For farmhouse finds, as well as late 19th-century and early 20th-century furnishings, the area around West Des Moines is one of the best locations in the Midwest to be. The top two antique destinations are: Valley Junction and Walnut – which pass through pretty countryside, roadside flowers, and countless red barns and white farmhouses. Though there are many auctions in these parts, the best way to antique here is through the multi-dealer shops and antique malls. Here you’ll find everything from Victorian items to country furniture and garden elements, to Mission furniture.

Also worth noting, the Antique Jamboree, a free event held on the second Sunday of June, August, and September along three blocks of the Fifth Street in Valley Junction. Meander your way to Walnut and you’ll find approximately 15 shops, a majority of them being multi-dealer locations. Throughout these shops you’ll discover items from the late 19th-century and early 20th-century. Some of these items include pressed oak chairs, glass-doored china cabinets, marble-topped dressers, armoires, art pottery, vintage art, stoneware, quilts and rustic items. Besides antique shops, West Des Moines’ Salisbury House is worth a visit, as is the town’s Jordan House. And in the town of Des Moines, you can visit the Second Empire mansion, Terrace Hill, and the Hoyt Sherman Place.