Why Des Moines will surprise you, and why young professionals love it.

Written by ls2group

When you think of destination cities for 20 something-year-olds, the usual suspects likely jump to mind—Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, or Washington D.C. I’m pretty sure most people around the U.S don’t shout “Des Moines!” when discussing up-and-coming cities. The reality is, young people around the country are beginning to recognize the appeal and benefits Des Moines has to offer.

With a metro population of around 600,000, you’re simply not going to have access to the same professional sporting experiences or the bigger concert and performance venues larger metros have. So yes, that’s a knock, but many feel Des Moines more than makes up for the lack of “major” attractions with its high standard of living, unique dinning, up-and-coming nightlife, and career opportunities.

I’m 25 years old and have been living in Des Moines for two years. Being an Iowa native, even I’ve been surprised by how much Des Moines actually has to offer. Des Moines has garnered a lot of national recognition lately as an up-and-coming destination for young people by Forbes, Fortune, and the Today Show.

Let’s investigate why Des Moines has been a trendy pick for young professionals in recent years.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

The most attractive aspect of Des Moines is arguably the job and career opportunities for young professionals. Iowa is, of course, known for agriculture, but our economy is much more diversified than that. Iowa’s Ag economy certainly is strongly represented in Des Moines by John Deere and DuPont Pioneer, among others. In fact, today Ag represents 10 percent of State Domestic Product, while biotech, manufacturing, and financial services contribute more substantially to our economy. Ag manufacturing still looms large—we still export $11 billion+ in Ag goods. Des Moines is also a well-established financial services hub with employers such as Principal Financial, Wells Fargo, and Nationwide basing significant operations here.

Biotech is an increasingly growing sector in Iowa that employs over 15,000 individuals, with many opportunities around Greater Des Moines.

Des Moines was also recently ranked the “wealthiest” city in America. What does this mean? Your dollar goes further here. Our housing market is ultra competitive, meaning more young adults can invest in a house, and get more bang for their buck.

Iowa exemplifies stability, which is a big factor for many young families and individuals looking to begin their careers. We have recently ranked as the third-best run state in the country. This means our fiscal responsibility and strong economic base will continue attracting high paying jobs for the foreseeable future.

All these economic factors have been slowly combining with one more key ingredient to transform Des Moines into a destination city for young professionals. What is that last key ingredient? It’s actually kind of fun. Who would have guessed? Let’s delve deeper into that part, shall we?

Downtown

Fortune Magazine recently ranked Des Moines #1 for up-and-coming downtowns. I live downtown, and I can tell you the best part about that is it’s easy to navigate, not too large, and it packs a lot in a small area. I can honestly walk from one end to the other in about 25 minutes (or use the extensive skywalk system in the winter). Wells Fargo Arena hosts solid concerts from Taylor Swift to Jason Aldean, to sporting events like the first round of NCAA 2016 March Madness.

Eating

We were also ranked recently as the best city for foodies.

If you’re in town for business or trying to impress a date, I’d suggest a swanky spot like Django, that has great food, drinks, atmosphere, and location. It’s also ideal for celebrating special occasions and is affordable.

Feeling in the mood for a little Latin? Des Moines has got you covered. Malo is a newer downtown restaurant that has a unique menu and an awesome outside patio.

Malo rocks!

It’s a great spot for happy hour or a casual dinner with friends. I’ve only had good experiences there.

If you like Italian food, another place anyone who’s familiar with Des Moines (or good food in general) will direct you to is Latin King. I could write a separate article about how great Latin King is, but to save you time I’ll just say you’re not going to find any better Italian food. Period. So do yourself a favor and just go.

Bars

Des Moines might not have a bar or club as exclusive as the Roxbury…but if you’re looking for a good mix of truly fun bars, Des Moines is tough to beat.

My old trusty is El Bait Shop. Great selection of craft beers, good people, and a fun patio area located right downtown – El Bait has it all. Beer me.

Hessen Haus – An old world German beer hall experience. This is a great spot to start out your evening, and pass around Das Boot filled with German beer with your buddies.

Wellman’s Rooftop – Although not downtown, Wellman’s anchors another entertainment district located in West Des Moines with several unique bars including a comedy club and dueling piano bar. Wellman’s rooftop patio is big and always packed on summer nights.

