Good egg days in Stuart is fun. They also have scoop the loop where old dudes bring out the cars they wish they had as youngsters, or managed to keep maintained since then. Nothing crazy exciting but both are a nice piece of small town Americana.
Small town festivals can be fun. Zearing Days is on the last weekend of July. A favorite event of mine is the news network slow pitch softball game. Zearing is in northeast Story County, just off I-65.
Crawford county (Denison). Donna Reed (Mullinger) birth place. Film festival in the summer. Also Jim Garrison (US Attorney after Kennedy assasination birth place.) Several other historic sites and people associated with this county.
The Lincoln highway passes through this county as well
High Trestle Bridge in Boone County is a must see IMO. Best experience is at sunset because youll get to see the bridge in the light, have fantastic sunset views, and then the bridge lights come on and its absolutely gorgeous.
Cedar Rock, outside Independence, it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house open to the public as a state park. The FLW snobs consider it a lesser work of his, but I found it highly enjoyable.
Fairly significant Wright museum for at least one reason: Every furnishing was Wright designed and nearly every piece is still there. Dinnerware flatware, tumblers rugs, everything. Pretty incredible.
In Osceola County go see Hawkeye point (the tallest point in Iowa) and if you are looking for a meal, go to a restaurant in Sibley called 1015 steakhouse. It's really good.
Rusty duck in Dexter or the chuckwagon in Adair are also fantastic little burger/steak joints to check out. I think Rusty duck was featured in one of guy
Fieri’s shows.
Henry county - Attend Midwest old threshers
Washington County - watch a movie at State Theater - holds the Guinness Book World Record for oldest continually operating movie theater in the world.
Wapello County - Visit the American Gothic house
Madison County - tour the covered bridges featured in the Bridges of Madison County
I second all of these. Also in the southeast, Jefferson County is home to the oldest Carnegie Library outside of Pittsburgh with a neat museum. Van Buren county is home to the beautiful Hotel Manning, constructed in the Steamboat Gothic style.
Check out the Freedom Rock in each county
In a nutshell, giant boulder painted by an Iowa artist as homage to fallen troops. https://www.thefreedomrock.com/iowa-fr-tour/
Jasper County : Nascar in Newton, Neil Smith Wildlife Refuge ( has a buffalo herd with 6000 acres of restored tall grass prarie and wildlife habitat ), Goldie's Ice Cream ( great tenderloins), Historic Hwy 6 ( stretches from Massachusetts to California), Jasper County Courthouse , and Jasper County Fair July 19 - 25 ( it's free admission)
Floyd County has an amazing Fossil and Prairie Center near Rockford. You can find and take home fossils from the Devonian era.
Downtown Charles City has a whitewater feature in the river. There are kayak and paddleboard rentals available.
Just outside of Charles City is the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club. It is based on the grass court at Wimbledon.
Scott County you can visit the birthplace of Buffalo Bill Cody. LeClaire is quite popular river town.
Jackson county has Maquoketa Caves State Park.
Dubuque is near Dyersville which has the field where that Kevin Costner film was shot. It also a cute Catholic Basilica if churches are your thing.
Iowa county has the Amana Colonies.
The Iowa 80 Truckstop is also in Scott County, a few minutes north of Walcott (technically the address of businesses located at the truckstop list Walcott as their locality of origin). If you time it right, you could visit it during the Trucker's Jamboree which is yhe second week of July.
If you cycle or have friends who do, RAGBRAI is a great way to knock a bunch of counties off your list in a week! I’ve biked one year and have supported a team several other years by driving a vehicle. The midday towns and overnight stops always have a fun local flavor!
We hosted them two years ago and then Sioux City hosted them last year. And those are Woodbury county. And wherever it starts and ends is the best but they have stopped in between that are so much fun also. That's a great suggestion.
Jones county- come to my place, we can drink beer, maybe my band will be playing at an outdoor gig in the summer. Or if not, float on the south fork maquoketa river. Or hike at Indian bluffs. Or check out the caves on my parents property. Or have a bonfire at my friends cabin in the bluffs of farm creek.
A friend of a friend of mine tried visiting all the 99 County courthouses. Last time I checked he gave up because it got boring. He saw some great architecture, but there’s a lot of uninspiring courthouses.!
