home Plan Your Des Moines Golf Trip in 60 Seconds Iowa's sleeper food city with big-value golf
Des Moines has quietly become one of the Midwest's best food and drink cities, with the East Village and Court Avenue districts rivaling cities twice its size. The golf is sneaky good — Waveland is the second-oldest public course west of the Mississippi, and several newer designs offer championship-caliber golf at Iowa prices.
The best courses, bars, and rentals in Des Moines — curated for groups.
5 coursesSpring, Summer, Fall DSM (10 min drive)50-200k population
Courses Where to Stay house Sleeps 12-16
$400-$1200/night
Sherman Hill and Beaverdale neighborhoods
full kitchen parking fire pit game room grill hot tub
house Sleeps 10-14
$300-$800/night
East Village and Drake neighborhood
full kitchen parking grill washer/dryer
Dining
801 Chophouse $$$$ steakhouse Des Moines' best steakhouse — dry-aged prime beef, private dining room, and a power-dinner atmosphere
Fong's Pizza $ casual Chinese-pizza fusion in a former Chinese restaurant — crab rangoon pizza is the move, and the bar is excellent
Harbinger $$$ farm-to-table James Beard-nominated seasonal tasting menus — the best fine dining in Iowa by a wide margin
Smokey Row Coffee & Kitchen $ casual All-day cafe and brunch spot — biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, and great coffee
Nightlife
Exile Brewing Company brewpub Des Moines' flagship brewery — great IPAs in a sprawling industrial taproom with games
Hessen Haus Late Night sports bar German beer hall with boot-drinking challenges and live music — the most fun group bar in DSM
Hello, Marjorie Late Night cocktail East Village craft cocktail bar — inventive drinks in a stylish, intimate space
Lefty's Live Music Late Night dive Dive bar with live music and cheap drinks — the late-night anchor of the Court Avenue scene
Activities Court Avenue District Bar Crawl brewery 2-3 hours $20-$40/pp
Walk Court Ave and East Village hitting Exile, Hessen Haus, Fong's, and more — all walkable
Adventureland Park go karts half day $40-$55/pp
Iowa's amusement park — roller coasters, go-karts, and group-friendly fun 15 min from downtown
Saylorville Lake Boating boat rental half day $30-$60/pp
Pontoon rental on the big reservoir north of town — swimming, fishing, and lake cruising
Jasper Winery Tasting winery 2-3 hours $15-$30/pp
Urban winery with live music on the patio — right in Des Moines with a great outdoor atmosphere