Des Moines - Cedar Rapids - Quad Cities (Self Drive)

Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa. The gold-domed Iowa State Capitol building is among the 19th- and early-20th-century landmarks of the East Village area. The Des Moines Art Center is noted for its contemporary collections and Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Local produce and live music are draws at the Downtown Farmers' Market. The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden has outdoor plant displays and a geodesic dome.

Explore the Des Moines Art Center, Blank Park Zoo, Iowa State Capitol, Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Living History Farms, Gray's Lake, Science Center of Iowa and Blank IMAX Dome Theater and much more.

Cedar Rapids is a city in eastern Iowa. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art includes many works by native Iowan painter Grant Wood. Brucemore is an estate with acres of gardens and an 1880s mansion, which houses local history displays. Nearby, Bever Park has an ice rink, a pool and farm animals. The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library offers exhibits on the history and culture of 19th-century immigrants.

Explore the Palisades-Kepler State Park, Indian Creek Nature Center, Prairie Park Fishery, Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Gilded Pear Gallery, Guthridge Park and much more.

The Quad Cities are located where the Rock River meets the Mississippi River. They are Rock Island and Moline on the Illinois side and Davenport and Bettendorf on the Iowa side. The Quad Cities are noteworthy historically as the site of the first rail bridge across the Mississippi River. Davenport`s `River Renaissance` and Moline`s urban renewal funded by John Deere (a company local to the area) have energized these cities, while Rock Island and Bettendorf have each held the title of `most livable small city` by the National Council of Mayors.

Explore the Black Hawk State Historic Site, John Deere & Company Commons, Rock Island Arsenal, Mississippi River Visitor Center, Loud Thunder State Forest, National Mississippi River Museum, Mines of Spain State Recreational Area, Figge Art Museum, Putnam Museum and Science Center, Vander Veer Botanical Park, Colonel Davenport Historical House, and so much more!