For travel nurses and allied health professionals, Des Moines offers an appealing combination of professional opportunity, affordability, and an unexpectedly active lifestyle. As Iowa’s capital and largest metro, the city has the amenities of a major Midwestern destination without the traffic, cost, or overwhelming scale of larger metropolitan areas. The healthcare community is substantial, while the surrounding suburbs provide plenty of options for housing, dining, recreation, and day-to-day convenience.
In this hidden Midwestern gem of a city, you can finish a shift, grab dinner in the East Village, walk along the river, catch a minor league baseball game, and make it home without spending hours in traffic. Here’s how to make the most of your time in Iowa’s capital.
Neighborhoods and communities to explore
East Village
The East Village is arguably the best neighborhood for experiencing Des Moines's urban side. Located just east of downtown, it combines historic buildings with restaurants, bars, boutiques, coffee shops, and newer residential development. Travel healthcare professionals who value walkability and want entertainment close to home will find this one of the most appealing areas in the city.
Ingersoll and Sherman Hill
The Ingersoll area offers a more residential alternative while remaining close to downtown. Restaurants, neighborhood businesses, and tree-lined streets give the area a relaxed character, while nearby Sherman Hill adds historic homes and convenient access to the central city. This part of Des Moines works well for travelers who want something quieter without feeling disconnected.
Drake
The Drake neighborhood surrounds Drake University and has a distinctly local, college-oriented personality. The area combines restaurants, casual bars, coffee shops, and residential streets, giving it a comfortable neighborhood feel. It can be particularly appealing to younger healthcare professionals who want access to local businesses without paying for a downtown address.
West Des Moines
West Des Moines provides a more suburban experience with extensive shopping, restaurants, newer housing, and easy access to major roads. It is a practical choice for travel professionals who prioritize convenience, parking, and modern apartment communities over walkability to downtown.
Ankeny
North of Des Moines, Ankeny has grown rapidly and offers a large selection of newer apartments, restaurants, and everyday conveniences. It is well suited to travelers working on the north side of the metro who want a quieter home base while remaining within an easy drive of downtown.
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Restaurants to try
Harbinger (East Village)
Harbinger is one of the restaurants that helped put Des Moines on the map as a serious food destination. The restaurant focuses on creative, vegetable-forward small plates with globally influenced flavors, presented in an intimate setting that works equally well for date nights and dinner with coworkers.
Photo: Two Tone Creative
The Latin King (South Side)
The Latin King is a longtime Des Moines institution specializing in Italian-American comfort food, with generous portions and a distinctly local following. It isn't trying to be trendy, and that's exactly what makes it appealing. For travel healthcare professionals who appreciate restaurants with history and personality, this is a place worth experiencing at least once during an assignment.
Lachele’s Fine Foods (Ingersoll and Highland Park)
Lachele’s has the energy of a casual burger joint with the reputation of a local legend. Often cited as the best burger in Des Moines, it’s a foodie destination that hasn’t forgotten its unpretentious Iowa roots.
Fong’s Pizza (Downtown and Drake area)
Fong’s is one of Des Moines’s most recognizable casual restaurants thanks to its unconventional pizza combinations and lively atmosphere. The menu takes inspiration from Asian flavors and turns them into inventive pizza creations, creating a dining experience that feels distinctly local. It's a fun choice when you want something casual, social, and different from the usual dinner routine.
Things to do
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Located in the Western Gateway area, Pappajohn Sculpture Park is one of Des Moines’s signature public spaces and an easy introduction to the city’s arts scene. The collection includes large-scale contemporary sculptures spread throughout a landscaped urban park, making it equally enjoyable as a cultural stop or a casual walk. Because it is outdoors and centrally located, it is particularly easy to fit into a day off without committing to an entire afternoon indoors.
Photo: jpellgen via Flickr
Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks, particularly because of its striking gold-covered dome. Visitors can explore the building through tours and public spaces while learning more about Iowa's political and architectural history. It's an especially worthwhile stop for anyone who enjoys historic buildings, civic architecture, or simply getting to know the place where they're spending an assignment.
