24 Hours in Des Moines, Iowa – A Great Destination for Fun!
If you need a quick getaway, look no further. Des Moines, Iowa is a great destination for fun, even if you’ve only got 24 hours to experience the city! Seriously. you guys really need to consider this the next time a snowstorm rolls in!
You probably think we’re nuts for even entertaining the idea of leaving the comfort and warmth of our little home in the middle of a legit snow/ice storm. But, I’ve got to say, the biggest mistake we made was not doing this sooner!
Here’s the background story…
We were supposed to drop our kiddos off at Papa and Grammie’s house for the night on Friday, and then we were going to enjoy a much-needed date night together in Des Moines! Well, Mother Nature struck and we were in a fairly intense snowstorm starting Friday morning at 8am.
Shoot. The meteorologists actually got this one right for once! haha
Okay, what’s Plan B?! Hmmm, I think I’ll get those kids right over to Papa and Grammie’s house before it gets any worse. I wasn’t about to take the chance that’s we’d miss out on our date night! Ya feel me? haha #parentlife
Then my dear Husband texts me, “Hey, so here’s what I think we should do. Let’s get into town before the rain/ice starts this afternoon and get “snowed in” for the night!”
Um, yes. This is why I married him! A little spontaneity keeps things fun, especially in the child-rearing years! I was slightly concerned about the weather, but we timed it just right and drove a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
While it may have been a “risky” move, we were fairly smart and adult-ish about the situation. Also, our children were safe and sound with their grandparents, so we definitely felt more comfortable since it was *just* us. You know, ’cause it’s about the kids now… we no longer matter. LOL!
First Stop – Matinee movie – Uncut Gems
We decided we wanted to go to a matinee movie, so we found one that worked and made it happen! The theater (Johnston, AMC Classic) isn’t the best one in the area, but we had the entire theater to ourselves so we couldn’t complain too much. It was wild. That was the first time either of us had been completely alone in a theater (except for each other, of course!).
The movie we watched was Uncut Gems (watch trailer here), featuring Adam Sandler. It is a very interesting movie. Very chaotic and uneasy throughout the whole thing. The ending was less than satisfying and we walked away fairly underwhelmed by our overall experience.
But, we were together without children so it was still considered a win in our book. Ha!
second stop – Supper – Bubba, Des Moines
We went to Bubba – Southern Comforts, Supper & Spirits – for supper. This place is simply fantastic. Five out of five stars. Excellent experience all the way around.
I got a two-piece chicken meal, complete with garlic and buttermilk mashed potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and pimento mac and cheese. Eric got the Bubba Burger with pimento mac and cheese. It all was amazing.
For drinks, I enjoyed the Porch Sipper: Four Roses Yellow Label, Aperol, Cucumber, Ginger, White Peach, Basil. It was light and delightful. Eric enjoys a good Old Fashioned, and their Stone Fruit Old Fashion – Buillet Bourbon, Peach, Plum bitters – was one of the best he’s ever had.
If you’ve never been, this would be a top choice for a meal in downtown Des Moines.
Third Stop – Drinks – Hello Marjorie, Des Moines
Last Summer, we met up with some friends for dinner and went to Hello, Marjorie – Libations and Damn Fine Times – afterwards for drinks. This is such a fun little hole-in-the-wall bar. Eclectic, moody, mid-century modern style. The bar back has been created from buffet hutches, and most of the seating is repurposed dining room tables. The atmosphere alone takes you to another place and time.
We just had to go back! We took up residence at one of the glass-top dining room tables with wheely chairs, and enjoyed the company of a college friend! Due to the weather, they were a bit understaffed, so we had to go up to the bar to order our drinks. No big deal. Service was great, none-the-less.
They have a nice selection of cocktails. I really like the Byline – Strawberry infused gin, Rum Haven coconut water rum, lime, black pepper, Yellow Chartreuse rinse. It’s fruity, tart, light, and refreshing! Eric got an Old Fashioned here, as well, but said it wasn’t as good as the one at Bubba.
