Explore Iowa on your next vacation
Iowa is located in America's Heartland, as it’s affectionately known. The Midwestern states are known for their friendly locals, delicious, down-home food and stretches of farmland between big-city excitement, and you'll find all of that and more in Iowa.
Enjoy The Great Outdoors
If you're in Des Moines in late summer, be sure to check out the Iowa State Fair to see live musical acts, play games, enjoy delicious eats, check out the State Fair Museum, watch butter sculpting and even milk a cow.
You can also explore the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens, where you will find plenty of different plants and flowers from around the world. There are a variety of gardens where you can relax and enjoy the beauty that nature has to offer for a bargain at $5 per adult, $3 for students ages 4 to 17 and kids 3 and under get in for free!
Wilmington is considered the most arts-centric destination in the state, as it is home to the Delaware Art Museum, a massive exhibition space that features everything from a sculpture garden to a massive collection of American artwork. If you are bringing the kids, make a stop at the Brandywine Zoo, which is home to several species ranging from toucans to leopards. The center also features:
- On-site restaurant
- Educational and a cultural space
- Permanent and temporary exhibits highlighting the campaigns,
- Policy alcoves,
- life at the White House (including a full-size replica of the Oval Office)
- Clinton's two terms as president
Learn About The History
After landing at the Des Moines Airport and getting settled in, you may want to learn more about the history of Iowa's capital city of Des Moines. Jordan House, located at 2001 Fuller Road in West Des Moines, was part of the Underground Railroad and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Then head over the Living History Farms to find out the past 300 years of agricultural history in the state. See history brought to life in this 500-acre open air museum where real people depict Iowa's farm life throughout the years.
Since you're in the capital city, be sure to check out the Iowa State Capitol, which was built between 1871 and 1886. It's the only five-domed capitol in all of the U.S. and is home to the governor's, attorneys general, treasurer's and secretary of the state's offices in addition to the Iowa Supreme Courts. This is a must-see for history and political buffs.