Road trip from Des Moines to Lexington
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All Category
Sights & Landmarks
Shopping
Food & Drink
Classes & Workshops
Water & Amusement Parks
Spas & Wellness
Nightlife
Fun & Games
Nature & Parks
Outdoor Activities
Museums
Concerts & Shows
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ITINERARY
12h 18m665 miles29 stops
1
Brenton Skating Plaza
2
Capitol Building
3
Fitness Sports
Iowa's first Specialty Running & Walking store with a emphasis on personal service. Ou r stone motto is "Where You have the Right to B-Fit". Est. in 1984.
4
German American Heritage Center
5
1 Hundred West
1 Hundred West, in Davenport, IA, is the leading bar and grille serving Davenport and surrounding areas. We offer craft cocktails and a supper club inspired menu, along with drink specials, nightly features, wings, burgers, beer, family-style chicken fry, ribs, signature drinks, all you can eat fish fry and much more. For your next meal, visit 1 Hundred West in Davenport.
6
Endless Brews
We are a bottle shop & craft beer bar with 20 taps and over 300 select bottles and cans for carry-out.
7
Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra
8
Nelson Chiropractic
9
Pettengill Morron House Museum
10
Forest Park Nature Center
A Peoria Park District facility, Forest Park serves as the doorway to more than 500 acres designated as part of the Illinois State Nature Preserve. The center provides visitors with more than seven miles of trails that lead through dense forest, along trickling stream beds, and over dramatic hillsides. The A-frame trail head features a small natural history museum, nature store, and a room dedicated to bird-watching. Trails and museum are free and open to the public. NO PETS ALLOWED!
11
Luthy Botanical Garden
Surround yourself with spectacular displays of spring blooming bulbs or the blazing color of autumn, the Garden offers a tranquil setting to enjoy the beauty of each passing season. Established in 1951, Luthy Botanical Garden encompasses five acres and offers over a dozen theme gardens, a Conservatory, a garden gift shop educational programming, numerous events, a rotating sculpture exhibit and magnificent floral displays.
12
Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum
The Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum provides children with the tools and inspiration they need to be explorers and creators of the world. We do this in part through understanding, supporting, and promoting play in the fullest sense of the word, one that includes imagination and creativity.
13
Cowboy Monkey
14
State Farm Center
15
Centennial Park Champaign
16
Boneyard Creek Trail
17
Smiley
Smiley is a huge 25,000 sq foot facility in Castleton filled with the latest Virtual Reality technology. We have very rare and unique interactive games and rides for children of all ages. Our playgrounds are for age 9 months to 10 years old and our VR spaces are for ages 9 years and up! We also have an enormous indoor playground with trampoline basketball, tubes & slides, rock-climbing, obstacle
18
Indianapolis Salt Cave & Halotherapy Center
Step into 9 tons of salt used to recreate the environmental conditions found in a natural underground salt mine. This man-made salt cave, creates the ideal atmospheric breathing condition. Relax, breathe deep and rejuvenate in the Indianapolis Salt Cave and Halotherapy Center.
19
The Grill
20
Barrels & Billets
An exciting bourbon experience where guests can blend, create and bottle their very own bourbon. Guests will blend with six award-winning WoodCraft bourbons which includes a 200 Year Oak, European Oak, American Oak, Cherry Wood, Maple Wood, and Smoked Oak. During the experience, guests will learn the art of bourbon blending before the blending process begins. Once the blending experience is complete, guests can have their recipe bottled onsite.
21
Masterpiece Mixers Paint and Party Studio
Get out and get creative! Unleash your inner artist at our upbeat painting parties. Join a regular class or book a private party and our super fun instructors will walk you step-by-step in creating your masterpiece. Great for birthday parties, girls night out, date night, bridal showers, company events and more.
22
Angel's Envy Distillery
Built in the heart of Louisville, the ANGEL’S ENVY Distillery is downtown’s first fully operational whiskey production facility. Co-founded in 2010 by the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson, ANGEL’S ENVY began as a passion project that combined their family’s deep-rooted passion for and knowledge of the industry with an innovative outlook on bourbon making and finishing. ANGEL’S ENVY opened the doors in 2016 and puts you in the center of our distilling process for a unique tour experience.
