Road trip from Des Moines to Asheville
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Shopping
Sights & Landmarks
Nightlife
Nature & Parks
Museums
Food & Drink
Classes & Workshops
Fun & Games
Outdoor Activities
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ITINERARY
17h 29m925 miles26 stops
1
Brenton Skating Plaza
2
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.
3
German American Heritage Center
4
Endless Brews
We are a bottle shop & craft beer bar with 20 taps and over 300 select bottles and cans for carry-out.
5
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!
6
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.
7
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.
8
Centennial Park Champaign
9
Boneyard Creek Trail
10
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
11
The Grill
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
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.
16
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.
17
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.
18
Savage Garden
19
Cottage Door Antiques & Gifts
20
Peter Kern Library
Hidden inside the historic Kern Building, behind The Oliver Hotel lobby, is Knoxville’s one and only speakeasy, The Peter Kern Library. Once a well-kept secret, the bar is now a beloved institution. The dark wood, fireplace, rows of books, and cocktails named after literary characters create a warm and cozy atmosphere where time seems to stop.
21
Muse Knoxville
Muse Knoxville is a children’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math (STEAM) museum located in Chilhowee Park. Our programs in the museum, in schools across East Tennessee, & throughout Knoxville bring STEM, the arts, health & wellness, & emergent literacy to life in the minds of children. We inspire & empower ALL children through transformative learning experiences through a variety of hands-on and inquiry-based, exhibits and Outreach programs for children aged 6 mos. to 10 y/o. *Museum Play - Indoor educational learning & play spaces, a full-dome planetarium, outdoor learning spaces & a playground! *Field Trips - Bring your class, homeschool, daycare or youth group for a day of fun! *Parties/Events - Choose from a variety of packages to celebrate your special day with us. *Planetarium - We house East Tennessee's only public-access planetarium with shows that rotate every hour!
22
House Mountain State Natural Area
23
Knoxville Botanical Garden
24
CSA II's Rebel Corner
CSA II®'s Rebel Corner is an Online American Heritage Preservation Retailer featuring many areas of American History and Heritage, especially the Wartime Period of 1861-1865, commonly referred to as The War For Southern Independence or The War Between The States!! We offer a wide variety of options and do special orders as well!! Please feel free to visit us at our website for some of the best deals around!!
25
Grove Arcade
Grove Arcade is a beautifully preserved historical building in the heart of Downtown Asheville that represents the heart and character of the town. It’s rich history and ornate architecture combined with its eclectic mix of shops and restaurants offer patrons a full-day immersion into Asheville lifestyle and culture.
26
Lexington Glassworks
Lexington Glassworks, located in the heart of downtown Asheville, NC, was born out of the desire to create timeless and innovative hand-blown glass. Each piece is skillfully crafted using century-old techniques with the singular goal of creating top-notch work. The gallery features high-quality custom lighting and handmade glass for any budget. Lexington Glassworks is a makers studio where the public is invited to view the artists at work.
Customize this Trip
OVERVIEW
Des Moines to Asheville
1
Start:Brenton Skating Plaza
Des Moines, Iowa·
4.5
(9) review
520 Robert D Ray Dr, Des Moines, IA 50309-1824
2
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.
3
Start:German American Heritage Center
Davenport, Iowa·
4.5
(84) review
712 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802-1410
4
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.
5
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!
6
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.
7
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.
8
Start:Centennial Park Champaign
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(9) review
Kirby St Crescent Dr, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL
9
Start:Boneyard Creek Trail
Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois·
4.5
(8) review
Champaign Park, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL
10
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
11
Start:The Grill
Indianapolis, Indiana·
3.5
(9) review
9755 Fall Creek Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46256-4713
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
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.
16
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.
17
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.
