You'd love PortlandI don't actually dislike Des Moines, and yes, it is the most "bigger metro area" feeling of the cities in Iowa.
My issue with it is that all the "hip" stuff there feels kind of gentrified and phony.
I feel like CR and the QC are more authentically urban whereas Des Moines has a weird holier-than-thou yuppie/hipster vibe. I prefer grittiness, personally.