23
Cooking at the Cottage
Cooking at the Cottage, opened November 1, 2010 as a cooking school and offer a number of different and unique classes as well as series of classes each semester. Our classroom is open for corporate and team building events, private parties and much. We have a retail store adjacent that, specializing in quality cookware, bakeware, textiles, decorating supplies, gadgets, coffee/tea/chocolate.
24
Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.
The first era of the Lexington Brewing Co. began in the 1890s and came to a halt during Prohibition, changing ownership several times in the decades that followed. By the time Pearse Lyons and his son, Mark, explored the brewery in 1999, it was a dilapidated shell of what it had once been. However, Pearse was a visionary and entrepreneur and saw only what it could be. Spurred by a passion for brewing and distilling that courses through the Lyons family lineage of Irish coopers, Pearse revived Lexington Brewing Co. and restored a craft beer tradition that dates back to the 1700s. Pearse continued to dream big as he set his sights on distilling — a natural progression given his background in fermentation, his family’s heritage and Kentucky’s bourbon tradition. Two copper pot stills that were commissioned from Scotland arrived at Lexington Brewing Co. in 2008. In 2012, Town Branch Distillery opened, first new distillery to be built in Lexington, Kentucky, in more than 100 yrs.
25
St. Paul Catholic Church
26
Failte Irish Imports
Bringing Ireland to Lexington since 2001. Wonderful unique gifts for the whole family!
27
Waveland State Historic Site
Experience 19th century plantation life at this historic compound where you can tour the mansion or "big house," see quarters where slaves lived, visit a smokehouse and other elements of daily life in the Old South.
28
Fayette Mall
Fayette Mall is located at the intersection of Nicholasville Road and Reynolds Road. The mall is central Kentucky’s premier shopping destination with over 170 retailer and dining options including The Disney Store, H&M, Michael Kors, Sephora and The Cheesecake Factory. Fayette Mall also features a children’s play area located in Center Court. Mobile device charging stations can be found in the Food Court. WiFi is available at Starbucks, Dillard’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Customer Service Center is located inside the front entrance next to P.F. Chang’s. Visit shopfayette-mall.com for more information including a complete list of retailers, restaurants, entertainment options and a mall map.
29
Gainesway Farm
Customize this Trip
OVERVIEW
Des Moines to Lexington
1
Start:Brenton Skating Plaza
Des Moines, Iowa·
4.5
(9) review
520 Robert D Ray Dr, Des Moines, IA 50309-1824
2
Start:Capitol Building
Des Moines, Iowa·
5.0
(890) review
1007 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50319-1001
3
Start:Fitness Sports
Des Moines, Iowa·
5.0
(9) review
Iowa's first Specialty Running & Walking store with a emphasis on personal service. Ou r stone motto is "Where You have the Right to B-Fit". Est. in 1984.
4
Start:German American Heritage Center
Davenport, Iowa·
4.5
(84) review
712 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802-1410
5
Start:1 Hundred West
Davenport, Iowa·
4.0
(8) review
1 Hundred West, in Davenport, IA, is the leading bar and grille serving Davenport and surrounding areas. We offer craft cocktails and a supper club inspired menu, along with drink specials, nightly features, wings, burgers, beer, family-style chicken fry, ribs, signature drinks, all you can eat fish fry and much more. For your next meal, visit 1 Hundred West in Davenport.
6
Start:Endless Brews
Davenport, Iowa·
4.5
(9) review
We are a bottle shop & craft beer bar with 20 taps and over 300 select bottles and cans for carry-out.