This is another great stop in Des Moines for you to try that’s unique and fun!
Fourth Stop – Lodging – De Lux, Des Moines
As parents of young children, we take our sleep pretty seriously, even when we’ve got a night without the kids! We stayed at the De Lux Hotel right downtown, and it is caddy-corner from Hello, Marjorie.
I’d say this hotel shares the same moody/eclectic feel that Hello, Marjorie does. Really nice quality hotel. We didn’t book ahead of time. I did call before we went to Bubba just to make sure that they had availability but chose to make a final decision after supper. I went in to book our room and was pleasantly surprised that the front desk attendant was able to get us a much better price than I was quoted on the phone and on-line.
So, I’ve been in the hospitality industry in the past, and this is just a little tidbit tip for you all… if/when you can, take advantage of the opportunity to walk in and book your room when you arrive (ie not ahead of time). Especially if you’re planning to arrive later in the day/night. They will cut you a deal just to get another room booked because it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be able to book anymore that day/night.
Tip for Discounted Lodging in Des Moines, IA
For instance, on-line and on the phone, I was quoted for a king executive room at $189. Upon booking when I walked-in, the nice gentleman was able to get me a king executive room for $149. He also offered their king executive room with a fireplace (originally $299 standard daily rate)) for $179. I went with the king executive with a fireplace because… why not?! haha!
We were there for a very short amount of time, obviously, but it was another great experience. They do offer a continental breakfast and made-to-order eggs and omelets a little later in the morning, but we didn’t stay for breakfast. We saw a couple of plates of breakfast being delivered to a room, and it looked delicious!
The De Lux has an in-house bar/lounge, which we’ve been to once in the past. They have an excellent chocolate martini! But, due to the weather, the bartender wasn’t able to make it into work that night. Not too big of a deal for us because we were already set on Hello, Marjorie.
The hotel also boasts a 6,000 square foot fitness center with saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools for both men and women. This is an excellent option for a more upscale, experience-focused lodging in Des Moines!
Final Stop – Breakfast – St. Kilda, Des Moines
I felt a little silly skipping out on a really good (included) breakfast at the hotel, but I’d been anxious to try St. Kilda – an Australian-style cafe and bakery – for some time. It did not disappoint! And, lucky you, I remembered to take pictures!
Chai Tea Latte 
Our Meals
Fun Fact: all of the tables in the St. Kilda locations have been made by my parents’ neighbor, Andy, with The Wooden Kitchen. He’s an excellent artist/carpenter!
I started off with a chai tea latte. It was delicious, of course, and I love the extra attention to detail in creating the leaf latte art! So pretty! Eric had black coffee, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Their house coffee is bold, vibrant, and a bit too acidic for my taste.
For our meals, they are currently doing a fundraiser for the bushfire outbreak in Australia right now. They donate a portion of the proceeds from each breakfast taco meal that they sell. How great is that?! I did get the tacos and they were amazing. Eric had The Saint sandwich and thought it was very, very good.
St. Kilda is another great stop for great food and a unique dining experience in Des Moines! They have multiple locations now, too, but the one we went to was downtown.
And After 24 Hours in Des Moines, Ia…
And then, we returned to reality. But before we really got sucked back in, we enjoyed a nice little trip to Target for a couple of odds and ends we needed at home. It was glorious.
Okay, to recap… Please consider getting “snowed-in” on purpose sometime with a short stay-cation in a town near you! Or, you can come and visit Des Moines – where the s’s are silent, but the city is not!
We thoroughly enjoyed our 24-hour snow adventure in Des Moines, Iowa. One of our favorite things to do is to try new restaurants and visit new places. We hit it out of the park this time! I hope you’ll get to experience some of these places soon. And when you do, please report back here and let me know how your experience was!
To the Chaos!
-MG
PS – Here’s another post you might be interested in:
8 Smart Tips to Prepare Your Home for When You Travel
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