an internationally
renowned collection of artwork from the nineteenth
century to the present. An extension of the
world-renowned art center is downtown in an
urban museum space, featuring three or
four exciting and fresh exhibitions every year. The
museum's shop offers unique gifts, jewelry, cards, and
books. Other worthwhile art galleries include Salisbury
House and Gardens and Hoyt Sherman Place.
Salisbury House and Gardens is a 42-room mansion
set upon 10 acres of natural woodlands and named after the King's
estate in Salisbury, England. It was built in the 1920s by the Weeks family,
and contains authentic 16th century English oak
and rafters dating to Shakespeare's days. It
also houses a world-class collection
of original art, tapestries, and rare books. Special
events include Shakespeare on the Lawn, Salisbury
Auto Classic, and the Holly and Ivy Tour.
The Hoyt Sherman mansion
was Des Moines' first public art gallery and built
in 1877 by pioneer businessman Hoyt Sherman.
It houses
a distinctive collection of nineteenth and twentieth
century artwork. The restored 1,250-seat theater
features an elaborate rococo plaster ceiling,
excellent acoustics and used for a large variety of
cultural performances and entertainment.
The Iowa State Capitol is
one of
the most beautiful state capitols in
the country. Rising in the east and
facing west toward downtown, the
capitol building with its 275-foot,
23-karat gold leafed dome high above
the city is a favorite for
sightseers. Four smaller domes flank
the main dome.
The ornate interior features a
grand staircase, a beautiful mural
entitled "Westward",
a five-story law library, a scale model
of the USS Iowa (BB-61), and a
wonderful collection of first lady
dolls. Guided tours are available.
The Capitol grounds include a World
War II memorial with sculpture and
Wall of Memories. The West
Capitol Terrace has a
stunning entrance, from the west, to
the state's grandest building, the
State Capitol Building. It has
picturesque views, a lush 10-acre
"people's park" at the foot of the
Capitol complex which houses a promenade
and landscaped gardens. It also provides public space for
rallies and special events. A
granite map of the state depicting all 99
counties sits at the base of the
terrace that has become a popular
attraction for in-state visitors,
many who will walk
over the map to find their home
county.
With 110,000 square foot of space
the Science Center of Iowa and
Blank IMAX Dome Theater offers
seven interactive learning areas,
as well as live programs, and many hands-on
activities that encourage learning and
fun for all ages. Among the three
theaters is the 216-seat Blank
IMAX Dome Theater, the 175-seat
John Deere Adventure Theater
features live performances, and a
50-foot domed Star Theater.
The Des Moines Botanical Center, an indoor conservatory of over
15,000 exotic plants, is one of the
largest collections of tropical,
subtropical, and desert-growing
plants in the Midwest. The Center
blooms with thousands of flowers
year-round. Beautiful and extensive
exterior gardens are also located
here.
The Great Ape Trust of Iowa was
started as a scientific research
facility with a 230-acre campus
housing bonobos and orangutans for
study of their cognitive and
communicative possibilities. It offers small public tours on a
seasonal basis and only by
reservation.
There are many other areas of
interest in the city and on the
outskirts allowing even the
discerning adventurer to take
advantage of all the area has to
offer.
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Things to do in Des Moines Iowa
A growing number of cultural events are happening in
Des Moines. Each year in June, the Des Moines Arts Festival is
held,
the World Food Festival in October, and the Iowa
State Fair in August . Court Avenue Entertainment
district is the city's best in town restaurant and
nightclub area. Downtown Farmers' Market,
which brings people from around the state, is held
every Saturday from May through October. Other
yearly festivals
are: Rib America Festival, Winefest, Wild Rose Film
Festival, Celebrasian Heritage Festival, Des Moines
Pride Festival, ArtFest Midwest, Des Moines
Renaissance Faire, Festa Italiana, Festival of Trees
and Lights, Interrobang Film Festival, Latino
Heritage Festival, and the 80/35 Music Festival,
which celebrates music and artists, such as the Flaming Lips.
Des Moines is home to many outstanding museums, parks, and art
centers. Some of these are the: Des Moines Art Center, Fort
Des Moines Education and Art Center, Jordan House Museum, Wallace
House Museum and many others. It has minor
league teams in baseball, basketball and hockey.
There are 53 parks in the city that have a number of
areas for the sports and nature enthusiast
including: 28 miles of trails for walking, running,
or biking, swimming, tennis, three golf courses,
three family aquatic centers, hiking,
picnicking, and five community centers.
The Principal Riverwalk, a park district that is in
construction along the banks of the river will include the Brenton Skating Plaza where from
November through March, the outdoor rink is
a hotspot for central
Iowans. Along the east bank of the
Des Moines River, the plaza is open for social
activities, movies, concerts, parties, and summer
sand volleyball. Gray's Lake Park, just south of
downtown, has a boat rental place, fishing pier,
floating boardwalks and a resource building.
The showpiece of the park is a trail encompassing it
that is lighted. Another favorite park is
Jester Park, which offers 1834 acres for picnicking,
horseback riding, hiking, camping, fishing, golfing
and hunting.
To get the full effect of nature or adventure or
relive history, the Great Western Trail is an 18-mile journey
from Des Moines to Martensdale, available for
biking, hiking or bike riding. An exciting
journey for everyone taking it.
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