Catch Des Moines is the official regional visitor resource for maps, events, lodging, itineraries, and in-person trip help.
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Travelers looking for the Des Moines Visitors Bureau should use Catch Des Moines, the regional convention and visitors bureau for the wider metro. Its planning tools cover downtown Des Moines and communities such as Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Johnston, Urbandale, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights.
Catch Des Moines is useful when trip dates, lodging, events, and local geography still need to come together. The website works well for advance planning, while the downtown information center can supply printed maps, brochures, visitor publications, discounts, and local suggestions during weekday hours.
What Is Catch Des Moines?
Catch Des Moines is the public-facing name of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, a regional destination organization serving leisure travelers, meetings, conventions, and sporting events. The bureau represents 15 municipalities and presents them as one Greater Des Moines destination.
The bureau is most useful for practical trip research rather than municipal business. Catch Des Moines can help visitors compare areas, find current events, locate hotels, build an itinerary, and identify attractions, restaurants, trails, shopping districts, and family activities.
- Use Catch Des Moines for: trip ideas, hotel areas, event dates, maps, visitor publications, and local recommendations.
- Use a city or county office for: permits, public records, taxes, utility matters, and other government services.
- Use each venue directly for: final admission rules, accessibility details, operating hours, and ticket terms.
Des Moines Visitor Resources: What The Bureau Provides
Catch Des Moines combines several planning functions in one place, so travelers can move from broad ideas to a workable schedule without switching among unrelated sources. The strongest resources are the dated events calendar, regional maps, lodging directory, visitor publication, and themed itineraries.
| Visitor Resource | What It Provides | Most Useful When |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Visitors Guide | A digital edition plus a request form for a free printed copy | You want trip ideas before choosing exact dates |
| Events Calendar | Listings organized by date and event category | Your schedule should include a concert, festival, market, or game |
| Greater Des Moines Maps | Area orientation for downtown and surrounding communities | You need to understand distances and choose a base |
| Places To Stay Directory | Hotel listings across the metro rather than downtown alone | You are comparing access to venues, shopping, or suburban sites |
| Attractions Directory | Museums, parks, family sites, arts venues, and recreation options | You need reliable names for a day-by-day plan |
| Trip Itineraries | Theme-based ideas for food, families, art, outdoors, and weekend visits | You want a starting structure rather than a blank schedule |
| Food And Drink Listings | Restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and dining districts | You want meals near the activities already chosen |
| Visitor Resources Directory | Local information points and visitor-oriented businesses | You need printed material or help while already in the metro |
| Information Center | Maps, brochures, discounts, city information, and staff suggestions | You prefer face-to-face help on a weekday |
The official Catch Des Moines organization profile identifies the bureau as the region’s convention and visitor organization and explains its 15-community scope. That regional coverage matters because many hotels, attractions, and sports facilities sit outside the central city.
Use The Website Before You Arrive
The Catch Des Moines website is most effective when visitors use it in a fixed order: dates first, location second, activities third, and meals last. That sequence prevents an appealing itinerary from becoming impractical once event traffic and driving distances are considered.
- Check your exact dates. Review the events calendar before selecting a hotel, since a major fair, tournament, or downtown event can change availability and traffic.
- Choose the part of the metro. Downtown suits many convention, arena, government, and cultural visits, while western and suburban areas may fit shopping, family activities, or a road-trip stop.
- Select two anchor activities per day. One morning or afternoon activity and one evening plan leave room for meals, parking, and weather changes.
- Fill the gaps by location. Use nearby restaurant and attraction listings rather than crossing the metro several times.
- Confirm details with the operator. Check final hours, admission rules, parking instructions, and accessibility information on the venue’s own site.
Planning tip: The bureau’s event listings are valuable for discovery, but the event organizer remains the final source for schedule changes, entry rules, and sold-out dates.
Where To Stay Across Greater Des Moines
Greater Des Moines lodging works better when the hotel area matches the main reason for the trip. Downtown is convenient for the Iowa Events Center, Casey’s Center, the East Village, and central attractions, while West Des Moines can be practical for Jordan Creek Town Center and western-suburb activities.
Airport-area lodging may suit an early departure, and Altoona can reduce driving for trips centered on Adventureland Resort or Prairie Meadows. Travelers attending a specific meeting, tournament, or wedding should begin with the venue address, then compare hotel distance and parking rather than choosing by city name alone.
Use the map below to compare lodging locations across the metro before reserving a room:
What Can The Information Center Help With?
The Catch Des Moines Information Center can provide printed maps, brochures, visitor publications, discounts, city information, and local suggestions. The office is at 400 Locust Street, Suite 265, in downtown Des Moines.
Published hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. Catch Des Moines lists (800) 451-2625 as its main phone number, so travelers with a time-sensitive question can call before making a special trip to the office.
The listed walk-in hours are weekdays only. Weekend visitors should download maps and save event, parking, and venue information before arrival, then use the website from a phone as plans change.
A Practical Des Moines Planning Sequence
A reliable Des Moines plan starts with the calendar, then matches lodging and activities to one part of the metro. The following sequence turns the bureau’s separate resources into one trip plan with fewer unnecessary drives.
- Set the dates and scan the event calendar. Note any event that could affect traffic, parking, or room availability.
- Choose one primary area. Base the decision on the venue or activity that is hardest to move, not on a vague preference for downtown or the suburbs.
- Reserve lodging near that area. Check parking terms and travel time to the main venue before paying.
- Add one morning plan and one later plan each day. Group restaurants and secondary stops nearby.
- Save offline essentials. Keep the hotel address, parking instructions, venue contact, and a basic map available without relying on mobile service.
- Use the information center for local refinement. Ask for current brochures, discounts, or suggestions that fit the remaining open time.
Catch Des Moines is most valuable as a planning hub: it identifies the region’s options, helps visitors understand the metro, and gives them a sensible place to begin. Final operating details still belong with each hotel, attraction, venue, or event organizer.
References & Sources
- Catch Des Moines.“Who We Are.”Confirms the bureau’s regional role and its coverage of 15 partner municipalities.