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Iowa is home to one of the best underrated travel destinations in the United States, according to a new ranking from U.S. News and World Report.

Des Moines cracked the top 15 on U.S. News and World Report’s 26 best underrated travel destinations in 2025. The rankings were based on user votes, staff recommendations and factors like population levels and available activities.

What makes Des Moines, Iowa, an underrated travel destination?

Des Moines ranked 11th in the nation for best underrated travel destinations. The city was one of seven other Midwest destinations featured on the list.

“While the Midwest’s fastest-growing city is no hidden gem, it doesn’t top many travel bucket lists,” writes U.S. News and World Report’s Elizabeth Von Tersch. “It’s tough to see why, considering the Iowa capital city’s outdoor offerings, affordability and friendly locals.”

What are the best underrated travel destinations?

Here are the 26 best underrated travel destinations in 2025, according to U.S. News and World Report

  1. St. Simons Island, Georgia
  2. Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
  3. Door County, Wisconsin
  4. Chattanooga, Tennessee
  5. Block Island, Rhode Island
  6. Big Bend National Park, Texas
  7. Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  8. Duluth, Minnesota
  9. Charlottesville, Virginia
  10. Crested Butte, Colorado
  11. Des Moines, Iowa
  12. Baxter State Park, Maine
  13. Yachats, Oregon
  14. Omaha, Nebraska
  15. Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota and Wyoming
  16. Flagstaff, Arizona
  17. The Catskills, New York
  18. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
  19. Gloucester, Massachusetts
  20. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  21. Cambria, California
  22. Brown County, Indiana
  23. Stone Harbor, New Jersey
  24. Paducah, Kentucky
  25. St. George Island, Florida
  26. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

Iowa recently ranked 14th on U.S. News’ list of the best states in America, a drop from its sixth-place position in 2024.

How did Des Moines score in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Places to Live list?

Des Moines, once ranked the fourth best place to live in the U.S., fell to 55th on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025–2026 Best Places to Live list. It ranked 19th in 2024.

More: Des Moines continues to fall on ‘Best Places to Live’ rankings. Here’s what we know.

Two Iowa cities—Ankeny and West Des Moines—ranked higher than Des Moines on U.S. News’ list of best places to live, with Ankeny at No. 18 and West Des Moines at No. 31. Ankeny also earned a spot on Consumer Affairs‘ list of the 10 best Midwest cities to move to.

Des Moines Register Reporter Kate Kealey contributed to this report.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.



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