Welcome to Des Moines
As the capital of Iowa, Des Moines is the centerpiece of business activity, government work and cultural draws. The metro, with a population of nearly 570,000, shows off its fair share of awards. Des Moines was ranked No. 1 by Forbes as "Best Place for Business and Careers" and No. 1 for "Best City to Live and Work" by Kiplinger's Finance. What's more, Fortune magazine named Des Moines one of the top "up-and-coming" downtowns. Business travelers will find a number of national corporations situated in this financial services hub, from Wells Fargo to Marsh to Principal Financial. High tech firms have also been migrating to the heartland, as Microsoft is investing a $1.1 billion new data center, and Facebook has four data centers in the area.
When visiting Des Moines, be prepared for the weather. Visitors can expect averages temperatures of 47 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring, 75 degrees in the summer, 50 in the fall and 23 in the snowy winter. To get around, you can opt for a Des Moines rental car, explore on foot or take advantage of DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority), which has a fleet of 90 buses that make trips to shopping malls and major business districts.