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Hotel Fort Des Moines is a historic hotel located in downtown Des Moines, and approximately five miles from Des Moines International Airport. Local attractions include the Terrace Hill Historic Site, located one mile from the property. Hotel amenities include complimentary airport and downtown shuttles, meeting rooms, and an indoor swimming pool. Dining options include the full-service restaurant, coffee shop, and bar. Guest rooms feature TVs, and telephones.
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Hotel Fort Des Moines Property Information:
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Rooms:
172
Floors:
11
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- Conventions
- First class
- Data port
- Dry cleaning
- Free high speed internet
- Nonsmoking
- Meeting room
- Dining
- Family rooms
- Fitness facility
- Swimming pool
- Business center
- Wheel chair access
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Hotel Fort Des Moines Reservation Policies:
Check-In:
1500
Check-Out:
1200
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Des Moines Events & Entertainment
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Events
Late June
The Des Moines Arts Festival
is Iowa's premier celebration of the arts. Artists from all over the country
will showcase their original artwork at the festival. The Des Moines Arts
Festival is Iowa's premier celebration of the arts. Each year the
three-day celebration of the arts, decorates the downtown riverfront with
exceptional artwork, entertainment and children's activities. Artists from all
over the country will showcase their original artwork at the festival.
Admission free.
Mid-August:
Iowa State Fair
December
Jolly Holly Light Festival with thousands of lights
and animations.
Arts and Entertainment
Des Moines Art Center
4700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50312-2099
515 277 4405
Fax 515 271 0357
Branch at
9th & Walnut Streets
Street level in the Wells Fargo
Financial Building
Accessible by the Wells Fargo skywalk
The Art Center complex is
composed of three buildings situated at the entrance to Greenwood Park, an
impressive hilltop location for this award-winning design by the internationally
known architects, Saarinen, Meier and Pei. It's a fitting structure to house the
wonderful collections inside. The works of many famous artists from the 19th and
20th centuries are inspiration for taking one of the many classes offered here
from painting to sculpture to photography, papermaking, ceramics and many more.
Whether a family workshop or an individual project, there's a great variety to
choose from. The Art Center is well known for its neighborhood outreach
programs. The Arts after Hours program happens on the first Friday of each month
bringing live entertainment to the Art Center. There's also a cash bar and
coffee bar. A wide variety of lectures, readings, poetry and films are regularly
scheduled at the Center, a gem of culture in the heart of Des Moines.
Des Moines Playhouse &
Kate Goldman Children's Theatre
831 42nd Street
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515)-277-8019
One of the six oldest continuously operating community theatres in the United
States, this wonderful theatre has been in operation since 1919. Its diversity
of offerings include The Actors On Tour program, which brings professional
performances into the communities' schools. It's an innovative way to enthrall
and spark the imagination of all school children; it also provides a discussion
group after the performance. The Playhouse offers other in-depth education
program for schools and community groups plus a Friday Funday for 4-6 year olds.
Des Moines Symphony
221 Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 243-1140
Housed in the Civic Center, the Des Moines Symphony is always engaged. The
season brings seven pairs of classical concerts, family concerts, a three
concert pop series, an annual Yankee Doodle Pops concert and the annual July 3rd
concert. Taking its experience into the educational realm, the symphony presents
many in-school ensemble performances.
Des Moines Metro Opera
106 W. Boston Ave
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-6221
From its beginnings in 1972, this Opera is proof that the Midwest is hungry for
Opera. Sophisticated audiences welcome a diverse selection of contemporary and
classic opera. The impressively high subscriber rate assures the Opera a year
round operation and has helped it gain worldwide recognition. Over 10,000 opera
lovers flood in from across the U.S. and the world for the renowned Summer
Festival, which takes place June and July and stages world-class productions.
Ingersoll Dinner Theater
3711 Ingersoll Avenue,
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 274-4686
Treat yourself, friends, and family to an exciting night of theater. The
Ingersoll Dinner Theater provides fun for all ages by producing Broadway
musicals, rib-tickling comedies, suspenseful murder-mysteries, musical guest
artists, and the Ingersoll Children's Theater. At the Ingersoll Dinner Theater,
you and your friends will enjoy an award-winning four entree buffet, followed by
a night of entertainment!
