03 1 / 2012
#2: Pretend You’re A Tourist
My favorite city to visit is Washington, DC. My wife and I try to travel there at least yearly and love to see friends, family and the unique sites that make our nation’s capitol such a special place. Every time we go, we make sure to do the trolley tour and make a point to visit at least one museum that we’ve never been to before. Despite our familiarity with the city, we always arrive with the enthusiasm, naivety, and wonder of being a tourist.
It’s hard to bring the same spirit to the city you live in everyday.
Personally, we moved home to Iowa more than two years ago but have yet to visit the Des Moines Art Center or the State Historical Museum. We get to Blank Park Zoo and Science Center of Iowa with our toddler but don’t really take time to appreciate them ourselves. We’ve only taken in one musical at the Civic Center. We go to Ames for football and basketball games but don’t look south towards Reiman Gardens or west toward the Brunnier. We’ve seen the Pappajohn Sculpture Park through the windows at Americana but haven’t taken the time to wander through it indiscriminately and without schedule. I’m aware that the Salisbury House exists but can’t tell you much beyond that and I haven’t been to the State Capitol Building since my 8th Grade Field Trip.
It seems odd to get such a thrill from exploring another city while not taking the time to explore our own.
In 2012, I encourage you to become a tourist in Des Moines. Visit these ten cultural sites and a couple more. Take your family or just go on your own. Become a tourist in Des Moines and see what a great city you’ve chosen to call your own.
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It’s hard to bring the same spirit to the city you live in everyday.
Personally, we moved home to Iowa more than two years ago but have yet to visit the Des Moines Art Center or the State Historical Museum. We get to Blank Park Zoo and Science Center of Iowa with our toddler but don’t really take time to appreciate them ourselves. We’ve only taken in one musical at the Civic Center. We go to Ames for football and basketball games but don’t look south towards Reiman Gardens or west toward the Brunnier. We’ve seen the Pappajohn Sculpture Park through the windows at Americana but haven’t taken the time to wander through it indiscriminately and without schedule. I’m aware that the Salisbury House exists but can’t tell you much beyond that and I haven’t been to the State Capitol Building since my 8th Grade Field Trip.
It seems odd to get such a thrill from exploring another city while not taking the time to explore our own.
In 2012, I encourage you to become a tourist in Des Moines. Visit these ten cultural sites and a couple more. Take your family or just go on your own. Become a tourist in Des Moines and see what a great city you’ve chosen to call your own.
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Geoff Wood is an entrepreneur, connector and the COO of Silicon Prairie News. He can be heard tweeting: @geoffwood
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