Art & History

• Des Moines Art Center (free admission)
• Drake architecture, including Saarinen buildings
• Iowa State Capitol, including the beautiful State Law Library
• Iowa State Historical Museum (free admission)
• Living History Farms
• A Monumental Journey (NBA sculpture)
• Pappajohn Sculpture Garden Park (free)
• Salisbury House

Entertainment

• Adventureland Resort
• Catch Des Moines (event calendar)
• Des Moines Buccaneers Hockey
• Des Moines Performing Arts
• Hoyt Sherman Place
• Iowa Events Center/Wells Fargo Arena
• Iowa Wild Hockey
• Lauridsen Skatepark (nation's largest open skatepark)
• Noce Jazz Cabaret
• Prairie Meadows Casino and Racetrack
• Varsity Cinema (historic, recently renovated theater near Drake)
• Smashpark

Science & Nature

• Blank Park Zoo
• Gray's Lake Park (includes the Kruidenier Trail Pedestrian Bridge, especially beautiful at night)
• Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
• Jester Park Nature Center
• Principal Riverwalk (1.2 mile paved trail with many interesting sights along the way, including the Robert D. Ray Asian Garden and Rotary Riverwalk Park)
• Science Center of Iowa
  
• Water Works Park
• World Food Prize
  

Shopping

• Jordan Creek Mall
• Outlets of Des Moines

Check the neighborhood links, too. For instance, West End Salvage, featured on HGTV, is in Downtown Des Moines, and the East Village offers a variety of local stores, including the self-proclaimed greatest store in the universe, RAYGUN.

Explore by Neighborhood

Des Moines attractions map

• Beaverdale
• Downtown Des Moines
• Drake Neighborhood
• East Village
• Valley Junction