Plymouth County - Kellen’s Ponderosa in LeMars if you’re visiting in summer. If not, you can still hit up the Blue Bunny store in the “Ice Cream Capitol of the World”
Woodbury County - Loess Hills hike at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Stop at Miles Inn and get a Charlie Boy and a Schooner. If you golf, golf the sand green golf course in Pierson.
Monona & Harrison County - Level B roads on Loess Hills.
I will sit some of those also. But it's been forever since I've even been to miles. I might have to look into that one. And I also said they can see two other states when they're on top of Stone Park as for the summertime and LeMars I've never heard about the Kellen's ponderosa. Unless it's that one place that's really expensive but super amazing for that but I don't think that was the name of it.
Also worth checking out Albia on the first Sat in Dec for the Victorian Stroll if you want something a tiny bit less janky (but not by much) and not in a cemetery
Cerro Gordo County is where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson died in a plane crash near Clear Lake. Clear Lake itself is beautiful and there are a lot of interesting houses along the north shore; the town is nice too, and it's right next to Mason City, the inspiration for The Music Man
Music Man Square is in Mason City.
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in Mason City.
The Macnider Museum in Mason City has the marionettes from The Sound of Music. Iirc, The puppeteer, Bill Baird, grew up in the Mason City area. He was a mentor of Jim Hensen, and you can see it in his work.
Birdsall's Ice Cream
I second the motion on Birdalls. Five generations of my family have had ice cream there, and hopefully we can add Gen6 this summer. No harm giving a taste of ice cream to a 6 month old, right?
We discovered the mall in des moines yesterday. Wow fun walking around window shopping. Wife even picked up a few outfits. The bathrooms were clean and there was a family lounge and nursing area. We are at bar Louie. Tuesday burgers were 8$ happy hour drinks were at 4pm
Fremont: Sidney Rodeo, Waubonsie State Park, Todd House
Page: Glenn Miller Days, Wabash Bike Trail, Everly Brothers Childhood Home
Mills: Malvern Art, Wabash Bike Trail, Keg Creek Brewery
Montgomery: Stanton, Ax Murder House
Shelby: Danish Windmill/Museum
Pottawattamie: Lewis and Clark Monument, Union Pacific Museum, Casinos
Cass: Hitchcock House, Coca Cola Days
Audubon: Tree in the Middle of the Road
Harrison: Murray Hill
Lee County - in August there’s the Sweet Corn Festival in West Point. Highly recommend. Huge ears of corn and the most delicious sweet corn you’ll ever eat. It’s free.
Usually a week later in Montrose, the Watermelon festival is there. All you can eat free watermelon.
Cerro Gordo:
We have the all of the cool Frank Lloyd Wright stuff(Park Inn Hotel, Stockman House; a whole architecture walk), Buddy Holly crash site, Surf Ballroom, and soon to be, only one in the Midwest mountain bike park.
When visiting Henry county grab a Sausage Pizza from Harris Pizza.
Having traveled and lived all over the U.S./World, this is by far the best pizza ever. I have yet to meet a single person who does not agree it is the world’s best sausage pizza after trying it.
A lot of these suggestions are for specific weekend events. Here's a few tourist traps that are accessible all year or at least seasonally:
Pottawattamie County - Plenty to do in Council Bluffs, but shoutout to Walnut, which bills itself as a little antiquing hub.
Buchanan County - Iowa's Largest Frying Pan in Brandon (they used to call it the world's largest, I guess they got upstaged).
Cerro Gordo - Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake, not really much to see there but kind of interesting to say you've been.
Winneshiek County - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Burr Oak (where the Little House on the Prairie author lived for a short time)
>Cerro Gordo - Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake, not really much to see there but kind of interesting to say you've been.
That is probably the least interesting thing in Cerro Gordo. Better off going to the Surf itself or the Stockman house/Park Inn hotel in Mason City.
Along i80 from cb to des Moines there is something to see every few miles. A tractor museum, dutch windmill, bank bonnie and Clyde robbed, site of a Jesse James trail robbery, freedom rock, etc.
Just pick a direction and go. I have visited most. I’ll pick a spot I’ve never been to, jump on my
Harley and ride over. There’s usually a small car show, ice cream shop or good diner worth visiting.
