Travel Guide - Des Moines

Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa and was first founded back in 1843 by Captain James Allen who wanted to call the settlement Racoon Fort due to the fact that it stands where the Racoon and Des Moines rivers merge together. However the United States War Department told him that it should be called Fort Des Moines and the name was then altered when the fort name was dropped.

Today Des Moines is a busy city with skyscrapers and other large buildings which dominate the skyline, but that is not all. You might be surprised at just how much there is to do in Des Moines. If you enjoy gardens you should go to the Des Moines botanical Centre which has a large domed greenhouse containing orchids, cacti, koi carp in pools, turtles and even birds flying around inside it. Once inside you will experience the different climates needed to grow these beautiful plants and allow the animals to live comfortably. Outside there are gardens with features such as cascades and water gardens, there are also different gardens dedicated to different species of plant life such as dwarf conifers.

For something that is a little more on the wild side you should go to the Blank Park Zoo which has a range of habitats from around the world which include a coral reef, African Section, Australian Trail and Kids Kingdom. Animals include lions, Siberian tigers, leopards and giraffes. There is even a contact centre where you can stroke goats, koi and llamas if you dare. This is a great day out for families and children really enjoy getting up close with the animals and interacting with them.

Sports enthusiasts should check out a Iowa Cubs baseball game and experience the thrills inside a large stadium, what could be more fun? If hockey is more your thing Des Moines is also home to the Des Moines Buccaneers who are in the United States Hockey League and play their home game in Des Moines.

Maybe you want to take in a show whilst you are in Des Moines, the best place to do this is at the Civic Centre of Greater Des Moines which has Broadway shows and other performances regularly. If you enjoy jazz music the very best time to visit Des Moines is in July when the free Jazz in July festival is held. This is a celebration of jazz music and during the festival there are numerous jazz shows held at different venues around the city and there is an event each night during July so you could see 31 different jazz bands play! People who like comedy are also catered for at the Funny Bone Comedy Club which has new and established comedians perform live shows.

As you can see Des Moines really does have a wide range of things to see and do and when you get there you will be spoilt for choice. From sporting events, musicals, comedy, zoos and parks Des Moines has something for everyone.