Quick Facts

Located at the crossroads of Interstate 35 and Interstate 80, Des Moines is Iowa’s capital city. Home to almost 700,000 residents (699,292, as of the 2020 census to be exact), the Des Moines metro has a lot to offer.

As the principal city in Iowa’s largest metropolitan area, Des Moines has developed a reputation as the “insurance capital” as it’s home to the headquarters of several large insurance companies. Companies such as Principal Financial Group, EMC Insurance Group, Allied Insurance (a division of Nationwide Insurance), and Wellmark Blue Shield of Iowa, to name some.

Schools

 District Map

Des Moines Roosevelt Roughriders – 9^th – 12^th Grade – 4419 Center Street, Des Moines, IA 50312

• • Windsor Elementary School
  • Hubbell Elementary School
  • Hanawalt Elementary School
  • Perkins Elementary School
  • Greenwood Elementary School
  • Downtown School
  • Edmunds Elementary School
  • King Elementary School
  • Merrill Middle School
  • Callanan Middle School

Des Moines Hoover Huskies – 4800 Aurora Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310

• • Monroe Elementary School
  • Hillis Elementary School
  • Samuelson Elementary School
  • Meredith Middle School

Des Moines Hoover Huskies – 4800 Aurora Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310

• • Monroe Elementary School
  • Hillis Elementary School
  • Samuelson Elementary School
  • Meredith Middle School

Des Moines North Polar Bears – 501 Holcomb Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50313

• • Oak Park Elementary School
  • Madison Elementary School
  • Finley Elementary School
  • Cattell Elementary School
  • Garton Elementary School
  • Phillips Elementary School
  • Harding Middle School
  • Goodrell Middle School

Des Moines East Scarlets – 815 E 13^th Street, Des Moines, IA 50316

• • Brubaker Elementary School
  • Carver Community School
  • Capital View Elementary School
  • Willard Elementary School
  • River Woods Elementary School
  • Jackson Elementary School
  • Pleasant Hill Elementary School
  • Stowe Elementary School
  • Hiatt Middle School
  • Hoyt Middle School

Des Moines Lincoln Rail Splitters – 2600 SW 9^th Street, Des Moines, IA 50315

• • Jefferson Elementary School
  • Wright Elementary School
  • Park Avenue Elementary School
  • Mckinley Elementary School
  • Howe Elementary School
  • South Union Elementary School
  • Lovejoy Elementary School
  • Studebaker Elementary School
  • Morris Elementary School
  • Weeks Middle School
  • Brody Middle School

Where to eat?

Burgers and Fries

• • B-Bops – Something Quick!
  • Zombie Burger – Quirky, one-of-a-kind burgers AND shakes!
  • Lachele’s Fine Foods – “Designer” burgers!
  • Lucky Horse – Burgers and Beers

Mexican

• • Old West – Best Queso in town!
  • Tacos La Familia – North side staple. Their wings are top notch too.
  • Abelardo’s – Open late night with a drive thru!
  • Habanero’s – Centrally located with Margarita flights!

Fine Italian

• • Latin King – Iconic. Perfect place to celebrate an accomplishment!
  • Baratta’s – Southside staple.
  • Centro – Wine and Dine downtown.
  • Tumea & Sons – Old fashioned, family owned with a bocce ball court!

Pizza

• • Fong’s Pizza – Out of the ordinary toppings.
  • Big Tomato Pizza – Pizzeria using local meats and cheeses.
  • Felix and Oscars – Chicago Style Deep Dish!
  • Bordenaro’s Pizza and Pasta – Thin Crust is what they’re known for!

Asian

• • A Dong – Vietnamese eats
  • Wasabi Chi – Diverse. Serves a wide variety of Chinese and Thai dishes
  • Sam’s Fine Food & Egg Rolls – Its in the name!

BBQ

• • Jethro’s – Best known BBQ in town. Daily meal deals
  • Smokey Dee’s – Award winning BBQ. Best Brisket around

Happy Hour

• • The Dam Pup – Upbeat 90s themes restaurant with rooftop patio.
  • Angry Goldfish – American grub, beer and mojitos in a quirky space
  • Iowa Tap Room – Hundreds of Iowa beer options with delicious food
  • El Bait Shop – Wide variety of craft beer to go along with classic bar bites

Breakfast or Brunch

• • The Drake Diner – Legendary restaurant near Drake University’s campus
  • The Waveland Café – Neighborhood diner with all the breakfast staples
  • Mullets – It’s brunch all day here. A1 Bloody Mary mix!

What to do?

• Pappajohn Sculpture Park – Outdoor sculpture park. *FREE*
• Blank Park Zoo – Only accredited Zoo in the state of Iowa. Indoor and outdoor exhibits showcasing many species of animals from around the world!
• Gray’s Lake – Park with a lakeside walking loop! *FREE*
• East Village – Walkable neighborhood east of Downtown. Shop, eat, drink!
• State Historical Building – Museum all about Iowa history *FREE*
• Des Moines Art Center – Wide variety of art mediums on display here. The park to the south of the Art Center is as beautiful as they come. *FREE*
• Science Center of Iowa – Science Center with many exhibits. IMAX on site here too!
• Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden – Seasonal blooms showcased outdoors $in doors in a geodesic dome.
• Court Avenue – Nightlife! Bars, restaurants and clubs.
• Wells Fargo Arena – Catch the Iowa Barnstormers, Iowa Wolves, or Iowa Wild in action or catch a concert here!
• Easter Lake – Underrated Des Moines lake with beach and walking loop around it. *FREE*
• Bike Trails – You can get just about anywhere in Des Moines by way of the bike trail! *FREE*