How to Find Hotels in Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa in the midwestern United States. It is also the largest city in the state and is located in the central portion of Iowa.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

Know Your Destination

1. Dress for the season. Des Moines has distinct winter, spring, summer and fall seasons. Watch out for ice and snow during the winter. Spring and fall are pleasant and pretty; summers can be hot.

2. Attractions in the Des Moines area include the Adventureland amusement park, a number of art galleries and several campgrounds.

Book Transportation

3. Drive into Des Moines on Interstate 80 or Interstate 35, both of which reach Des Moines.

4. Fly into Des Moines International Airport. Rent a car at the airport as you'll need one to get around the city, which is somewhat spread out. There are about 200,000 people here and a lot of suburbs. Public transportation is limited.

Choose Your Accommodations

5. Find accommodations with specific amenities by contacting the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau at [phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources below).
   

6. Check out your choices. Your main accommodations categories are hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts, unless you want to stay at one of the local campgrounds.

7. Book early to lock in luxury digs. Des Moines has just a few hotels in the four-star category; rates run close to $150 a night.

8. Inquire about rates before booking. Three-star hotels are the most abundant category of accommodations in Des Moines. You'll find a number of chain hotels as well as a few boutique hotels. Prices vary significantly, from around $70 a night to almost double that.

Explore the City

9. Check out the Iowa State Fair and its fairgrounds. It's one of the principal attractions in the state. If you come during election years, you can get a chance to meet and greet presidential hopefuls who regularly visit the fair in the hopes of wooing influential Iowa voters.

10. Immerse yourself in Iowa history while viewing some of the state's most beautiful architecture, such as the Iowa state capitol building; this Des Moines gem features a gold-covered dome (real gold!) that's worth checking out.

11. Head to Adventureland Park with the family and take advantage of 100 attractions, including thrill rides.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're coming to Des Moines for a family trip, consider staying at the Adventureland Inn, which is connected to the Adventureland amusement park.