Set sail for the skies at The National Balloon Museum located minutes outside of Des Moines. Six thousand visitors come to the museum attraction annually to see high-flying exhibits like the Fantasia Balloon, Hot Air Airship, the Stone Family Balloons and learn about over 200 years of ballooning history.
Stick to it at Sticks where you'll find unique object art, accessories and furniture handmade from birch, poplar and driftwood, made in the Sticks award-winning studio. This hidden gem of a studio grew from crafting smaller items such as ornaments and candle sticks, to receiving national acclaim for their distinctive lifestyle lines.
Spend your time on the nightlife scene out at Des Moines' original Johnny's Hall of Fame Sports Bar. Start your night out with a game of pool, dozens of billiard games and high-def TV's everywhere you look. Grab a slice of pizza and an ice-cold beer because after all, the night is still young when you're in the heart of the capital's entertainment district.
Honor the first African American US Army Officer Candidate Class at the Fort Des Moines Museum. Visit the national attraction filled with artifacts, exhibits, photographs and period art defining the history of heroes who brought gender and racial equality to the US Army during the great world wars.