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Where to stay in Des Moines for families: Altoona

Updated October 20, 2026 · Ranked by Axel from research, its own hotel reviews and recent rates · How we rank

Altoona & Prairie Meadows leads for families whose plans revolve around Adventureland, with strong hotels and value supporting a park-focused stay. Downtown & Court Avenue is runner-up and the better match for the Science Center, riverfront and baseball. In Altoona, bring a car and check Adventureland's operating calendar before booking.

  1. Fairfield Inn & Suites Des Moines Altoona, Altoona & Prairie Meadows
    #1 for families

    Altoona & Prairie Meadows

    theme-park weekends · casino evenings · seasonal horse racing · outlet shopping

    7.3/10

    Adventureland access, strong hotels and leading value make this the family pick for a park-focused trip.

    Getting around
    0.7
    On your doorstep
    4.2
    Hotels
    7.7
    Value
    8.1
    Axel’s verdict
    6.3

    Stay along Adventureland Drive when Adventureland or Prairie Meadows is the reason for the trip. This is an entertainment-and-shopping base: rides and water-park days in season, scheduled horse racing, casino evenings and the Outlets of Des Moines a short drive away. Families and adults on a casino break can use the same location for entirely different weekends.

    Best for
    familiesshopping
    Skip it if
    Your itinerary is mostly downtown; You want to move between attractions on foot
    Getting around
    DART Route 11 reaches the Outlets via Hubbell Avenue, not every Adventureland Drive address; a car is simplest for local attractions and transfers from DSM.
    After dark
    Prairie Meadows supplies late-night activity inside its casino; this is destination-based entertainment, not a walkable nightlife strip.
    Where to look
    Bass Pro Drive. Start here for outlet shopping and nearby food stops; this is a shopping-led base rather than a downtown-style walking neighborhood.Adventureland Drive at Prairie Meadows Drive. Choose this stretch for casino evenings and short attraction trips; plan crossings carefully rather than assuming an easy promenade.Adventureland Drive at 34th Avenue. Prioritize the Adventureland end when rides drive the trip; arrival traffic can make this junction busy.

    Top hotels by Axel's take

    Typical Axel rate $84 a night · usually 6% under the public rate
    1. 1. Fairfield Inn & Suites Des Moines Altoona9.0
    2. 2. La Quinta by Wyndham Altoona Des Moines8.8
    3. 3. Hyatt Place Altoona/Des Moines8.8
    See all 9 hotels in Altoona & Prairie Meadows, ranked
  2. Hotel Fort Des Moines, Curio Collection by Hilton, Downtown & Court Avenue
    #2 for families

    Downtown & Court Avenue

    historic bar district · office towers · skywalks · riverfront walks · Saturday market

    6.9/10

    The Science Center, riverfront and Principal Park support varied family days; avoid sleeping beside Court Avenue's bars.

    Getting around
    7.6
    On your doorstep
    4.1
    Hotels
    8.0
    Value
    3.4
    Axel’s verdict
    8.8

    Downtown mixes office towers and weather-protected skywalks with Court Avenue's brick-fronted bars. The Civic Center, Science Center and riverfront make it easy to combine sightseeing, a meeting and dinner without driving. Saturday mornings bring a different crowd when the farmers' market fills the Historic Court District from May through October.

    Best for
    first-time visitorsbusiness trips and conventionstravelers without a carsports fans
    Skip it if
    You need reliably quiet nights; Most plans are in the outer suburbs
    Getting around
    Walk to Court Avenue, the Civic Center and riverfront; DART Routes 4, 5 and others serve Central Station at Sixth and Cherry; use taxi or rideshare from DSM.
    After dark
    Court Avenue is the late, loud bar strip; choose some distance from it if crowd and traffic noise bother you.
    Where to look
    Locust Street, Sixth to Tenth. Start here for downtown dining and Western Gateway culture, with separation from Court Avenue’s late bar crowds.Park Street and Third Street. Prioritize this corner for conventions and arena nights; event access matters more here than a neighborhood dining routine.Court Avenue at the River. Choose the river end for waterside walks and Court District evenings; expect more activity than on western downtown streets.

    Top hotels by Axel's take

    Typical Axel rate $168 a night · usually 6% under the public rate
    1. 1. Hotel Fort Des Moines, Curio Collection by Hilton9.1
    2. 2. Des Lux Hotel9.1
    3. 3. Hilton Des Moines Downtown8.7
    See all 9 hotels in Downtown & Court Avenue, ranked
  3. Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG, East Village
    #3 for families

    East Village

    independent boutiques · coffee stops · Capitol views · cocktail bars · LGBTQ+ nightlife

    6.0/10

    Walkable shopping streets and access to the Capitol suit families wanting a central neighborhood base.

    Getting around
    7.5
    On your doorstep
    3.7
    Hotels
    5.8
    Value
    3.4
    Axel’s verdict
    8.6

    East Fifth Street, East Locust and East Grand give you an easy neighborhood routine: independent shops, coffee, restaurants and bars between the river and the Capitol. This is our pick for a couples' weekend or a food-led visit, and the clearest LGBTQ+ base, with established gay bars concentrated around East Fifth and East Grand.

