Red, White & Blue

Visit local attractions that honor patriotic and locally-significant icons.

Day 1
Hear the stories of Iowa’s sports heroes with hands-on interactive exhibits at the Iowa Hall of Pride. Contact (515) 280-8969 for more information.

Built in the late 1800s, the Iowa State Capitol is considered one of the nation’s finest examples of 19th-century architecture. The brilliance of the towering 23-karat golden dome, along with the four smaller domes, is something to be seen! Also, take a tour of the capitol grounds to see the surrounding monuments, including the Peace Officer’s Memorial, Soldier’s and Sailor’s Memorial, Korean War Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial. Call (515) 281-5591 for more information.

The World Food Prize Hall of Laureates serves as a tribute to Iowa’s Dr. Norman Borlaug, the World Food Prize took on a $29.8 million capital project to restore the century-old Des Moines Public Library Building as the Dr. Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The Hall of Laureates will serve as a convocation center available to meeting and events; a museum to recognize great achievements in agriculture; a home for the expanding Global Youth Institute; and an educational facility featuring interactive displays on hunger and food security.

Enjoy lunch at Café Baratta’s in the State Historical Museum of Iowa. Your group can dine outdoors with a beautiful view of downtown.

Iowa's history lives on at the State Historical Museum of Iowa. Unique permanent and temporary exhibits explore the people, places, events and issues of Iowa’s past. Contact (515) 281-5111 for more information.

Next, cross the road to visit Living History Farms. This open, interactive museum is over 500-acres and educates all ages on early Midwest rural life experiences. Contact (515) 278-5286 for more information.

Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, such as Spaghetti Works, Dos Rios Cantina and Tequila Lounge or Court Avenue Brewing Company before heading out for a night on the town at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines Metro Opera or the Des Moines Community Playhouse.

Day 2
Visit the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, a museum honoring Iowa men and women who have served the state and nation in peace and war. As a registered U.S. Army Military Museum, the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum displays artifacts from the Civil War through the present day including uniforms, equipment, weapons, insignia and the everyday items used by service members. Contact Mike Vogt at (515) 252-4531for more information.

Relive the past by touring local performing arts venue, Hoyt Sherman Place. Since 1923, this 1,250-seat theater has hosted an array of national and local performing arts talents. Contact (515) 244-0507 for more information.

Des Moines has been highlighted as having some of the best pit-masters in the United States! Try out the local BBQ at Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que, Bandana’s Bar-B-Q, Jethro’s BBQ and Claxon’s Smokehouse and Grill.

Fort Des Moines Memorial Park and Education Center honors the U.S. Army's first officer candidate class for African American men in 1917 and the establishment of the first Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC's) in 1942. Contact (515) 282-8060 for more information.

The National Balloon Museum and U.S. National Ballooning Hall of Fame in Indianola archives more than 200 years of ballooning, hosts 24,000 visitors a year (with 20 countries in attendance) and operates on more than 2,000 volunteer hours annually. Contact (515) 961-3714 for more information.

Enjoy one of the areas hot spots for dinner and entertainment at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. Try the Triple Crown Eatery. Contact Matt Kiernan at (515) 967-8544 for more information.

Click here to download a PDF of this itinerary.

For more information, contact:
Katie Stien
Sales Manager
Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau
(515) 699-3432
kstien@desmoinescvb.com