Ready to activate your free bus ride? Here’s how:
- Download the MyDART app and create an account.
- Add a one-way ticket to your cart and checkout.
- At checkout enter the code BUS4All for your free ride*!
*one free ride per account. Offer good through October 31, 2023.
Top 10 free things to see or do using your free bus ride
Was it “free” that piqued your interest? Here’s a list of free things you can get to from the DART bus around Greater Des Moines.
- Take a tour of the Iowa State Capitol.
Tour guides take guests through the Capitol building, providing expertise and intrigue on the art, displays and history of the building. A stop at the Iowa Law Library located inside the Capitol will leave you in awe of its beauty and architecture. Then, take a walk around the exterior lawn of the building to view more artful sculptures and historical monuments, perfectly paired with the Capitol’s free cell phone audio tour available online.
- Public Art: Murals, sculptures and monuments. Even art bus shelters. At DART we love everyday, everywhere art!
Did you know, Downtown Des Moines alone has nearly 100 works of free public art for all to experience? Additionally, DART has collaborated with the Des Moines Public Art Foundation as well as several local artists to create 11 art bus shelters around Central Iowa, with more artful shelters continually popping up!
- The Downtown Farmers’ Market (and lots of other free events)!
From May through October in the Historic Court District, getting to the Downtown Farmers’ Market is incredibly easy thanks to the free DART D-Line shuttle that begins service at 8 a.m. each Saturday.
- Soak up the sun at the Sculpture Park.
A 4.4-acre park dotted with 30 works of art, right in the middle of Downtown Des Moines? What are you waiting for, hop on the bus and check it out!
- Get lost in a good book at any Des Moines Public Library location.
In Des Moines alone, find your nearest library with six locations to choose from (several are even open seven days a week!). Most other suburbs with DART service have additional community libraries to visit as well: Johnston, Urbandale and West Des Moines, to name just a few!
- Unlock your inner artist or art critic at the Des Moines Art Center.
Be sure to check out the nearby Greenwood/Ashworth Park and take a walk through the adjacent Clare and Miles Mills Rose Garden when you visit the Art Center. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it! (Photo by Rich Sanders. Courtesy of the Des Moines Art Center.)
- Be multi modal – grab your board and head to the Skatepark.
Fun facts: The Lauridsen Skatepark is the largest open park in the country. Since opening in May 2021, the park has hosted the Dew Tour twice, which serves as the only U.S. Olympic qualifying skateboarding competition. Additionally, the WOW sculpture on-site at the park is not just something cool to look at; skaters are invited (even encouraged!) to skate the curves of the artwork.
- Visit one of Des Moines’ 76 parks. Riverview is a new favorite and just off Route 15.
What was once a popular amusement park in Des Moines is now the site of one of the newest and coolest free parks in the Central Iowa region. The playground at Riverview is Des Moines’ first accessible playground, inviting individuals of all abilities to experience the fun.
- Immerse yourself in the rich history of Iowa at the State Historical Museum.
Exhibits at the museum showcase the history of Iowans: the first settlers arriving to the territory, the rich natural resources found within the area, the Civil War’s impact on the state and its inhabitants, famous Iowans on the silver screen and an exhibit on the history of RAGBRAI.
- Window shop in Des Moines’ Historic East Village.
Other free ways to enjoy the Historic East Village include free special events like First Fridays in the East Village and Holiday Promenade. A visit to the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is free for EBT, WIC and SNAP participants, Brenton Skating Plaza offers free skate clinics during the ice skating season, and — nearly free — you can purchase tokens to play arcade games at UpDown for only 25 cents a-pop.
And here are some free things to enjoy while you sit back and enjoy the bus ride:
- Enjoy the wi-fi, available on all buses.
- Listen to your favorite playlist, and don’t forget your headphones! You can also listen to our transit tunes.
- Read a book. Check out this specially curated list of bus themed books.
Learn more about how to ride
Nervous about riding the bus for your first time? Don’t sweat it! We’ve got you covered with lots of resources to make your first ride stress-free.