Everyone seems to be quitting their day job to find their passion project. You may be sitting there right now trying to figure out how they afford this. Maybe it’s time to take a small step toward your passion instead of a giant leap off the ledge. You can starting sharing your passion for Des Moines as a local tour guide. We have 7 reasons why sharing the city with others can be the next step for you. Flexible schedule. Being a Tour Guide is not a stuffy day 9-5 job. Working as a guide means that no day will ever be the same. You will meet a wealth of personalities, see lots of places, and ..read more

The Iowa Tour Company Tour Team hopes to welcome every guest that is interested in our tours. We know we need to be transparent about any possible challenges for guests with mobility or other challenges. We worked with the , opening doors for people with disabilities in travel and tourism, to share how each of our tours operate for guests with various disabilities and challenges. Our Hosts reviewed all of our tour routes from the perspective of guests with mobility and other challenges. We looked for safe curbs at corners, sidewalk conditions, hills or inclines, steps to enter a venue, availa ..read more

We are all ready to get outside. Most Americans say that they will drive for regional vacations which makes 2021 the year of the Road Trip. America hasn’t seen this level of on the road vacations in decades. Travelers are choosing to travel by cars and RVs staying at campsites, Airbnbs and even with relatives. America Tour Company invites you to join our Midwest Summer Road Trip visiting Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Hit the road to discover the country’s top zoo in Omaha, the majestic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the mountain city of Denver, the epic Sculpture Park in Des Moin ..read more

Valley Junction is a downtown commercial district in West Des Moines, Iowa, offering a rich blend of the historic and the trendy. At the time of contact with Europeans, Iowa was originally inhabited by primarily Siouan Indians. The site of Des Moines area itself, strategically positioned at the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, has been inhabited for over 7,000 years. Early inhabitants included Mississippian mound builders. Over a dozen mounds once existed in the Des Moines area, though all have been destroyed as the town grew. Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet documented Iowa ..read more

The workplace this year has been a new virtual reality with video calls, separated teams and challenging communication. What is the workplace likely to look like when we move back? Once the dust settles, a new normal will start to present itself. This new normalcy can create emotions you have never recognized or addressed before in your staff. Managers need to focus on reconnecting the team to reenergize the workflow. There are three situations that most business will realize as we are establish the new normal. First, the team members are starting to ‘work from work’ again and need an opportu ..read more

Des Moines always makes for an interesting place to explore — even when its the city you call home. Legendary history, stellar restaurants and eclectic boutiques offer days of opportunities to discover new corners of the city as well as learn something about the place you live. A Staycation doesn’t mean staying at home; it’s your time to discover new. You can sleep at home or spend a couple nights in a local Airbnb or a boutique hotel. The only goal for your staycation is to do different activities than the normal routine. We have 10 ideas to get you outside and inspired about our great city ..read more

Preparing for the holiday season can be stressful. Now, more than ever you should support your local small business owners with the products, services and gifts they offer. Enjoy shopping by meeting locals and discovering new shops. Amazon can be tempting since it is convenient but it is far from responsible. Etsy supports some small shops but they aren’t supporting our community. Shopping local supports your community and according to the American Independent Business Alliance (AIBA), when you shop local, approximately 48% of the cost of your purchase is recirculated back into the local econ ..read more

stay·ca·tion /ˌstāˈkāSHn/ a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, one involving day trips to destinations in the region or one in your own city. Make it a day trip in the Midwest or be a tourist in Des Moines. Either way, there are many reasons to take a vacation close to home. You may decide on a staycation because of world events making travel uncertain, because it’s not the best time for an expensive trip or because you want more time relaxing with less travel stress. We all get stuck in our weekly routines and probably don’t notice the new things around us. Many of us m ..read more

Some visitors to Des Moines are surprised by its modern, cosmopolitan beat. The city’s art, architecture and culinary scenes are thriving. From classic gems to cutting edge innovation, Iowa’s capital city has much to offer. 1. Pappajohn Sculpture Park John and Mary Pappajohn donated their collection of enormous artworks to Des Moines if the city would find an appropriate spot. The result, opened in 2009, was Western Gateway Park. One of the nation’s top outdoor sculpture gardens features works by Robert Indiana, Keith Haring and Jaume Plensa. It’s also become a popular site for events such as ..read more

At the beginning of every year we think about new opportunities, resolutions and make plans for the coming months. Our team proposes that you add new discoveries to the list. Travel is definitely an option to explore the world; however, we also invite you to be a tourist in your own city. What can you discover in Des Moines? You drive by historic and interesting landmarks every day. You may eat at the same restaurants with your favorite dishes every week. You walk past sculptures and murals without noticing. We all get in a routine and don’t notice the things that are familiar around us. Take ..read more