7
Start:Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra
Davenport, Iowa·
4.5
(8) review
327 Brady St, Davenport, IA 52801-1508
8
Start:Nelson Chiropractic
Peoria, Illinois·
5.0
(7) review
7800 N Sommer St 203, Peoria, IL 61615-1934
9
Start:Pettengill Morron House Museum
Peoria, Illinois·
4.5
(7) review
1212 W Moss Ave, Peoria, IL 61606-1736
10
Start:Forest Park Nature Center
Peoria, Illinois·
4.5
(79) review
A Peoria Park District facility, Forest Park serves as the doorway to more than 500 acres designated as part of the Illinois State Nature Preserve. The center provides visitors with more than seven miles of trails that lead through dense forest, along trickling stream beds, and over dramatic hillsides. The A-frame trail head features a small natural history museum, nature store, and a room dedicated to bird-watching. Trails and museum are free and open to the public. NO PETS ALLOWED!
11
Start:Luthy Botanical Garden
Peoria, Illinois·
4.0
(73) review
Surround yourself with spectacular displays of spring blooming bulbs or the blazing color of autumn, the Garden offers a tranquil setting to enjoy the beauty of each passing season. Established in 1951, Luthy Botanical Garden encompasses five acres and offers over a dozen theme gardens, a Conservatory, a garden gift shop educational programming, numerous events, a rotating sculpture exhibit and magnificent floral displays.
12
Start:Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum
Peoria, Illinois·
4.5
(84) review
The Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum provides children with the tools and inspiration they need to be explorers and creators of the world. We do this in part through understanding, supporting, and promoting play in the fullest sense of the word, one that includes imagination and creativity.
13
Start:Cowboy Monkey
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(7) review
6 E Taylor St, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL 61820-4025
14
Start:State Farm Center
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(77) review
1800 S 1st St, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL 61820-6950
15
Start:Centennial Park Champaign
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(9) review
Kirby St Crescent Dr, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL
16
Start:Boneyard Creek Trail
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(8) review
Champaign Park, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL
17
Start:Smiley
Indianapolis, Indiana·
3.5
(9) review
Smiley is a huge 25,000 sq foot facility in Castleton filled with the latest Virtual Reality technology. We have very rare and unique interactive games and rides for children of all ages. Our playgrounds are for age 9 months to 10 years old and our VR spaces are for ages 9 years and up! We also have an enormous indoor playground with trampoline basketball, tubes & slides, rock-climbing, obstacle
18
Start:Indianapolis Salt Cave & Halotherapy Center
Indianapolis, Indiana·
5.0
(9) review
Step into 9 tons of salt used to recreate the environmental conditions found in a natural underground salt mine. This man-made salt cave, creates the ideal atmospheric breathing condition. Relax, breathe deep and rejuvenate in the Indianapolis Salt Cave and Halotherapy Center.
19
Start:The Grill
Indianapolis, Indiana·
3.5
(9) review
9755 Fall Creek Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46256-4713
20
Start:Barrels & Billets
Louisville, Kentucky·
4.0
(9) review
An exciting bourbon experience where guests can blend, create and bottle their very own bourbon. Guests will blend with six award-winning WoodCraft bourbons which includes a 200 Year Oak, European Oak, American Oak, Cherry Wood, Maple Wood, and Smoked Oak. During the experience, guests will learn the art of bourbon blending before the blending process begins. Once the blending experience is complete, guests can have their recipe bottled onsite.
21
Start:Masterpiece Mixers Paint and Party Studio
Louisville, Kentucky·
5.0
(9) review
Get out and get creative! Unleash your inner artist at our upbeat painting parties. Join a regular class or book a private party and our super fun instructors will walk you step-by-step in creating your masterpiece. Great for birthday parties, girls night out, date night, bridal showers, company events and more.
22
Start:Angel's Envy Distillery
Louisville, Kentucky·
4.5
(967) review
Built in the heart of Louisville, the ANGEL’S ENVY Distillery is downtown’s first fully operational whiskey production facility. Co-founded in 2010 by the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson, ANGEL’S ENVY began as a passion project that combined their family’s deep-rooted passion for and knowledge of the industry with an innovative outlook on bourbon making and finishing. ANGEL’S ENVY opened the doors in 2016 and puts you in the center of our distilling process for a unique tour experience.
