There are plenty of excellent reasons to go to a a beach in your area. Spending time in the sun, swimming in the water, and spending quality time with your friends and family to name a few.
It’s easy to find a swimming beach in Des Moines that are near your location with the help of our list of beaches. The following is a list to help you locate a beach close to Des Moines. Search for a beach, a city, or a zip code to get started.
Beaches Near Des Moines
Prior to heading out to a beach in Des Moines, IA or a nearby area, verify on the beach’s website to be sure that it is accessible to the general public. Quite often, beaches will only remain open during certain times of the year or for certain hours of the day.
Remember that the weather on a beach is quite different than what you see in the city. Wind is usually colder and gusty whenever it is coming off the water.
Rules of the Beach
While different beaches in Des Moines will have conflicting guidelines for attending their beach, prepare to listen to the following guidelines for every beach in Des Moines that you visit.
- Never disobey a request from the lifeguard on duty. If they tell you to get out of the water, then you must follow through.
- Clean up all garbage that you bring with you.
- Drinking at the beach may not be permitted.
- All glass containers are prohibited on beaches.
- Most Des Moines beaches have curfews except for certain holidays.
- Do not venture beyond the swimming region.
Des Moines Beach Travel Tips
- Research the restroom situation. Restroom locations are probably the least of your worries before you plan out your beach visit. But you don’t want to be stuck in a spot where you gotta go to the restroom immediately but you can’t find one open. If you cannot locate bathroom details on the website of the beach, you can assume that a public bathroom or facility isn’t available. Make sure that you go to the bathroom prior to driving to the beach.
- Alcohol. You are illegal to consume alcohol at certain beaches in Des Moines. Visit the beach’s website before packing any alcohol.
- Don’t forget the towels. Don’t forget to pack quite a few fresh towels before leaving for the beach. This is particularly necessary if you’re bringing young children to the beach or if you are thinking of getting in the water.
- Bring sunglasses. Too much time in the sun may cause permanent damage to your eyes. Even if it’s a partly cloudy day, reflective sand and water can redirect UV rays back into your eyes. Wear high quality sunglasses that have sps protection and pack a hat for further protection.
- Protect your skin. Apply your sunscreen as soon as you get to the beach. Remember that sunscreen does expire over time so look at the side of the bottle for when it expires.
- Bring a mesh bag for your stuff. It’s convenient to grab a purse, tote bag, or waterproof duffle bag to store beach necessities like towels, buckets, flotation devices, and Personal Flotation Devices. However, these bags trap water from leaving, causing mildew problems and keeping beach gear from drying out.
- Avoid crowded times. Getting to your Des Moines beach early is the best way to avoid crowds.
- Little ones could need Personal Flotation Devices. Keeping yourself and your family safe should be the number one priority when going to the beach. Young kids or anyone who has difficulty with swimming needs to use a Personal Flotation Device.