Des Moines Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center offers a strong collection of modern and contemporary art along with rotating exhibitions. Its location in a park setting gives the experience a slower, more relaxed feel than many downtown museums. For travel professionals coming off a run of busy shifts, it can be a good way to spend a quiet afternoon without needing to travel far from the city.
Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market
The Downtown Farmers’ Market is one of the city's most popular seasonal traditions, bringing together local farmers, food vendors, artisans, and community organizations. It is especially lively on weekend mornings and provides a great introduction to Iowa's agricultural culture. Pick up breakfast, browse local products, and take your time wandering through the market before heading into the surrounding downtown neighborhoods.
Recreation
Raccoon River Park and Greater Des Moines Trails
The Greater Des Moines area has an extensive network of paved trails connecting parks, neighborhoods, and surrounding communities. Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines adds a lake, beaches, trails, and recreational facilities to the mix. For travel professionals trying to stay active during a busy contract, the combination of accessible trails and suburban parks makes it easy to get outside without planning an elaborate excursion.
High Trestle Trail
Just north of the metro, the High Trestle Trail stretches approximately 25 miles through central Iowa and is particularly famous for its dramatic bridge spanning the Des Moines River valley. The trail is excellent for cycling, running, or a longer day outdoors and provides a change of scenery from the urban core. It is one of the better day-trip options for travelers who enjoy outdoor recreation without wanting to drive hours into the countryside.
Photo: Phil Roeder
Saylorville Lake
Located north of Des Moines, Saylorville Lake is a popular destination for boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, and camping. In the warmer months, it provides an easy escape when you need more space and less city. It is particularly appealing for travel professionals with a full day off who want to spend several hours outside without leaving the Des Moines area.
Entertainment
Hoyt Sherman Place
Hoyt Sherman Place is one of Des Moines's most distinctive entertainment venues, combining a historic building with a modern schedule of concerts, comedy, theater, and other performances. The venue's smaller scale gives events a more intimate feel than a large arena show, while the historic surroundings make simply attending a performance feel like an occasion.
Iowa Cubs (Triple-A Baseball)
The Iowa Cubs are the city's signature summer sports experience and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Games are played at Principal Park, located at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, giving the ballpark a scenic downtown setting. Minor league baseball is inexpensive, relaxed, and social, making it particularly well suited to travel healthcare professionals who want an easy evening outing rather than a major production.
Photo: Justin Brockie
East Village
The Historic East Village is one of the city's best areas for an evening out, with independent restaurants, cocktail bars, boutiques, and smaller entertainment venues concentrated in a compact, walkable district. It is particularly convenient for travel healthcare professionals because you can build an entire evening around the neighborhood without constantly getting back in your car.
Des Moines Civic Center and Casey’s Center
The downtown entertainment district provides options ranging from touring Broadway productions and performing arts to concerts and professional sports. The Civic Center is the better choice for theater and major cultural performances, while Casey’s Center anchors the city's larger-scale sports and concert calendar.
A midwest hub of culture and year-round adventure
Des Moines is the kind of travel assignment destination that tends to win people over gradually. It may not have the immediate name recognition of Chicago, Minneapolis, or Denver, but it offers something many travel healthcare professionals value just as much: an easy-to-manage city with strong amenities and enough variety to keep several months interesting.
The combination of healthcare opportunities, accessible housing, manageable traffic, excellent trails, strong minor league sports, and a growing restaurant and arts scene makes Des Moines a surprisingly well-rounded place to spend an assignment. Add in the surrounding communities and four distinct seasons, and Iowa's capital becomes a destination that offers considerably more than first impressions suggest.
Whether you’re an experienced travel nurse or just beginning your adventure, Prolink connects you with top assignments at sought-after facilities around the country. Maybe you’re looking to explore the Midwest, or perhaps you're going coastal—either way, we’ve got you. Connect with a recruiter today or browse our open jobs to get started.