18
Start:Savage Garden
Knoxville, Tennessee·
4.5
(3) review
3237 Garden Dr, Knoxville, TN 37918-3319
19
Start:Cottage Door Antiques & Gifts
Knoxville, Tennessee·
4.0
(2) review
4901 Tazewell Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918-9287
20
Start:Peter Kern Library
Knoxville, Tennessee·
4.0
(99) review
Hidden inside the historic Kern Building, behind The Oliver Hotel lobby, is Knoxville’s one and only speakeasy, The Peter Kern Library. Once a well-kept secret, the bar is now a beloved institution. The dark wood, fireplace, rows of books, and cocktails named after literary characters create a warm and cozy atmosphere where time seems to stop.
21
Start:Muse Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee·
4.0
(91) review
Muse Knoxville is a children’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math (STEAM) museum located in Chilhowee Park. Our programs in the museum, in schools across East Tennessee, & throughout Knoxville bring STEM, the arts, health & wellness, & emergent literacy to life in the minds of children. We inspire & empower ALL children through transformative learning experiences through a variety of hands-on and inquiry-based, exhibits and Outreach programs for children aged 6 mos. to 10 y/o. *Museum Play - Indoor educational learning & play spaces, a full-dome planetarium, outdoor learning spaces & a playground! *Field Trips - Bring your class, homeschool, daycare or youth group for a day of fun! *Parties/Events - Choose from a variety of packages to celebrate your special day with us. *Planetarium - We house East Tennessee's only public-access planetarium with shows that rotate every hour!
22
Start:House Mountain State Natural Area
Knoxville, Tennessee·
4.5
(135) review
9601 Hogskin Road, Knoxville, TN
23
Start:Knoxville Botanical Garden
Knoxville, Tennessee·
3.5
(97) review
2743 Wimpole Ave, Knoxville, TN 37914-5958
24
Start:CSA II's Rebel Corner
Tallahassee, Florida·
5.0
(2) review
CSA II®'s Rebel Corner is an Online American Heritage Preservation Retailer featuring many areas of American History and Heritage, especially the Wartime Period of 1861-1865, commonly referred to as The War For Southern Independence or The War Between The States!! We offer a wide variety of options and do special orders as well!! Please feel free to visit us at our website for some of the best deals around!!
25
Start:Grove Arcade
Asheville, North Carolina·
4.0
(987) review
Grove Arcade is a beautifully preserved historical building in the heart of Downtown Asheville that represents the heart and character of the town. It’s rich history and ornate architecture combined with its eclectic mix of shops and restaurants offer patrons a full-day immersion into Asheville lifestyle and culture.
26
Start:Lexington Glassworks
Asheville, North Carolina·
4.5
(983) review
Lexington Glassworks, located in the heart of downtown Asheville, NC, was born out of the desire to create timeless and innovative hand-blown glass. Each piece is skillfully crafted using century-old techniques with the singular goal of creating top-notch work. The gallery features high-quality custom lighting and handmade glass for any budget. Lexington Glassworks is a makers studio where the public is invited to view the artists at work.
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 Asheville?
The distance is 925 miles
What's the travel time between Des Moines and Asheville?
The driving time can vary depending on traffic conditions, but it is typically 17h 29m mins in normal traffic
What are some of the best cities to visit between Des Moines and Asheville?
Some popular stops include
Are there any cool sights or attractions I shouldn't miss on my drive to Asheville?
There are plenty! Here are some stops you shouldn’t miss on your way to Asheville
What’s the weather like in Asheville?
The weather in Asheville is generally mild year-round, with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. See the links below for more information
Weather in Asheville in January
Weather in Asheville in February
Weather in Asheville in March
Weather in Asheville in April
Weather in Asheville in May
Weather in Asheville in June
Weather in Asheville in July
Weather in Asheville in August
Weather in Asheville in September
Weather in Asheville in October
Weather in Asheville in November
Weather in Asheville in December
Interested in a detailed plan for your time in Asheville?
Plan your dream Asheville trip with our daily itineraries featuring must-see attractions! See them here!
A 1-day itinerary in Asheville
A 2-day itinerary in Asheville
A 3-day itinerary in Asheville
A 4-day itinerary in Asheville
A 5-day itinerary in Asheville
A 6-day itinerary in Asheville
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