Before I arrived in Des Moines, I assumed that Iowa was all about corn. After all, Iowa is the number-one corn producing state in the United States and its nickname is the Tall Corn State. 

So perhaps it was more than coincidence that I visited on the same spring weekend as the annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. The festival was not on my itinerary. I’m all about being spontaneous when I travel, so I’d squeezed it into a packed schedule, and I’m so glad I did. 

The festival turned out to be everything you could hope for from a Midwest travel experience encapsulated in just a few hours. Rather than being all about corn, the Hawkeye State’s capital is all about pork and bacon. In addition to consuming my weight in pork products, the festival exposed me to the kind and friendly spirit of the locals, some great yacht rock music, and a history lesson from a local celebrity. 

The whole experience was emblematic of my visit to Des Moines: fantastic and pleasantly surprising. The city offers great levels of wheelchair accessibility and plenty of interesting accessible things to do. Beyond the bacon, I found a city brimming with charm, accessibility, and a wide variety of things to do. You love food and farmers markets? Check. You like sports, especially baseball? Check. You love history and the arts? Check. You enjoy beautiful outdoor spaces? Check. 

Best of all, it’s all served up with a side of genuine hospitality. Whether you’re here for a festival or just a long weekend, Des Moines makes it easy to explore — and easier still to fall in love with. 

Here’s what an accessible weekend in Des Moines could look like. 

Day One 

Downtown Des Moines is a fabulous place to stay, with several accessible hotels to choose from. Everything is centrally located, the sidewalks are wide and clear, and you have an array of restaurants, shops, and attractions to visit. Start your first day with a delicious breakfast at the Scenic Route Bakery, which serves delicious pastries, coffee, lunch, and all kinds of sweet treats, in addition to coffee and tea. Or, if it’s a Saturday between early May and late October, you can start at the renowned downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market. Held every Saturday during that period, it’s ranked among the nation’s top farmers’ markets. People come from all over the state for fresh produce, baked goods, artisan food, and locally made art. 

With a full stomach and shopping bags, you can roll back across the Des Moines River to the stunning Iowa State Capitol building for a self-guided or timed guided tour. I’ve been in over a dozen state capitols, and this is by far my favorite. Filled with locally sourced wood, beautiful murals, and marble and gold leaf to spare, it’s the only state capitol building with five domes. Don’t skip the gorgeous library. 

If you didn’t get your fill of Iowa history in the Capitol, you can roll just a couple of blocks to the Iowa State Historical Society. The displays were very well done, and the accessibility was excellent. My favorite areas focused on the history of moviemaking in Iowa, including Field of Dreams, and the importance of Iowa in the U.S. political system, specifically as the site of the country’s first presidential primary each election season. I also had no idea that Iowa has such a rich bicycling history. The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is the world’s oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event, and handcyclists have completed the tour in years past. 

Since you’re already in the East Village area of downtown Des Moines, why not do some shopping and support local small businesses? This area is packed with fun and interesting shops and restaurants. My favorite store is a T-shirt shop called Raygun. With thousands of T-shirts featuring any and every quote or saying you could possibly imagine, organized into sections with themes like sports and politics, you’re bound to find something, or you can head upstairs and make your own.  

For dinner, stash your new Ts, and head over to Clyde’s Fine Diner, a somewhat upscale restaurant by Des Moines standards – meaning you can wear your fancy jeans. Featuring upgraded versions of American classics, they’re known for delicious brussels sprouts, mojo pork sandwiches, and oysters. The owner’s grandfather was an animator for Popeye cartoons, and you’ll see some nods to that on the walls. 

If you have some energy left for late night entertainment, west side club Noce hosts two ticketed shows a night on the weekend featuring touring jazz musicians and ensembles. Don’t miss all-night happy hour with free live music starting every Thursday at 7 p.m. 

Day Two 

Kick off a fun day outdoors by rolling to the stunning Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Located on 12 acres in a lush setting right along the Des Moines River, the botanical garden is a relaxing oasis when you need a break from the city. It’s much smaller than many other botanical gardens I’ve visited, but it packs a lot into the middle of an urban space. I love that you can see the river and the downtown skyline from a large terrace adjacent to the gardens. You can explore tropical plants in the warm and humid dome, or marvel at the beautiful tulips in the spring along the many carefully manicured and accessible outdoor pathways. My favorite feature is a waterfall that you can roll underneath in your wheelchair. 

A short accessible taxi ride across the river, you’ll find the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. The 4.4-acre park was a key piece of the redevelopment of Des Moines’ west end when it opened in 2009 with 24 sculptures. Now with 31 sculptures, it is recognized as one of the most significant collections of outdoor sculptures in the U.S. 

Continuing with the art theme, hop back in your taxi and head to the Des Moines Arts Center. The building itself is architecturally impressive and has a fascinating history and a surprisingly rich and diverse art collection inside. You can find paintings by Rothko, Basquiat, Picasso, and Monet, along with works from contemporary artists. 

Gray’s Lake Park is worth one last taxi ride before you turn in. There’s a fully-accessible, 2-mile paved trail that goes around the entire lake, highlighted by a selfie-worthy pedestrian bridge. It’s a great spot for packing a picnic, enjoying the sunshine and dog watching. The park also has an accessible playground for the kids.