Things To Do
Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market
Looking for a true taste of Iowa! Look no further than the Farmers' Market! Hosted in the Court Avenue District, the streets are lined with vendors offering everything from corn to...more corn! Just kidding, there is a lot of variety and is a favorite of ours to walk through in the morning with a nice hot cup of coffee! (The Market takes place from 7am to Noon.)
The Iowa Taproom
John's favorite spot in Des Moines! Great beer, good burgers, and enough TVs where I can get the Illini game on even if the Hawkeyes are also playing. My go-to is the Des Moines IPA, but if you are looking for something lighter, the Farmer John is a good one! And yes, it was named after me.
Up-Down DSM
Nothing brings out Samantha's competitive side like a free-for-all PacMan game! A great spot to have a beer and play of few arcade games. This two-floor arcade bar is a great way to spend an hour or two between the ceremony and cocktail hour!
Grays Lake
The spot where John got down on one knee! A $5 gift card goes to the first person to send a recreation photo of that magical moment! Grays Lake is where we went on our first run together and is a great ~2 mile run if you need to make sure you get a run in before the festivities begin. If you are looking for a longer run, just message us and we can give you our typical routes!
Smokey Row Coffee
Our favorite coffee shop in Des Moines! It's a little north of downtown but worth the short trip. Great coffee with the classic coffeehouse feel. Tell them John and Samantha sent you! Though they will probably just look at you like your crazy - they don't actually know us.
Exile Brewing Company
Great food and beer option near downtown Des Moines! My go-to beers are the Ruthie (also Samantha endorsed) and Beatnik Sour. Samantha's go-to is the truffle fries!
Fongs Pizza
Great late night pizza (must consume after 12am)! You win the weekend if you take a photo with the fighter pilot helmet.
Hessen Haus
Das boot! Giant pretzel! (Samantha told me to keep it short)
St. Kilda Cafe & Bakery
Our downtown go-to breakfast spot in Des Moines! Good food and plenty of caffeine options to get you ready for the day.
The Breakfast Club
Another downtown breakfast option. Simple, good breakfast food with plenty of morning cocktail options if you are looking to start early or recover from the night before!