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400 Walnut Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50309, United States
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Aimee's Store Lighting
Summer camp
Getting Soaked!
Are there any long distance train services available in Des Moines? What is the best mode of travel to Chicago from Des Moines.
We will be in Des Moines for about 3 months, would anyone like to suggest some day trips options. We are nature lovers.
No trains from Chicago. There are numerous nature areas in Iowa. You might especially ike the Iowa River Greenbelt near Iowa Falls. E-mail if I can help. Mark
Unfortunately there is no train service anywhere near Des Moines. Airfare is very expensive from Chicago because there is very little competition. You could drive (about a 5 - 6 hour trip) or take a bus from Chicago.
Check out this site for a nature walk in Iowa - http://www.trailresources.com/trail-iowa-heart-of-iowa-nature-trail.html
First of all read Fat Girls of Des Moines by american writer, Bill Bryson.
i spent one summer at an indian settlement nearby and was free every weekend, used to drive around a fair bit, lots of places to go to and undiscovered places, quaint places. dont expect great food, but people are friendly. university towns like ames and iowa city were welcome as well. there is a amana christian colony worth visiting.
www.fws.gov/Midwest/nealsmith
Researchers are trying to uncover the "best practices" for returning former farmland to its original prairie environment. Nothing spectacular -- Iowa is flat and has almost no areas untramelled by agriculture -- but an interesting educational experience. You might just see the bison and elk that have been re-introduced as part of the process.
Iowa is anything but flat. I've lived here all my life and there are three things that are certain in Iowa.
1. Iowa is often confused with Idaho.
2. It is believed by many, who do not live here, that Iowa is flat.
3. If you don't like the weather here, wait a day.
The trains run through Osceola, Iowa which is south of Des Moines. Not sure how you would get there to catch a train.
Check out Megabus. They have a cheap ride to Chicago and back.
http://us.megabus.com/
Living History Farms is dedicated to preserving our knowledge of the past. You can see authentic reproductions from the 1900's, 1800's, and earlier. Local people dress up and go through their routines, but are more than happy to tell you what they're up to.
Living History Farms
2600 111th St.
Urbandale, IA 50322
Iowa's State Capital is quite interesting - not only does it have a central gilded dome, it also has four smaller "dome-lets" that surround it, almost like minarets.
This is one of those domes that uses gold leaf to dazzle the observer. That must be a very interesting job: "gold-leaf applier." Is there a college somewhat with a major in that? Is there a long apprentice process? I was reading that the leaf on the Iowa State Capital is 23-carat gold, and that it is 1/250,000th of an inch thick. That's pretty thin! I also read that when the leaf was most recently re-applied, in the 1990s, it cost the good people of Iowa $400,000. Thank you, Iowans!
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Q: Trains "Are there any long distance train services available in Des Moines? What is the best mode of travel to Chicago from Des..."
A: "No trains from Chicago. There are numerous nature areas in Iowa. You might especially ike the Iowa River Greenbelt near Iowa Falls. E-mail if I can help. Mark"
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