OUR DESTINATIONS
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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- North America
- United States of America
- Iowa
- Des Moines
Des Moines
An oasis of modern living amidst miles of rolling farmland, Des
Moines is the biggest city in Iowa and its cultural and
administrative capitol. The city's slick skyline houses a major
business centre for the Midwest, and visitors expecting a 'hick
town' will come away with a vastly different impression of their
holiday in Des Moines.
Located at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers,
the city traces back to 1843 when settlers built a fort there for
trading with the local Sauk and Meskwaki Indians. The city grew
rapidly, and today is home to more than 200,000 people. It has a
number of historic buildings, including the gold-domed Capitol
Building, the Tudor-style Salisbury House, and the Governor's
residence at Terrace Hill. Other Des Moines attractions include the
Des Moines Art Center, the State Historical Society, and Hoyt
Sherman Place.
Children will have plenty to see and do in Des Moines as well,
like feeding the giraffes at the Blank Park Zoo, playing in Bubble
Bay at the Science Center of Iowa, and riding the roller coasters
at Adventureland Park.
Des Moines has a busy and eclectic arts community, with many
theatres and live music venues; the city boasts its own symphony,
ballet, and opera. The East Village has a broad range of buildings,
shops, restaurants, and art galleries, and is a pleasant
neighbourhood to explore; while the Court Avenue Entertainment
District is the heart of the Des Moines nightlife, with a number of
restaurants and nightclubs. The city hosts several festivals over
the summer, including the Des Moines Arts Festival in June and the
World Food Festival in October, among many others dedicated to
food, wine, film, music, and more.
Information & Facts
Getting Around
Getting around in Des Moines is fairly simple thanks to the Des
Moines River, which flows through the centre of town and acts as an
orienting point. Streets east of the river are prefixed with
'East', and those west of it have 'West' or no prefix at all. The
streets are easy to navigate, however driving in winter is not
something to be attempted lightly, as snow and ice make conditions
difficult for inexperienced winter drivers. The Des Moines Area
Regional Transit system has a network of buses covering most of the
city, and service that runs into the evening. There are several
taxi companies available 24 hours, but cabs must be called in
advance.
Language
English is the most common language but Spanish is often
spoken in south-western states.
Money
The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into
100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are
widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely
accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid
hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.