Des Moines is Iowa’s capital — a mid-size city that consistently surprises visitors with its quality of life, strong arts institutions (the Des Moines Art Center is one of the best mid-size art museums in the US), a craft beer scene that punches well above its weight, and the Iowa State Fair (the second-largest state fair in the US).

Des Moines: The City That Made Me Rethink Iowa

Let me tell you something that will sound ridiculous: Des Moines is legitimately cool. I know. I didn’t believe it either. For most people, Iowa conjures images of cornfields and caucuses, and Des Moines gets reduced to a punchline about flyover country. But something happened here over the past decade or so, and the result is a city with outstanding public art, a food and drink scene that has no business being this good, and a quality of life that’s making a lot of people from bigger cities quietly relocate.

The Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Art in the Open

The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, right in the heart of the Western Gateway, is a 4.4-acre outdoor gallery with works by some of the biggest names in contemporary art — Ai Weiwei, Louise Bourgeois, Willem de Kooning, Claes Oldenburg, Barry Flanagan, and more. These aren’t small pieces tucked into corners. They’re monumental sculptures set among rolling green lawns, and you can walk right up to them, sit beside them, photograph them from every angle. It’s completely free, open 24 hours, and it’s one of the best public art collections I’ve seen in any American city, period.

I like to visit twice — once during the day when the light plays off the metal and stone, and once at night when the sculptures are lit up and the downtown skyline glows behind them. On a warm evening, locals spread out blankets and picnic on the grass. It’s the kind of public space that makes you believe in the possibility of cities.

East Village: Where Des Moines Gets Its Edge

East of the Capitol building, the East Village neighborhood has transformed from a sleepy stretch of antique shops into the most vibrant neighborhood in Iowa. The streets are lined with independent boutiques, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants that would feel at home in Portland or Austin — except the prices are half as much and you can actually find parking.

Zombie Burger + Shake Lab ($12-18 burgers) is the anchor — a horror-movie-themed burger joint that sounds gimmicky until you taste the food. The Walking Ched (a burger patty between two fried mac-and-cheese buns) is one of the most gloriously excessive things I’ve ever eaten. Their milkshakes are equally outrageous and completely worth the calories.

For something more refined, Harbinger ($28-42 tasting plates) in East Village is a genuine revelation — Chef Joe Tripp sources obsessively from Iowa farms and applies technique-driven cooking that earned national attention. The seasonal tasting menu changes constantly and is one of the best meals available in the entire Midwest. This is not an exaggeration. Make a reservation.

Lua Brewing ($6-8 pints) combines excellent craft beer with creative Latin-inspired food in a bright, welcoming taproom. Their elote dip and empanadas pair perfectly with whatever IPA is on rotation. Peace Tree Brewing ($6-7 pints) has a taproom that fills up on Friday evenings with a good mix of professionals, students, and families.

The Downtown Farmers Market

The Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market, running every Saturday morning from May through October, draws upwards of 25,000 people to the Court Avenue district. It’s one of the largest farmers markets in the Midwest, and the energy is extraordinary — block after block of Iowa produce, baked goods, local meats, artisan crafts, food trucks, and live music.

I always start with a breakfast crepe from Crepe Me (a food truck that’s become a market institution), then graze my way through vendor stalls — fresh sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese, honey, and whatever seasonal fruit is at its peak. Budget about $25-40 for a morning of eating and shopping. Get there by 8 AM if you want the best selection; by 10 AM the crowds are thick and the best produce is picked over.

The Saturday market is the main event, but there’s also a smaller Wednesday evening market in the Hyvee Hall area from June through September that’s less crowded and more relaxed.

Iowa State Capitol: More Impressive Than You’d Think

The Iowa State Capitol building, sitting on a hill east of downtown, has a gold-leafed dome that catches the sun and dominates the Des Moines skyline. Free guided tours take you through the ornate interior — the law library with its spiral staircases and iron balconies is one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve seen in any government building. The legislative chambers feature intricate woodwork and stained glass. Even if you’re not a politics or architecture buff, it’s worth 45 minutes of your time.

The Food Scene: Seriously Good, Seriously Affordable

Beyond Zombie Burger and Harbinger, Des Moines has a surprisingly deep food scene for a metro of 700,000 people. Centro ($16-30 entrees) is a downtown Italian restaurant with a perfect rooftop patio, excellent thin-crust pizza, and a wine list that punches above its weight. Django ($20-35 entrees) does French bistro cooking in a warm, convivial East Village space — their steak frites is my go-to comfort meal in Des Moines.

For breakfast, Waveland Cafe ($8-14) is a neighborhood institution on the west side — straightforward, generous diner breakfasts served in a no-frills room where you’ll sit next to construction workers and college professors alike. The pancakes are enormous and fluffy. Cash only.

The Hy-Vee culture in Iowa deserves a mention. If you’re from outside the Midwest, Hy-Vee is a regional grocery chain, and in Iowa it’s practically a civic institution. The larger Hy-Vee stores have full-service restaurants, wine bars, and prepared food sections that genuinely rival many actual restaurants. Don’t sleep on the Hy-Vee sushi — I know how that sounds, but Iowa Hy-Vee sushi is a real thing and it’s actually good.

For late-night eats, Fong’s Pizza ($10-16) serves crab rangoon pizza — a combination that sounds insane and tastes incredible. It’s a Des Moines original and the bar crowd swears by it.

Outdoor Des Moines

The Scioto Mile gets all the attention in Columbus, but Des Moines has its own impressive trail system. The Principal Riverwalk follows the Des Moines River through downtown, connecting parks, bridges, and public art installations. Gray’s Lake Park, just south of downtown, has a 1.9-mile loop trail around the lake with a beautifully lit pedestrian bridge that’s especially pretty at dusk.

Water Works Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country at 1,500 acres, is undergoing a massive transformation into a sculpture and events park that will rival any urban green space in the Midwest. Even now, the trails through the park’s wooded areas feel like an escape from the city despite being minutes from downtown.

Where to Sleep

Budget: Des Moines doesn’t have a traditional hostel, but budget hotels along Merle Hay Road start around $55/night, and Airbnb options in the Drake neighborhood run $45-65/night with good access to downtown.

Mid-Range: The Surety Hotel ($140-200/night) in Downtown is a gorgeous boutique property in a converted 1913 building — exposed brick, design-forward rooms, and an excellent lobby bar. It’s the best hotel experience in the city for the price.

Luxury: Hotel Fort Des Moines ($180-280/night) is a historic property with renovated rooms that blend old-world charm with modern comfort. Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel ($170-260/night) has a beautiful Art Deco lobby and a rooftop pool.