Climb Iowa:

Climb Iowa is one of their only rock climbing gyms in the state. It’s huge and not far outside of Des Moines. This small group of climbers really make the community a special place. They had everything you can imagine here from top ropes, bouldering, tension board, self belays, sport climbing,  etc.  This was a great place to spend the day. They even had a rowing machine in the gym as well as hangboards!

Pappajohn Sculpture Park:

This is a unique sculpture garden in Des Moines. You can walk around and see these hand crafted sculptures in the middle of the city. I love when art is free and when everyone is able to view it. You are also able to use you cell phone to access an audio portion of the tour. This a must see if you are heading to Des Moines!

Smokey D’s BBQ:

This place will come up of one of the best BBQ places in Des Moines. It’s a family owned joint which offers the works when it comes to BBQe. They are also known for their wings so def give them a try!

Django Restaurant:

This is a delicious place to grab lunch. It’s a bit more upscale but with their soup and salad special you can’t get wrong! Especially on those cold day. Try their French Onion it is delicious!

John Wayne Birthplace and Museum:

John Wayne was famously born in Winterset Iowa. The house where he was born has now been turned into a museum. There is also a much large museum next to it. For a fun fact his father was a pharmacist and opened his own practice. He was genuinely a good guy and when people would come to with for medication he would take any type of trade or even just give them their medication for free. He couldn’t make a living off of this so they ended up going bankrupt and moved to Los Angeles. John Wayne worked on set in various production departments until he was eventually discovered.

Bridges of Madison County:

The novel and the movie were both based off an actual place in Iowa. Madison County is famous for their covered bridges. Something so special and romantic about then. They were cerated years ago so farmers traveling with cattle and grains would have a place to stop during bad weather. If the grain would get wet it would be ruined. Therefore, there were a ton of covered bridges throughout the county.