Afternoon
Head west to the Historic Valley Junction, a neighborhood perfect for wandering and shopping. If you’re here on a Thursday, be sure to visit during their Jingle in the Junction event, where horse-drawn carriages, Christmas music, and vendors line up the streets. But if you’re here on a different day, you can still shop the same storefronts! Bozz Prints is your quintessential mid-century/retro stop for Des Moines and Midwest merchandise, whereas Happy DSM makes gift-giving easier with unique products and DIY gift boxes.
Hungry? Stop at St. Kilda Collective for a bite. If you’re feening, order up the Big Aussie Breakfast or one of their many tasty omelets. If snacking is more your style, you can’t go wrong with avocado toast, superfood yogurt, or one of their many pastries.
Afterward, make your way to Candle Bar DSM to pick out a unique scent for someone you love, or make your own! Then, explore Reading in Public to find you family member’s next read, or head to Hinge on 5th for boutique-style trends. For music, both modern and vintage, you’ll definitely want to check out Skylabs Audio Shop for record players, vinyls, CDs, and more.
Evening
As the sun sets, because we all know it does earlier than we’d like, it’s time to head back downtown. If you’re here on a Friday, then be sure to hit up the East Village Promenade. This is the neighborhood's signature event. Every Friday during the holidays, stores are open later for extending shopping with fun pop ups, activities, and holiday spirit.
If you’re all shopped out, it’s time to sit back and relax with a cozy beverage (or two). The Greater Des Moines region is full of holiday pop-ups, both bars and restaurants participating in “decking their halls”. It’s important to note too that every one of these bars also offers N/A drinks.
Pro tip: We highly recommend planning ahead to make reservations at applicable holiday pop-ups. They fill fast!
Create your own “holiday bar crawl” by starting with a drink at Rudolph’s Rooftop at the Republic on Grand. Decide if you want to start with a dessert-like cocktail with cream or espresso liqueurs or sip something straight like an old fashioned with a Christmas twist. Then, grab dinner at Verry Merry Big Grove or Exile Brewing’s SnowGlobe DSM where seasonal cocktails are stirred, and cozy meals are being served on feast-worthy platters.
To end the evening, head to Miracle on Ingersoll, a “hidden” holiday pop-up behind The Station on Ingersoll for plenty of drink options from mulled wine and cosmos to spiked eggnog and creamy, minty grasshoppers.