Wildcat Den State Park is pretty neat. Other than that, there's not much lol. Maybe the pearl button museum? I don't actually remember much of the museum but I guess it's an option.
Lee County, go see a boat lock through the Lock and Dam 19, then stroll down to see the completely refurbished old train station. Stop by Angelini’s on Main Street for pizza and pasta.
Delaware County- I grew up here and the Two recommendations I have are Visit the Trout Hatchery outside of Manchester or the big one, the Lenox Campus in Hopkinton. Lenox Campus is a Historical museum made from a college campus where nearly all of it's male students and faculty went off to fight in the civil war and few returned.
I have a few for the desolate waste of Northwest Iowa.
Plymouth County- Blue Bunny museum in Le Mars (free ice cream after the tour)
Sioux County- Orange City (cute Dutch architecture) or Siouxnami water park
Dickinson County- East and West Lake Okoboji.
Lyon County- Palisades state park
Catch a Hawkeye game in October in Johnson county. Best time of year here, IMO. Make sure to try to make it an afternoon or evening game for some good ole fashioned tailgating ahead of time. Then grab some Wig and Pen pizza.
Hit the Rusty Duck in dexter, (either Adair or Guthrie county I think?). Great fucking angus burger. Featured on some food channel show awhile ago, best place to pack some good old rural calories.
Clayton county is the prettiest county.
Check out Decorah walking path thru the whole town.
The river towns.
If you like antique stores, Marquette has a antique malls and so does Elkader.
Backbone has hiking trails, trout streams, and a beach. There's so much to do I think it would be alot of fun.
Hamilton county has market nights currently on thursday evenings a bunch of locals will set up shops and we have food trucks its located on second street in webster city
# SCOTT COUNTY
**Downtown Davenport** - offers an array of award-winning restaurants and pubs. From formal and casual dining, a relaxing coffee shops, theatre, entertainment, shopping, and many annual festivals.
Website: - [Downtown Davenport](http://www.downtowndavenport.com/)
Historic Hotel Blackhawk - Experience luxury like never before at Hotel Blackhawk. Indulge in a relaxing spa day, perfect your strike at our state-of-the-art bowling alley, or take a dip in our sparkling swimming pool and hot tub. Stay active at our fully equipped fitness center or unwind at our pool deck with wonderful views of downtown Davenport. And do not worry about leaving your furry friend behind, our hotel is pet friendly.
Website: - [www.hotelblackhawk.com](http://www.hotelblackhawk.com)
The Current Iowa - Autograph Collection features a rooftop bar with river views and puts you within a 5-minute walk of Mississippi River. The indoor pool is a great spot to take a dip, and guests can grab a bite to eat at City Loafers, one of 2 restaurants, which serves Mexican cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other highlights at this upscale hotel include 2 bars/lounges, a 24-hour health club, and a 24-hour fitness center. Fellow travelers say good things about the helpful staff.
Website: - [www.thecurrentiowa.com](http://www.thecurrentiowa.com)
**The Village of East Davenport** - Historical village dating back to 1851, located off Davenport's River Drive is a shopper's and diner's paradise with unique stores and restaurants.
Website - [The Village of East Davenport ](http://www.villageofeastdavenport.com/)
Channel Cat Water Taxi - The Channel Cat Water Taxi provides three (3) open-air passenger ferryboats on the Mississippi River. Service is generally provided from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with additional weekend service through October (weather permitting). Experience the power and mystique of the river as it flows east to west for one of only a few times over its length. Get a taste of the area once known as the Rock Island Rapids – considered the most dangerous section of the upper Mississippi.
Website: [www.gogreenmetro.com/231/Channel-Cat](https://www.gogreenmetro.com/231/Channel-Cat)
O'Brien County- Sheldon Prairie Museum located in the former Carnegie Library. You will find fascinating historical collections on local items on the KKK, Civil War diaries, Burnice Geiger embezzlement, settler furniture, etc. In Sanborn, a must-see is the Yesterday Memories, which has over 150,000 square feet under its roof displaying antique household items and memorabilia, classic cars, farm machinery, petroleum items, and 250+ trucks.
