Jill's Guidebook
Food scene
Fong's Pizza
223 4th StThis restaurant is a Des Moines staple :)
This is a local staple. Out-of-towners, as well as locals, love to stop here for a bite.
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Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
300 E Grand AveThis is a local staple. Out-of-towners, as well as locals, love to stop here for a bite.
A great place for breakfast, lunch, coffee, tea, or a snack. It has a nice atmosphere and a good place to do some work on the laptop!
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Smokey Row Coffee Co.
1910 Cottage Grove AveA great place for breakfast, lunch, coffee, tea, or a snack. It has a nice atmosphere and a good place to do some work on the laptop!
Blu Thai Food and Sushi
309 E Walnut StA great restaurant for Sushi and other Asian cuisine!
Panka Peruvian Restaurant
2708 Ingersoll AveThe food here is AMAZING!
Blaze Pizza
300 W Martin Luther King Jr PkwyGood wood-fired pizza at a good price!
This is a fantastic Italian restaurant if you're looking for a fancier sit-down meal 😋
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Centro
1003 Locust StThis is a fantastic Italian restaurant if you're looking for a fancier sit-down meal 😋
The Poké Company
300 W Martin Luther King Jr PkwyThis is a great place to get a healthy meal to sit-down or on the go!
Firehouse Subs Ingersoll
2708 Ingersoll AveThis is a nice place to get a quick sub and support a good cause 🙂
This restaurant has tasty Australian cuisine. It's incredibly delicious and not too far from our place 👍
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St. Kilda
300 SW 5th StThis restaurant has tasty Australian cuisine. It's incredibly delicious and not too far from our place 👍
This restaurant is right down the road and a good option if you're fancying some Asian food 🙂
Tsing Tsao South
4230 Fleur DrThis restaurant is right down the road and a good option if you're fancying some Asian food 🙂
We have also have a Panera bread just down the road, near the Airport. It's great option!
Panera Bread
4519 Fleur DrWe have also have a Panera bread just down the road, near the Airport. It's great option!
This restaurant is within 2 miles of us and a good option for Mexican food!
Old West Mexican Restaurant
4138 Fleur DrThis restaurant is within 2 miles of us and a good option for Mexican food!
Ocha Bubble Tea and Dessert Cafe
7216 University Avenueif you like Boba Bubble Tea, this is a great spot for it 😋
Blue Sushi Sake Grill
A great spot for Sushi right downtown!
The Green Olive
A great little Mom & Pop Shop to get Mediterranean food!
Primos Tex Mex Bar & Grill
This is a good option within a couple miles for Mexican/Southwest food!
Jimmy John's
For a quick bite, there's a Jimmy John's right down the road.
Pho Real Kitchen and Bar
200 4th StLove this spot downtown for Vietnamese food!
Thai Flavors Ingersoll
More Asian cuisine not too far away!
Sightseeing
Des Moines Art Center
4700 Grand AveIf you're into art, this is a great stop and it's free!
The Science center is fun and educational, right in the center of downtown!
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Science Center of Iowa
401 W Martin Luther King Jr PkwyThe Science center is fun and educational, right in the center of downtown!
This is a beautiful building and you can schedule a free tour or just walk in and look around for free! The Capitol grounds are also very nice.
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Iowa State Capitol
1007 E Grand AveThis is a beautiful building and you can schedule a free tour or just walk in and look around for free! The Capitol grounds are also very nice.
This is a cute little park right next to the Women's Achievement pedestrian bridge which has a good view of downtown from right over the Des Moines River.
Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens
Robert D. Ray DriveThis is a cute little park right next to the Women's Achievement pedestrian bridge which has a good view of downtown from right over the Des Moines River.
This is a great place to visit if you're a plant lover! During the spring and summer, the outdoor portion of this venue is very lovely as well!
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Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
909 Robert D. Ray DrThis is a great place to visit if you're a plant lover! During the spring and summer, the outdoor portion of this venue is very lovely as well!
This Sculpture Park is a lovely (free) walk around a nice area in downtown.
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Pappajohn Sculpture Park
1330 Grand AveThis Sculpture Park is a lovely (free) walk around a nice area in downtown.
Neighborhoods
Historic Valley Junction is a great place to walk around to local shops. They also host a farmer's market with live music, May-October, every Thursday evening 4-8pm!
