The capital city of Iowa does not disappoint. Whether you are exploring the Historic East Village or admiring art in the pockets of Downtown Des Moines, this urban playground has lots to offer in terms of food, drinks, and entertainment. Here’s our 48-hours guide to Des Moines, Iowa.
“Can’t stop, won’t stop,” – do you love hip hop…and breakfast? Head over to Eggs and Jam, the only hip-hop themed breakfast spot in Des Moines, Iowa. With colorful murals painted across all the walls, like the one of iconic hip hop artists including: Biggie, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, and more, or the playful Beastie Boys turned bacon mural, the restaurant is true to its theme. Order the T.L.Chilaquiles, the P.Diddy biscuits, or The Roots omelettes for a delicious way to start the day.
With more than 30 pieces in the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, the 4.4 acre park is the perfect place to take a stroll and enjoy art outdoors in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. One of the most popular pieces is the white, towering “Nomade” by Jaume Plensa. Made up of individual letters forming a human – the sculpture serves as a metaphor of how we have more power as a collective, than individually.
“Unique” is the perfect word to describe the pizzas at Fong’s Pizza – pizzas inspired by Asian, Italian, and Polynesian cooking. Enter into the funky, red, green, and yellow colored Fong’s, complete with black and white vintage Asian-inspired portraits hanging on the walls and get ready to chow down. Two signature pizzas at Fong’s have received national acclaim, The Crab Rangoon Pizza, which was featured on the Food Channel’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” and The General Tso’s Chicken Pizza, which was featured on Travel Channel’s “Man V. Food”.
The popular 15.3 acre Principal Riverwalk is the perfect way to see Des Moines, whether it’s by foot, bike, or skateboard. Head to the northern part of the Principal Riverwalk to see a few highlights. The Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge is a stunning construction of architecture that connects the east and west side of Des Moines; at night the bridge is also lit up to display a beautiful array of lights. On one side of the bridge is the beautiful Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens, a symbol of diversity and a celebration of Asian culture. The iconic 37-foot-tall Chinese pavilion is truly impressive and sits right on the Des Moines River.
Across the bridge on the other side, lace up your skates to ice skate at Brenton Skating Plaza, or bring your skateboard and do a kickflip on one of the verts at the world-class Lauridsen Skatepark, the largest open skatepark in the nation.
“Unapologetically Iowan.” Walk into Iowa Tap Room and it seems they have an infinite amount of beers on tap in their bar. Instead of “99 bottles of beer on the wall”, Iowa Tap Room has 99 taps in the center of the room – all made in Iowa. Enjoy suds with Fried Cheese Curds and Dragon’s Breath Wings.
Located only a few minutes from your stay at Best Western Premier Ankeny Hotel, a ride at Love Cycle studios will be sure to wake you up. With a friendly staff ready to help you for your first indoor cycling class, and themed rides with music to match (for instance, they had a Pitbull themed ride last month), get your blood flowing and body pumping for a good workout.
In 2020, Dan Bosman took over and rebranded the cute coffee shop of Daisy Chain Coffee in the Historic East Village, adding his signature touch of Iowan honey to specialty lattes. Order a Miel, a latte with Daniel Bee’s honey and cinnamon, or Daniel Bee’s Honey Lemonade. Pick up a flavored honey stick like watermelon, green apple, peach or cherry, and snap a selfie with the bison, too.
In 2005, it hit Mike Draper, RAYGUN founder and owner, “Why not move back to my parents’ house in Iowa, learn how to screen print from a high school buddy whose dad has a shop, and then open a store that specializes in ultra positive slogans about Des Moines?” Now in 2023, the shop that “prints words on things” is an iconic go-to stop for locals and travelers alike. The 7,000 square foot store in the Historic East Village totes love for the Midwest with witty slogans like, “Too Midwest to be Stressed” on tees, cups, and more.
Getting a dining room table at Lucca for dinner is a headache, so try your chances at a coveted seat during lunch time. Lucca boasts an authentic Italian, American menu with fresh pastas, homemade sauces, and exquisite bread. If you do go back for dinner, the Prix-Fixe $55, 4-course meal is a steal. Enjoy a romantic afternoon or evening at Lucca.
Zombie Burger & Drink Lab’s ambience is “post apocalyptic chic” which is the perfect way to describe this themed burger joint. The menu is filled with fun, zombie references, with burgers like, 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, and Undead Glenn. Order a standard shake – or spiked! – like the Chocolate Nutella Marshmallow or the Human Centipeach and enjoy the zombie graphics everywhere you look.
Locals know to wait until the sun goes down to go to the impressive and colorful “Expansion” glass mural. Created by Jun Kaneko, the mural is constructed of hundreds of hand blow glass in nearly 50 different colors. The result is an illuminated color palette that shines brightly at night and creates a ‘shadow’ effect in photos. Play with shadows when the sun goes down at the “Expansion” glass mural.
Colorful, retro, and kitschy. There’s only a few places in Des Moines you can get tiki drinks, and Bellhop Tiki is one of them. Where else can you get cocktails in unicorn and pufferfish mugs? The bartenders make slinging tiki cocktails an art form, from the classics like the Mojitos and Daiquiris to the specialty cocktails like the Zombie and Pillow Talk.
Book you next stay at Best Western Premier Ankeny Hotel. Located off I-35 between Des Moines and Ames, there are popular attractions including Fargo Arena, Iowa State University and Adventureland amusement park. With spacious rooms and modern comforts, the Best Western Premier Ankeny Hotel is the perfect place to call home base as you explore Des Moines, Iowa.
Looking for a state with small time charm wherever you go? Time to visit the quaint state of Iowa. Experience America’s iconic Heartland when you book your stay with Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Iowa now.