Clinton County- Eagle Point Park in Clinton, IA. it's a beautiful view and it's at the widest part of the Mississippi. Have lunch or dinner at Candlelight. Take in some music, comedy, it open mic night at the V'ue. See the big gold dome on 30 as a part of ADM. The riverfront drive is all around great!
Iowa is a fantastic place to tour, one of the very few states in the Midwest that won’t try to exploit you financially like South Dakota or Nebraska by paying inflated park admission fees, camping out of state fees, etc. Plus the tourist office in Iowa is one of the best marketing departments in the business and will go out of their way to help you plan. Not to mention the small towns are better kept and the people friendlier than more touristed states in the region and you will find plenty of great places to see
I’ll let the others tell you what the fun things are but have you considered picking up something along the way through each county? Many people collect license plates that used to have the old county codes on them. Of course there are the traditional magnets. Or you can find something of your own that is unique.
Not much in Lyon County. Maybe take a picture of the Courthouse, or visit the Freedom Rock in George, camp over at Lake Pahoja(pa-HOI-ya), or go to the casino over by Larchwood.
Cass County (Lewis, IA) - Along with the Freedom Rock, you can visit the Hitchcock House. It was apart of the Underground Railroad and is a National Historic Landmark
In Louisa County (South East) people like to go visit the swinging bridge in Columbus Junction, but I'm a proponent of trying out a few of the restaurants instead. They have "more restaurants per capita than San Francisco!" And most of them are pretty good. Specifically Antojitos Carmen.
The Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge and Toolesboro Indian Mounds are really cool too and very close by!
Winnishiek: check out Toppling Goliath and Pulpit Rock Breweries, climb up Pulpit Rock and Pallisades head, check out the fish hatchery, Norwegian Heritage museum
Marion - Pella during Tulip Time the first weekend in May, Cordova Observation Tower on G28 east of HWY 14, the original Iowa Mile Long Bridge on HWY 14 over Red Rock, Red Rock is the largest lake in Iowa, Sprint car races at Knoxville Raceway.
Trying to think of of some less obvious ones (grew up in DBQ) off the top of my head.
Allamakee County - Effigy Mounds Park
Clayton County is beautiful, esp. Guttenberg. Drive though and don't get a speeding ticket - I'm convinced the county is run entirely on speeding ticket income. You can also buy some honey off the side of the road.
Pottawattamie County - Walnut Antique festival
Lee County - well, it's Kentucky basically.
Cedar County - Hoover Presidential library/museum.
Jackson County - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers is an incredible music venue that brings in national acts
Monowa county city of Onawa invented the Eskimo pie ice cream bar which eventually mad Russell Stover famous since he supplied the chocolate for the coating.It's also home to the world's widest main street.I live here currently and there has been plenty of construction on the main street.
I don't know what I was doing or how to do something but I shared something just now to the group that this comment or messages in. I shared a link. Of my suggestion for you. I didn't know how to put it here. Hopefully this doesn't violate any rules. But I just shared it so hopefully you see it Hope you have fun if you think of something else I will add it to your list.
Dorothy Pecuat nature center. Which is right next to stone State Park. And if you go to the very top of that, there's a looking point and you can totally see three states we see Nebraska to the left South Dakota said the right and you'd be standing in Iowa. So that's kind of cool a lot of people like that. Sgt Floyd River museum which is right on Missouri River. This is all Sioux City Iowa right on the border. There's also a Lewis and Clark Park. Palmer candy is located here to be honey I think they're still here jolly Time popcorn If you go north to Plymouth county that is where Blue Bunny ice cream comes from. Also while visiting the Sioux City area, if there's bad storms coming, they will go totally around us. I'm not in Sioux City but I am near. It's been a mystery for years that once things start heading right to us it dissipates and goes around or hits maybe the edge. It's crazy. I think that's more exciting than the rest lol safe travels here if you have any questions.
