Des Moines to Minneapolis drive: Distance, time & best stops

The distance from Des Moines to Minneapolis by car is 244 miles, with a 3h33m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Des Moines to Minneapolis drive are Ames IA, the Buddy Holly Crash Site and the Spam Museum.

Planning a Des Moines to Minneapolis road trip itinerary

The Des Moines to Minneapolis drive takes you from the capital of Iowa to the biggest city in Minnesota.

Good things to do in Des Moines include the Adventureland Resort theme park, the Science Center of Iowa and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

Also worth a look are the Iowa State Capital, Des Moines Art Center and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

For Des Moines accommodation with great reviews, try the Hotel Fort and the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel.

Top attractions in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St Paul include the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Basilica of St Mary and Minnehaha Falls.

Minneapolis has a big craft brewing scene. One of the best ways to explore is on a craft breweries tour. Alternatively, take a walking tour through the city’s vast Skyway network of enclosed bridges and food tours.

Other MSP experiences include St Paul’s historic gangster-era caves, Twin Cities ghost tours and St Paul walking tours.

The Minneapolis hotels with the best visitor reviews are the Element in the Warehouse District and the AC by Marriott in the West End.

Des Moines to Minneapolis distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Des Moines to Minneapolis is 244 miles. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 33 minutes. The quickest route is up the I-35.

The best stops to add to a Des Moines to Minneapolis road trip itinerary are Ames IA, the Buddy Holly Crash Site and the Spam Museum.

Best stops between Des Moines and Minneapolis: Ames IA

Ames IA is home to the Iowa State University, and a couple of its top attractions are university-linked. The Brunnier Art Museum and the Reiman Botanic Gardens are arguably the best bets. The latter is home to something delightfully silly – the world’s largest concrete garden gnome.

The Farm House Museum – former home to Iowa State deans and professors – at the centre of the campus, has the most history, though.

Des Moines to Minneapolis drive: The Buddy Holly Crash Site

About five miles to the north of Clear Lake IA, a plane crashed on February 2^nd, 1959. It was one of the most famous plane crashes in American history. The aircraft was carrying musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The site is marked by a massive pair of horn-rimmed glasses – Buddy Holly’s signature look.

Des Moines to Minneapolis road trip attractions: The Spam Museum

Long before Spam was emails you don’t want, it was tinned and heavily processed pork meat. It rose to prominence in World War II, becoming a ubiquitous part of the US soldier’s diet given the difficulties of supplying fresh meat.

Spam was invented in Minnesota, and the Spam Museum in Austin MN tells the story of the Hormel Company. It also looks at Spam’s strange, enduring popularity worldwide – particularly in Hawaii and Guam.