    Best for
    couplesfood loversshoppingLGBTQ+ travelers
    Skip it if
    You want the shortest walk to west-side offices; You expect silence beside nightlife
    Getting around
    Walk the shopping streets, Capitol and river bridges; DART Route 4 connects East Village with downtown and beyond; use taxi or rideshare from DSM.
    After dark
    Restaurants, cocktail bars and LGBTQ+ venues sustain an evening scene; East Fifth is not a guaranteed quiet-night alternative to Court Avenue.
    Where to look
    East Locust at Second Street. Stay near the river crossing for walking into western downtown while keeping East Village restaurants within reach.East Grand, Fourth to Fifth. Choose these blocks for shops, dinner and drinks close together; they suit evenings out more than a retreat from nightlife.

    Top hotels by Axel's take

    Typical Axel rate $176 a night
    1. 1. Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG8.7
    2. 2. AC Hotel Des Moines East Village8.5
    See all 2 hotels in East Village, ranked
  4. Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines/Urbandale, Urbandale & Merle Hay
    #4 for families

    Urbandale & Merle Hay

    suburban corridors · mall entertainment · neighborhood parks · sports bars

    5.2/10

    Mall entertainment and parks suit drivers with northwest-side plans, but outings involve separate journeys.

    Getting around
    0.0
    On your doorstep
    0.0
    Hotels
    7.2
    Value
    6.2
    Axel’s verdict
    5.8

    Urbandale's commercial corridors suit a drive-in visit better than a sightseeing weekend. Around Douglas Avenue, 86th Street and Merle Hay Road, the routine is suburban restaurants, errands and drives between stops. Merle Hay Mall adds bowling, movies and indoor pickleball, while Urbandale's parks offer a break from the shopping strips.

    Best for
    travelers on a budgeta quiet stay
    Skip it if
    You are visiting without a car; You want sightseeing and dinner on foot
    Getting around
    DART Route 4 serves Douglas Avenue and Route 5 serves Merle Hay Road, but stop access varies by address; a car is easiest, including from DSM.
    After dark
    Expect dinner, movies and bowling rather than a continuous bar district; some mall entertainment runs late on weekends.
    Where to look
    Plum Drive at 86th Street. A practical road-trip stop with food nearby and easy interstate access; choose it for convenience, not evening strolling.Northpark Drive at 86th Street. Use this business-park corridor for northwest-side work and highway access; expect to drive between most plans.Merle Hay Road at I-80. Stay by the interchange for quick road access and straightforward dinner stops, rather than a continuous nightlife district.

    Top hotels by Axel's take

    Typical Axel rate $108 a night
    1. 1. Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines/Urbandale8.7
    2. 2. Hampton Inn & Suites Des Moines/Urbandale8.6
    3. 3. Fairfield Inn & Suites Des Moines Urbandale8.5
    See all 9 hotels in Urbandale & Merle Hay, ranked
  5. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Des Moines Airport, Des Moines Airport
    #5 for families

    Des Moines Airport

    airport access · Fleur Drive · shuttle logistics · overnight stop

    4.6/10

    Best kept to a flight-related overnight rather than a family sightseeing base.

    Getting around
    1.2
    On your doorstep
    1.0
    Hotels
    6.8
    Value
    6.5
    Axel’s verdict
    4.7

    Choose the Fleur Drive airport strip for a late arrival, an early flight or a single stopover—not as your introduction to Des Moines. Its useful feature is terminal access and the availability of airport shuttles. The experience is functional rather than neighborhood-led, and confirming your transfer matters more here than assembling a walking itinerary.

    Best for
    travelers on a budgeta quiet stay
    Skip it if
    You want a walkable sightseeing base; You are staying several nights without a car
    Getting around
    Use a confirmed airport shuttle, taxi or rental car; following the June 14, 2026 redesign, Route 8 no longer serves Fleur Drive south of Watrous Avenue.
    After dark
    Treat this as a transfer-and-sleep stop, not a strolling district; less nightlife does not eliminate traffic or aircraft noise.
    Where to look
    Fleur Drive at Hackley Avenue. Choose the airport’s northern Fleur Drive approach for a flight-focused overnight; arrange transport rather than treating it as a sightseeing base.Fleur Drive at Army Post Road. Use this southern airport junction for a functional stopover; roads and terminal access shape the stay more than neighborhood wandering.

    Top hotels by Axel's take

    Typical Axel rate $103 a night · usually 8% under the public rate
    1. 1. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Des Moines Airport8.8
    2. 2. Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines Airport8.8
    3. 3. Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Des Moines Airport8.2
    See all 8 hotels in Des Moines Airport, ranked

This ranking weights how well each neighborhood fits families at 40%, then getting around, things to do, hotels and value. How Axel ranks neighborhoods

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