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Des Moines Destination Overview
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Corn, cattle, and rolling
fields all bring to mind the State of Iowa, as do covered bridges and fields of
brilliant wildflowers. Iowa, the backdrop for the famous Grant Wood painting
entitled American Gothic, was also the first state to legalize riverboat
gambling…and then, there is Des Moines. The area now known as Des
Moines began as a military post in the 1840's. Several of such posts were set up
in the area to protect the rights of the Sac Indians. The garrison, named Fort
Des Moines, was decommissioned shortly thereafter.
The town of Fort Des Moines
emerged from the few people who remained. By the late 1850's, 'Des Moines' was
officially the capital of Iowa. As Iowa's capital city, Des
Moines is a hub of government action, business activity, arts and cultural
affairs. With a city population approaching 200,000 and a metro population of
nearly 500,000, Des Moines offers some of the nation's best schools, superb
public services, and friendly, caring neighborhoods. Des Moines is headquarters
for many and varied businesses but in the forefront is the Insurance industry.
Iowa holds the distinction of being one of the top three centers for insurance
in the world. More than 385 factories in Des Moines produce everything from
farm machinery to food products. The state's capital city is bisected by the Des Moines River. The gold-domed
state capitol, which contains elaborate wood trim and multicolored marble, can’t
be missed. The nearby State of Iowa Historical Building contains exhibits
related to the state's development, including a Conestoga wagon, examples of
Native American beadwork and crafts from the Amana community.
Architects Eero Saarinen, I. M. Pei and Richard Meier each designed a section of the striking Des Moines Arts
Center museum, which houses a collection of American and European masterpieces
and modern sculpture. Just behind the art center is the Science Center of Iowa,
filled with hands-on exhibits exploring nature and physics. The Living History
Farms (open May through October) is a 600-acre complex of working farms west of
town that cover three centuries of history. The farms contain a replica of an
Ioway Indian village circa 1700, a pioneer farm from the mid 1800s, a horse farm
from the early 20th century, and a modern-day agricultural operation.
There are a number of historic homes in Des Moines,
particularly in the Sherman Hill neighborhood, that are open to visitors. Terrace Hill was built in 1869 and now serves as the residence of the governor. Jordan House, built in 1850, was once the home of James Jordan, who aided
escaped slaves as they fled north. The Hoyt Sherman Place is a Victorian mansion
built in 1877 that now contains an art gallery and period furnishings. The Des Moines Botanical
Center displays a rich collection of exotic plants under a 75-foot dome, and the
Blank Park Zoo affords visitors a delightful walk through natural-habitat
exhibits.
After seeing the sights, relax and eat at the refurbished Court Avenue
District, a center for food and entertainment. The Civic Center of Greater Des
Moines is home to Ballet Iowa and the Des Moines Symphony. Next to the Center
is Nollen Plaza, a park that features a waterfall, a reflecting pool, and a
2,000 seat amphitheater.28 blocks of downtown Des Moines are connected by
several miles of enclosed, climate-controlled skywalks which provide total
comfort in navigating from place to place for shopping, dining, and business. Depending on the season,
sports fans might want to catch a minor league baseball game when the Iowa Cubs
play at Taylor Stadium. Football fans can enjoy an afternoon with the Iowa
Barnstormers, an arena football team.
The Buccaneers excel at Hockey. While in Des Moines, antique
collectors will want to explore Valley Junction, a most interesting collection
of antique and specialty shops. The town also hosts a Farmers Market every
Saturday, from late May to September. For family fun, take in the
thrills and excitement of Adventureland Park. This theme park has a wooden
roller coaster as the centerpiece of its Wild West area.
There is also fun and
adventure waiting at White Water University: a water park with a variety of
slides, a wave pool, a children’s play area, and miniature golf. For the
adults, a popular Des Moines area destination is Prairie Meadows in neighboring
Altoona where there is a horse track and casino. Snowmobiling and ice fishing
are winter activities enjoyed at Big Creek State Park. Water Works Park
sparkles with the annual Jolly Holiday light display and animations in
December. Des Moines is thriving.
It is a place of enthusiasm and
productivity, and also a city of beauty and tranquility.
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