What day trips can I take from Des Moines?

Good day trips from Des Moines (roughly under 100 miles) include West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, Waterloo — close enough to visit and return in a day.

Which nearby cities are best for a weekend getaway from Des Moines?

For an overnight or weekend trip from Des Moines, consider Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Council Bluffs, Bellevue — far enough to feel like a change of scene but still an easy hop.

How do I get from Des Moines to nearby cities?

Most nearby cities are reachable by car, train or bus; for the longer hops a regional flight can be quicker. Tap any city in the table for its full distance, drive-time and flight-time breakdown, or use our distance and flight calculators for a specific route.

Cities Near Des Moines

Cities near Des Moines, Iowa: 10 notable destinations within day-trip and weekend range, including West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames. Compare distance, drive time and flight time, with day-trip and getaway ideas.

The closest notable city to Des Moines, Iowa is West Des Moines, about 6 mi (9 km) away — roughly 19 min by road. Below, 10 nearby cities are ranked by distance, with real drive and flight estimates and whether each works best as a day trip or an overnight getaway.

City	Distance	Drive	Flight	Best for
West Des Moines	6 mi / 9 km	19 min	Drive/rail	Day trip
Ankeny	9 mi / 14 km	30 min	Drive/rail	Day trip
Ames	30 mi / 48 km	58 min	Drive/rail	Day trip
Waterloo	90 mi / 144 km	2 hr 5 min	Drive/rail	Day trip / overnight
Cedar Rapids	105 mi / 169 km	2 hr 27 min	Drive/rail	Day trip / overnight
Iowa City	107 mi / 173 km	2 hr 30 min	Drive/rail	Day trip / overnight
Council Bluffs	119 mi / 191 km	2 hr 46 min	Drive/rail	Day trip / overnight
Bellevue	123 mi / 197 km	2 hr 51 min	Drive/rail	Weekend getaway
Saint Joseph	142 mi / 229 km	3 hr 18 min	Drive/rail	Weekend getaway
Sioux City	156 mi / 251 km	3 hr 38 min	47 min	Weekend getaway

Day trips from Des Moines

Within about 100 miles and easy to visit in a day: West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, Waterloo. These are close enough to go and return without an overnight stay.

Weekend getaways from Des Moines

Far enough for a change of scene but still an easy hop: Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Council Bluffs, Bellevue, Saint Joseph. Worth an overnight or a full weekend.

Getting around

Nearby cities are usually quickest by car or train; for the longer hops a regional flight can save time. Tap any city above for its full distance, driving-time and flight-time breakdown, or plan a specific route with the tools below.

Distance calculator Flight time calculator

Frequently asked questions

Notable cities near Des Moines include West Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids. The closest is West Des Moines, about 6 miles (9 km) away. The table above lists each with its distance, drive time and best use.

Cities Near Des Moines

Day trips from Des Moines

Weekend getaways from Des Moines

Getting around

Frequently asked questions

More about Des Moines

Nearby city travel guides

Distances from Des Moines

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