23
Start:Cooking at the Cottage
Louisville, Kentucky·
5.0
(9) review
Cooking at the Cottage, opened November 1, 2010 as a cooking school and offer a number of different and unique classes as well as series of classes each semester. Our classroom is open for corporate and team building events, private parties and much. We have a retail store adjacent that, specializing in quality cookware, bakeware, textiles, decorating supplies, gadgets, coffee/tea/chocolate.
24
Start:Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.
Lexington, Kentucky·
4.5
(984) review
The first era of the Lexington Brewing Co. began in the 1890s and came to a halt during Prohibition, changing ownership several times in the decades that followed. By the time Pearse Lyons and his son, Mark, explored the brewery in 1999, it was a dilapidated shell of what it had once been. However, Pearse was a visionary and entrepreneur and saw only what it could be. Spurred by a passion for brewing and distilling that courses through the Lyons family lineage of Irish coopers, Pearse revived Lexington Brewing Co. and restored a craft beer tradition that dates back to the 1700s. Pearse continued to dream big as he set his sights on distilling — a natural progression given his background in fermentation, his family’s heritage and Kentucky’s bourbon tradition. Two copper pot stills that were commissioned from Scotland arrived at Lexington Brewing Co. in 2008. In 2012, Town Branch Distillery opened, first new distillery to be built in Lexington, Kentucky, in more than 100 yrs.
25
Start:St. Paul Catholic Church
Lexington, Kentucky·
4.5
(9) review
501 West Short Sreet., Lexington, KY 40507-1254
26
Start:Failte Irish Imports
Lexington, Kentucky·
5.0
(9) review
Bringing Ireland to Lexington since 2001. Wonderful unique gifts for the whole family!
27
Start:Waveland State Historic Site
Lexington, Kentucky·
4.5
(97) review
Experience 19th century plantation life at this historic compound where you can tour the mansion or "big house," see quarters where slaves lived, visit a smokehouse and other elements of daily life in the Old South.
28
Start:Fayette Mall
Lexington, Kentucky·
4.5
(91) review
Fayette Mall is located at the intersection of Nicholasville Road and Reynolds Road. The mall is central Kentucky’s premier shopping destination with over 170 retailer and dining options including The Disney Store, H&M, Michael Kors, Sephora and The Cheesecake Factory. Fayette Mall also features a children’s play area located in Center Court. Mobile device charging stations can be found in the Food Court. WiFi is available at Starbucks, Dillard’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Customer Service Center is located inside the front entrance next to P.F. Chang’s. Visit shopfayette-mall.com for more information including a complete list of retailers, restaurants, entertainment options and a mall map.
29
Start:Gainesway Farm
Lexington, Kentucky·
5.0
(9) review
3750 Paris Pike, Lexington, KY 40511-9411
CHECKLIST
GPS device or app
Download Offline Map
Car charger and portable battery
Water bottles and snacks
Travel pillow and blanket
Sunglasses and sunscreen
First-aid kit
Trash bags
Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
Driver’s license and vehicle registration
Cash and cards
Camera or smartphone
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the driving distance between Des Moines and Lexington?
The distance is 665 miles
What's the travel time between Des Moines and Lexington?
The driving time can vary depending on traffic conditions, but it is typically 12h 18m mins in normal traffic
What are some of the best cities to visit between Des Moines and Lexington?
Some popular stops include
Are there any cool sights or attractions I shouldn't miss on my drive to Lexington?
There are plenty! Here are some stops you shouldn’t miss on your way to Lexington
What’s the weather like in Lexington?
The weather in Lexington is generally mild year-round, with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. See the links below for more information
Weather in Lexington in January
Weather in Lexington in February
Weather in Lexington in March
Weather in Lexington in April
Weather in Lexington in May
Weather in Lexington in June
Weather in Lexington in July
Weather in Lexington in August
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Weather in Lexington in October
Weather in Lexington in November
Weather in Lexington in December
Interested in a detailed plan for your time in Lexington?
Plan your dream Lexington trip with our daily itineraries featuring must-see attractions! See them here!
A 1-day itinerary in Lexington
A 2-day itinerary in Lexington
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Where else can I travel to if I'm starting my trip in Des Moines?
We have a lot of great trip options for Des Moines! See the links below for all the itineraries we created for you