Meredith - Des Moines, IA

Meredith's relatively young age belies the history and culture of the rapidly growing neighborhood. Named for Meredith Dairy Farms, the neighborhood originally formed the northern most community in Des Moines. It acted as the conduit between sparsely populated rural communities located just to the south of Saylorville Lake. The population explosion that made Des Moines an important commercial center created demand for housing in all of the outer ring neighborhoods, including Meredith.

Meredith residents can hop on the nearby interstate and reach area museums and other cultural attractions in less than 15 minutes. The Des Moines Art Museum attracts art aficionados from the neighborhood to downtown Des Moines. Science buffs flock to the Des Moines Science Center, recognized as one of the leading science centers in the Midwest. Saylorville Lake operates one of the most popular annual area events, the Cardboard Boat Regatta that starts in early August.

The Meredith central restaurant location bustles along Douglas Avenue and Merle Hay Road. While corporate national and regional chains dominate the central restaurant district, Meredith residents have several independent dining gems to choose from located less than a mile from their homes. Located near the mall, El Dorado gives diners a taste of the spicy cuisine that tantalizes taste buds south of the border. Known for specializing in classic Mexican fare, El Dorado goes a step further by creating vegetarian dishes that include combination platters. Fans of Chinese buffets should love Bamboo Buffet & Grill, a Meredith neighborhood favorite known for its delicious dim sum. Popular Iowa pizzeria Felix & Oscar's goes well beyond the standard pizzeria menu by offering burgers and Italian specialty salads. However, the tasty Chicago-style deep-dish pizzas keep the Meredith neighborhood restaurant buzzing from open to close. Nightlife in and around the Meredith neighborhood consists of laid-back watering holes. Residents travel to other parts of the city for live music venues and dance clubs. Yet, Meredith boasts one of the most innovative entertainment concepts found in the Des Moines metropolitan area. Flix Brewhouse, which opened in late 2014 at Merle Hay Mall, combines on-site brewed beer, an eclectic menu and eight big screens to provide customers with an entire night's worth of entertainment. Flix Brewhouse creates seasonal beers and trademark artisan beers that stay on the menu year-round. Located downtown, the Gas Lamp draws music fans who hear live regional and national acts in a spacious, audio-friendly environment.

Interstate 35/80, which runs adjacent to the northern boundary of Meredith, provides residents with quick access to virtually every Des Moines area attraction. The Interstate runs to West Des Moines and to downtown via Interstate 235. Meredith commuters who work downtown can reach their destinations in less than 15 minutes. Cab service requires a phone call well in advance of trips.

Alternative transportation options to commuting by car include walking or cycling to Merle Hay Mall to ride one of the buses that frequently pick up and drop off passengers throughout the day. The number 52 Merle Hay line acts as a semi-express route by spending little time on side streets and most of its time on the highway. Downtown workers avoid paying costly parking fees by only adding a few minutes to their morning commute. Other bus routes take passengers along Douglas Avenue and through the eclectic Beaverdale neighborhood located due east of Meredith. Cyclists have to pay close attention to traffic on Douglas Avenue and Merle Hay Road, as neither street includes cycling lanes. The subdivisions that sit away from the busy major Meredith streets have plenty of sidewalk space for you to enjoy a leisurely stroll or vigorous workout.

Why settle for a small city park, when you can roam the natural splendor called Saylorville Lake. Rent a boat to explore remote coves around the lake's perimeter, and enjoy catching the limit in one of the tributaries that keep the large lake replenished. Saylorville Lake provides plenty of camping options, which makes the central Iowa recreational venue a prime vacation destination for the entire family. Saylorville Lake hosts several annual events, many of which promote fishing tournaments that attract the best anglers from the Midwest.

The City of Des Moines operates Birdland Park, an urban park set in a rustic area near the Des Moines River. Family-friendly Birdland Park includes a vast playground for children to lose themselves for a couple of hours. The Marina gives boaters easy access to the sprawling lake, as well as a place for visitors to kick back and soak in the sun. Although the park provides canines with ample space to roam, the roaming must include a leash. The closest unleashed dog park for canines stands about 5 miles away from Meredith in Windsor Heights.

By taking public transportation, Meredith residents pay only $1.75 for a two-hour ride that takes them anywhere in the Des Moines area. The bus fares includes one transfer within a Des Moines neighborhood to run errands and then pick up another bus to take care of business in another Des Moines neighborhood. Driving around the area to run errands also provides relief to your pocketbook, as gas prices in Meredith sit 8 percent below the national average. Fueling the sports fan within you costs $2.50 for a 12-ounce glass of domestic beer at neighborhood bars. Happy hour specials can knock off another 50 cents.

The tremendous increase in housing demand has pushed the cost of living in Meredith above what people pay to live in other Des Moines neighborhoods. Meredith residents experience a median cost of living that runs 6 percent above the Des Moines area average. Although family housing comprises some of the cost of living disparity between Meredith and the rest of Des Moines, the average median rent of $697 does most of the damage. The comparatively high one-bedroom rate in Meredith derives from the high demand placed on limited rental properties by young professionals.

High-end retailers such as Younkers anchor the oldest mall in the Des Moines area, Merle Hay. The venerable shopping center provides residents of Meredith with the one-stop way to meet all of their consumer needs. However, the Meredith neighborhood sits next to several boutiques that dot the landscape along Hickman Avenue and Merle Hay Road. Barbara's Consignment Boutique takes hand-me-down clothing to the next level by restricting previously worn clothing to specific ages and styles. A short drive down Douglas Road takes shoppers to B Posh Boutique, a women's clothing specialty store that promotes contemporary fashion styles.

Meredith residents benefit from a wide variety of specialty grocery stores that sell ethnically inspired foods. Europa Groceries not only beings you the finest ingredients for Bosnian dishes, the specialty grocer also sells French and Italian staples. Located a few minutes north of Meredith, the Johnston Hy-Vee meets all of your grocery list needs. Proponents of buying locally grown organic fruits and vegetables travel downtown between May and October to the Des Moines Farmers Market.