The best things to do in Des Moines

6 things to do we’ve checked and stand behind — with the story on each one. Not a ranking; a record.

Browse another shelf: all of Des Moines’s best · Restaurants · Nightlife · Beauty · Bakeries & Sweets · Antiques, Thrift, & Vintage · Shopping · Hobbies, Books, & Crafts · Arts & Culture · Health & Wellness

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Entertainment · 6 places · showing the latest additions first

Whether you're a low-handicap hero or just here for the walk, Waveland Golf Course is the oldest municipal course west of the Mississippi…

4908 University Ave

Whether you're a low-handicap hero or just here for the walk, Waveland Golf Course is the oldest municipal course west of the Mississippi with an 18-hole, classic layout through rolling wooded hills and sneaky slopes. Grab a tee time this week and let those fairways keep you honest.

From the Des Moines newsletter, August 4, 2026

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Wakonda Club

Entertainment

Golf course and country club offering a venue for events.

3915 Fleur Dr

Golf course and country club offering a venue for events.

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Quaint cinema for art, indie & current films plus a cafe with beer & housemade snacks.

4545 Fleur Dr

Quaint cinema for art, indie & current films plus a cafe with beer & housemade snacks.

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Varsity Cinema

Entertainment

Cozy cinema screening new films and classics, along with independent features.

1207 25th St

Cozy cinema screening new films and classics, along with independent features.

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Flix Brewhouse

Entertainment

Casual beer bar and restaurant that’s also a movie theater offering stadium-style seating for enjoying films and dining.

3800 Merle Hay Rd

Casual beer bar and restaurant that’s also a movie theater offering stadium-style seating for enjoying films and dining.

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Seasonal blooms showcased outdoors & in a geodesic dome, plus educational programs & art shows.

909 Robert D. Ray Dr

Seasonal blooms showcased outdoors & in a geodesic dome, plus educational programs & art shows.

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