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Valley Junction
Historic Valley Junction is a great place to walk around to local shops. They also host a farmer's market with live music, May-October, every Thursday evening 4-8pm!
East Village
This is a hip part of town with local shops and nightlife :)
This is a great place for nightlife and food! They also host a HUGE Farmer's Market, 7am-12pm every Saturday morning!
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Court Avenue
Court AvenueThis is a great place for nightlife and food! They also host a HUGE Farmer's Market, 7am-12pm every Saturday morning!
Entertainment
May-October, court avenue in downtown Des Moines hosts a huge farmer's market every Saturday morning, 7am-12pm.
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Des Moines' Downtown Farmers’ Market
300 Court AveMay-October, court avenue in downtown Des Moines hosts a huge farmer's market every Saturday morning, 7am-12pm.
Jordan creek town center has a mall, other shopping, and a movie theater!
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Jordan Creek Town Center
101 Jordan Creek PkwyJordan creek town center has a mall, other shopping, and a movie theater!
This is a great place to capture local artists at work. It's a building that hosts dozens of local artists, often with open studios. You can purchase local art right out of the studio!
Mainframe Studios
900 Keosauqua WayThis is a great place to capture local artists at work. It's a building that hosts dozens of local artists, often with open studios. You can purchase local art right out of the studio!
Kayaking, stand-up paddling, and paddle boating are available here! Check hours of operation :) There is also a light-up bridge at night and a 2 mile path that loops around the lake for walking, running, or biking.
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Grays Lake
Kayaking, stand-up paddling, and paddle boating are available here! Check hours of operation :) There is also a light-up bridge at night and a 2 mile path that loops around the lake for walking, running, or biking.
Rent cross country skis and enjoy some outdoor time during the winter or kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards during the summer!
Pingora Outdoors at Jester Park
12112 NW 128th StRent cross country skis and enjoy some outdoor time during the winter or kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards during the summer!
Adventureland Park
305 Adventureland DrAdventureland is a local amusement park and also waterpark!
Enjoy our local Zoo! Sometimes they hold evening events for adults such as Zoo Brew.
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Blank Park Zoo
7401 SW 9th StEnjoy our local Zoo! Sometimes they hold evening events for adults such as Zoo Brew.
State Historical Museum
600 E Locust StThis is a great stop for the history buff!
Salisbury House
4025 Tonawanda DrA beautiful historic home built in the 1920s.
Mini Golf Available in the Summer and downhill Skiing in the winter!
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Sleepy Hollow Sports Park
4051 Dean AveMini Golf Available in the Summer and downhill Skiing in the winter!
This is a fun thing to do if you like solving mysteries and puzzles.
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Get Air Des Moines
3799 86th StThis is a fun thing to do if you like solving mysteries and puzzles.
Hiking
This is a nice place to hike, if you want to drive out of Des Moines about 45 minutes.
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Ledges State Park
1515 P AveThis is a nice place to hike, if you want to drive out of Des Moines about 45 minutes.
Yellow Banks Park
6801 SE 32nd AveThis is a park in Pleasant Hill that is good for taking a walk outdoors. 🚶♀️
This is a nice little hiking area just outside the middle of Des Moines.
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Brown's Woods
465 Brown's Woods DriveThis is a nice little hiking area just outside the middle of Des Moines.
Swimming
Enjoy an Iowa "beach" at Raccoon River Park for some time in the summer sun!
Raccoon Valley Little League
5301 Park AveEnjoy an Iowa "beach" at Raccoon River Park for some time in the summer sun!
There's a small beach at Gray's Lake park for some time in the summer sun!
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Grays Lake
There's a small beach at Gray's Lake park for some time in the summer sun!
Holiday Park Aquatic Center is right around the corner and down the road if you like water parks!
Holiday Park Aquatic Center
1701 Railroad AveHoliday Park Aquatic Center is right around the corner and down the road if you like water parks!
Clive Aquatic Center
1801 NW 114th StSwimming option in Clive.
Sports
Principal Park
1 Line DrWatch an Iowa Cubs game!
Iowa Wild
730 3rd StFor Hockey Fans, check out an Iowa Wild Game!
Skate park
Des Moines now houses the largest skate park in North America!