I Acted Like A Tourist in My Home Town of Des Moines, Iowa
I spent the first 18 years of my life counting down the days until I could escape my ~boring~ (said in an angsty drawn out sigh) home town of Des Moines, Iowa. If we want to be technical about it, I actually grew up rockin’ the suburbs outside of Des Moines, which in my opinion at the time was so incredibly lame. (Again, if you’re picturing an angsty teen with crossed arms, rolling her eyes and drawing out every word, that would be a very accurate depiction of who I was.)
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to see more of the world, grow up (a lot) and get some perspective. That last one might be the most important because what I’ve really gained is the knowledge and appreciation of the fact that where I grew up is actually pretty fucking great.
If you’ve never been to Des Moines, or like a lot of people outside of the Midwest, have never even heard of Des Moines, stay tuned! I have some great things below to share with you that might make you want to stop and check out the “flyover state.”
But if you’re from, or currently living in, Des Moines (or surrounding suburbs) this post is really for YOU! I say that because acting like a tourist in your home town is something I believe we should all be doing! It’s so easy to take for granted where you live, and it’s important to get some perspective every once and awhile.
The EMC Overlook at MacRae Park
I just found out about this lookout recently from some friends from high school and wanted to go see it for myself! The construction was recently completed in the spring of 2019, so it’s still relatively new to most.
The downside to going on a cold, misty day is part of the view of downtown wasn’t visible. But on the plus side, we had the entire place to ourselves! I can imagine on a clear summer weekend, this bridge could be packed!
John and Mary PappaJohn Sculpture Park
This 4 acre sculpture park in the heart of Downtown has become an iconic landmark of Des Moines. Going on it’s 10th anniversary, the park is completely free to enjoy and absolutely worth a visit! Not to mention, you’ll get some pretty cool photos!
Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge
This walking bridge crosses the Des Moines River in the heart of Downtown, just a stone’s throw away from the Wells Fargo Arena.
The bridge arches out on two sides and comes together with a glass bottom in the center. Unfortunately, when I visited the glass section was closed off due to ice, but I have a feeling I’ll be back before long.
The bridge offers amazing views of the city and is an awesome spot to take photos!
Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens
Once you’ve crossed the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge, keep walking just a bit further to transport yourself on the other side of the world at these beautiful Chinese gardens!
Like I said, I lived in Des Moines for 18 years and over the Thanksgiving holiday, I visited these gardens for the first time! Talk about taking things for granted!
I’m glad we took the time to check these out and see even more great views of downtown all while feeling like I was back in Asia.
Interested in actually going to China? Check my China Travel Tips!
The Capitol Building
I’ve visited the Capitol building several times, mostly during school trips as a kid. But my favorite time was for my little sister’s beautiful wedding!
The entire building is exquisite for wedding photos! However, you don’t need to be getting married to go check it out for yourself. You can schedule a tour or just go during normal weekday hours. The best part? It’s totally free!
These stunning photos of my sister and brother-in-law on their big day were taken by the very talented Kara Vorwald
Photos by Kara Vorwald
Photos by Kara Vorwald
Smash Park
Have you ever played pickleball before? No? Me either! Smash Park is the perfect venue to try it out while drinking with your best buds! My cousin hosted her birthday party there so I got to try my hand at it. I can confirm I am terrible at pickleball (sorry to the guys who were playing next to us! LOL) but I can also confirm it was super fun and I’d love to play there again.
Fake tennis not your thing? Don’t worry, you can entertain yourself with arcade games, giant Jenga or a variety of board games while you sip on fancy cocktails and munch on bar food.
The Operating Room
Interested in only playing sweet arcade games? Then the Operating Room is for you! I’ve been a few times while visiting my family back in Des Moines and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places. Although I can confirm you should skip the gross pre-made shots in a syringe… don’t ask. Just stick with your normal drink of choice.
Barn Town Brewing
My sister and Brother-in-law love this place because it’s close to their house, the food is great and every inch is covered in TVs to watch college football.
They have a lot of unique beer flavors on the menu, including an array of sours. My sister and I split a flight so we could try their flavors of the month and it was honestly hard to pick a favorite!
Climb Iowa
This is one of the things I really wish had been around when I was growing up! I started indoor rock climbing a few years ago and totally fell in love! I find it to be the perfect sport for my level of athletic ability (which to be honest is not much, LOL) because you can go at your own level and at your own pace. Not to mention the climbing community is one of the most supportive I’ve ever been apart of.
Climb Iowa opened it’s doors in late 2008 and has been thriving ever since with a few locations around the surrounding suburbs of Des Moines. It’s the perfect place to spend a couple of hours with your entire family! I had the honor of taking my nephew and he loved it even more than I did!
Now after all of that, have I convinced you yet that Des Moines is totally worth a visit?! There are still so many places to check out that I didn’t get to mention in this post like the Botanical Gardens, Raygun and Zombie Burger… but there’s always next time! And I’m happy to know that I won’t take it for granted.
Until then!
XOXO,
Karen
