Haines Park-Owl's Head Estates - Des Moines, IA

The neighborhood of Owl’s Head Estates-Haines Park is small and residential, and its history ties into the rest of the city as a whole. Des Moines, Iowa's largest city, serves as the state capital and seat of Polk County. The city originated with the establishment of Fort Des Moines in the mid-1800s. Settlers arrived to the area soon after and the town was incorporated in 1851. Mining provided early industry, but the city has since become a major hub in the insurance industry. Its distinction as a capital city provides residents many opportunities to enjoy live theater productions at the Des Moines Civic Center and art exhibits at the Des Moines Art Center. Des Moines also hosts the annual Iowa State Fair. In a big agricultural state like Iowa, residents never experience disappointment at the variety of produce available here nor the music and entertainment options the fair provides.

While the Owl's Head Estates-Haines Park area does not feature a centralized location for dining and nightlife, options can be found nearby on both sides of the Raccoon River. Skip's features a lunch menu with great choices of pasta, sandwiches and sides. The thinly sliced onion rings are a particular favorite, and the chicken marsala, featuring breaded chicken in wine and mushroom sauce served over a bed of angel hair pasta, remains popular as well. The dinner menu provides more choices in surf and turf with grilled sirloin steaks, pan fried walleye and seared ahi tuna.

Residents of the Haines Park-Owl's Head Estates neighborhood head to Skip's to enjoy its diverse menu, which ranges from robust cavatelli to delicate salmon. The bowtie Creole pasta, chicken nachos and steaks all win raves from the regulars.

For something quick, easy and just as tasty, locals order take-out and delivery from Sam's Fine Food Egg Rolls. Classic Chinese dishes of fried rice, lo mein and cashew chicken fill out the menu here, but Southeast Asian staples of pad Thai and panang beef can also be found.

Residents of Owl's Head Estates-Haines Park appreciate the quirky decor of El Bait Shop. Stuffed animals, wall murals and the odd bicycle adorn the interior, and the outdoor patio provides a wonderful place to enjoy the warm weather months of central Iowa. Located near several trails, El Bait Shop beckons cyclists with a list of 120 tap beers and 150 bottled varieties. For a German beer drinking experience, locals head to Hessen Haus to sample the bar's enormous selection of lagers, hefeweizens and pilsners. A full dinner and lunch menu of German-inspired food provides another reason to visit. To enjoy live rock music by local and national touring acts, nearby Wooly's tops the list for neighborhood residents.

Downtown Des Moines lies just minutes away by car. Free parking poses no problem on residential streets in the neighborhood. Walking and biking throughout the neighborhood serve as safe and enjoyable forms of transportation as well; several designated bike lanes on dot the streets throughout the city, and the Great Western Trail can be accessed south at Water Works Park, which provides over 16.5 miles of paved trail for hiking and biking activities.

Uber serves the Des Moines area, and options for traditional cab service exist as well, but due to the neighborhood's residential nature, calling for service gets better results than trying to hail a cab passing through the area. The Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) runs several local and express routes throughout the city. For travel out of town, Interstate 35 lies just north of Owl’s Head Estates-Haines Park, which can be used for travel north to Minneapolis/St. Paul and to south to Kansas City. I-80 can be taken west to Omaha or east to Iowa City and the Quad Cities.

Located on the Raccoon River and Blue Heron Lake, the Raccoon River Park provides many activities for visitors, with picnic shelters, a softball complex, an aquatic center and a 700-foot beach. Family fun, working out or simply observing nature can be easily accomplished in this free public park. The park area also includes a 10-acre, fenced-in section for off-leash dog exercise with separate enclosures for big and small dogs. Gray’s Lake Park provides more recreational options, with canoeing and kayaking available for outdoor workouts. Kids especially enjoy taking a paddle boat out for a spin on the lake.

Residents and their kids love to see the lights of the annual Jolly Holiday Lights festival held in Water Works Park. This charity event benefits Make-A-Wish in Des Moines and takes visitors on a 3.5-mile ride through a magical holiday-themed light display.

The cost of living in Owl’s Head Estates-Haines Park, like the rest of the city, falls below the national average. Gas prices also fall under the national average by about 6 percent. A bottle of domestic beer at a local bar costs $3.50, with a bottle of import priced at $4. Those in search of a one-bedroom apartment can expect to pay about $670 per month. A ride downtown on a DART bus costs $1.75 for adults and 75 cents for children, with reduced fares available to seniors and the disabled.

Merle Hay Mall, located north of Owl's Head Estates-Haines Park, provides residents the opportunity to visit national retail outlets such as Victoria's Secret, Old Navy and Bath & Body Works. Large department stores such as Target and Kohl's can also be found here.

For locally owned boutiques and specialty stores, however, residents head to Des Moine's East Village neighborhood to visit Repeat Boutique Consignment. This shop carries high end brands of clothing, accessories, home decor and more, all at reasonable prices. For great gifts and apparel, Raygun satisfies with an assortment of mugs, glasses, buttons, magnets and t-shirts touting clever sayings Iowans appreciate, such as: "Kiss Me I'm Iowish." For bookworms, Beaverdale Books features a quality selection of publications by Iowa writers, with a special emphasis on works of poetry.

Residents have several options for grocery shopping, requiring just a little bit of travel. Hy-Vee has two locations south of Owl's Head Estates-Haines Park, which residents visit to stock up on everyday groceries and household goods. Gateway Market lies a little closer to home and provides a good choice of baked goods, meats, cheeses, beer and wine.

The Des Moines Farmer's Market operates both indoor and outdoor seasonal markets. Located on the west bank of the Des Moines River downtown, the summer market features products from across the state. Held every Saturday from May to October, market vendors sell Iowa-raised meat, cheese, wine and fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. The Winter Market commences November to mid-December jointly at the Capital Square and Kaleidoscope at the Hub shopping center.