Breweries

Exile – Exile is the bee’s knees. This is a great place to not only enjoy a smooth local brew but to also dine or hang out. I would recommend the Exile Ruthie Gold Lager.

Confluence Brewing Co. – Confluence is well known around Des Moines for good beer. Snag a growler and keep stocked up on their signature Iowa brews.

These are only a few of my favorites. I also frequent some of the dive bars like Carl’s Place in Sherman Hill or The Copper Cup on Court Ave. for a delicious Moscow Mule.

Historic East Village

The street LS2group calls home.

Located across the Des Moines River from the heart of our downtown is the Historic East Village. Over the last several years, major renovation and investment have combined to create a unique work, shopping, and entertainment district. The East Village is home to our amazing Capitol building, along with a growing number of new apartments and townhomes for young professionals. There are plenty of nice boutique stores for the ladies like Wanderlust, along with some other great shops like Fleet Feet Sports for athletes. Here are a few of the highlights:

RAYGUN, The Greatest Store in the Universe – This store is something else. If you’re looking for a clever shirt, coffee mug, or even a baby gift, RAYGUN has you covered. Literally.

Olympic Flame – This little Greek bistro serves up some solid gyro dishes. I really enjoy their salads, and the staff is fun.

Baratta’s – Located on the top of the State Historical Museum, this café is my favorite lunch spot that happens to have the best view in Des Moines of the Capitol, and downtown. If you are visiting for work, I’d highly recommend it!

Up-Down – Looking to play some Mario Cart, classic pinball, or Mortal Combat while enjoying a drink? Up-Down is the place for you. This is a fun place to start (or end) your weekend. There is a lot of fun to be had with life-size Jenga or skeeball. Up-Down definitely has an old-school feel, but everyone I know loves it.

Outdoors

While located within close driving distance to several solid boating lakes, the one recreational area Des Moines has really been setting itself apart is its investment in high-quality bike trails.

High Trestle Trail

Des Moines is a great place to bike. Amenities and services for bicycle riders have grown with demand, which makes cycling here even more attractive. Greater Des Moines has more than 600 miles of connected trail systems. Des Moines public buses have even been fitted with bike racks to allow greater ease of commute and access to recreation.

Developers are taking note of the growing popularity of cycling. Entertainment, restaurants, bars, and craft breweries have popped up across the city, especially near the trails.

Cycling is being built into the identity of the city. For the past thirty years, the Mayor of Des Moines has hosted the Mayor’s Annual Ride and Run, which raises money for improvements and expansions to the trails. Des Moines has made cycling more accessible to casual riders. B-cycle, a bike share program modeled after the successful Vélib’ program in Paris, has made bike rental cheap and convenient across the city.

Biking downtown is fun, too!

Other Top Experiences

Iowa State Fair – Over one million red- blooded Americans travel to Des Moines for high cholesterol, music, and beer late each summer.

80-35 Music Festival – This growing music festival has been attracting better shows and bigger crowds year after year.

Des Moines Arts Festival – Thousands of art aficionados – and people like myself who like to stroll around tossing out words like “art deco” and “minimalism” to feel fancy – flock downtown to view and purchase art around the sculpture garden in June.

Zoo Brew – Every Wednesday evening in the summer, Blank Park Zoo becomes a young adults’ playground. Beer and looking at sweet animals? Sold.

Des Moines Farmers Market – Every Saturday, from spring to October, the Des Moines Farmers Market is packed. Enjoy local produce and specialty food items from all over Iowa by street vendors. Warning…it’s absolutely packed most weekends!

The Iowa Caucus

Every four years, Iowa becomes the center of the political universe, and Des Moines is the hub all candidates, campaigns, and national political reporters operate out of. It’s the only place in the nation you can pick a day of the week to meet a Governor or Senator running for President and get to know them on a first-name basis. If you’re a political junky, Des Moines is the ultimate.

Conclusion: Des Moines is pretty sweet.

We’re pretty good at insurance, politics, and food. If you were looking for a place to begin your career and have fun in the process, I’d argue Des Moines rivals most larger metros. The key, of course, is finding your own happiness wherever you happen to live, but Des Moines offers plenty of amenities and opportunities to help you get there.