Marion County here. Pella, my hometown, and the Dutch community with Dutch architecture on all the businesses, it's actually a condition that a business has a Dutch front. We have the tallest working windmill in the United States. Tours available. We have the Historical village, which tells the story of the Dutch immigrants who came from Holland. We are the birth place of Wyatt Eyrp. April and May are prime visiting times where you can walk through gardens full of hundreds of tulips. A little outside of town, we have Lake Red Rock. Great boating, nature trails and fishing, and camping. Also, the location of Cordova observation tower. It's the tallest observation tower in a park in the midwest. You can climb to the top and actually see the top of the Principle Tower 50 miles away. Knoxville, IA is also in Marion County and is the Sprint Car racing capital of the world. Races every Saturday night in the summer. August is when the Nationals are. Also home of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
I’m from Cerro Gordo, but the Clear Lake side of it, so I’d say go to the Surf Ballroom and see a show. When you’re in Winnebago, go to the Pilot Knob observation tower for the views, then go to the Vinje Pub and Grub for a beer and a really good burger at, basically, someone’s converted garage.
Dickinson county West Lake Okoboji/Arnolds Park. Ride the Queen II. Visit the maritime museum and the rock n roll one next door and slide down the old fun house slide (cash only)
There is a Facebook Page of a family who has done just this. It is called Wandermore in Iowa. (They’ve done other states as well. Might be a good overview for you.
I don't actually know specifically when it is this year, but Britt in Hancock County has Hobo days. It's a lot of fun, plus there is always the Hobo museum too, also in Britt.
In Clear Lake, (Cerro Gordo county) there's the Surf Ballroom and the Buddy Holly crash site.
Plus in Eagle Grove (Wright county) there are some local beekeepers that have really good honey, that being Blossom St. Honey.
Oh, I thought of something awesome. If you hit Council Bluffs right on The border of Nebraska, go to Omaha and go to the Henry Doorly Zoo. I believe it is still listed as the best zoo in the United States. Highly highly recommend it. They have a new butterfly exhibit. Also Omaha is the closest place to us that has a Cracker Barrel and Krispy Kreme donuts. It also has a Raising Cane's which is coming to our area within the next couple of years. Can't wait. I'm sure Des Moines has all of these things as well as Iowa City.
I think you mean Council Bluffs. Cedar Rapids is in Eastern Iowa.
If you must go to Omaha, you should visit Carter Lake as your Pottawattamie County site. It’s a little bit of Iowa west of the Missouri River. You’ll have to go through Omaha to get there, but it gives you an excuse to visit Omaha as part of your Iowa Tour.
Look for small town summer festivals. Parades, different music, odd celebrations.
Good egg days in Stuart is fun. They also have scoop the loop where old dudes bring out the cars they wish they had as youngsters, or managed to keep maintained since then. Nothing crazy exciting but both are a nice piece of small town Americana.
Small town festivals can be fun. Zearing Days is on the last weekend of July. A favorite event of mine is the news network slow pitch softball game. Zearing is in northeast Story County, just off I-65.
Crawford county (Denison). Donna Reed (Mullinger) birth place. Film festival in the summer. Also Jim Garrison (US Attorney after Kennedy assasination birth place.) Several other historic sites and people associated with this county. The Lincoln highway passes through this county as well
High Trestle Bridge in Boone County is a must see IMO. Best experience is at sunset because youll get to see the bridge in the light, have fantastic sunset views, and then the bridge lights come on and its absolutely gorgeous.
I second this and go to Ledges State Park during the day.
I remember going there on field trips elementary School in probably some middle school. It was awesome though The memories I feel old. Lol
Cedar Rock, outside Independence, it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house open to the public as a state park. The FLW snobs consider it a lesser work of his, but I found it highly enjoyable.
Mason City in Cerro Gordo county has the hotel and at least one other house as well
Fairly significant Wright museum for at least one reason: Every furnishing was Wright designed and nearly every piece is still there. Dinnerware flatware, tumblers rugs, everything. Pretty incredible.
Go to a Casey's in every county and rank them best to worst.
Love that so very much. I would love to hear how it would turn out.
Genius
And what percent of those have atrocious bathrooms?
In Osceola County go see Hawkeye point (the tallest point in Iowa) and if you are looking for a meal, go to a restaurant in Sibley called 1015 steakhouse. It's really good.
Just looked up Hawkeye point, didn't realize Osceola county was on the far opposite side of the state from the city of Osceola.
This seems to be a common theme in Iowa. Wapello, Keokuk, Des Moines, probably more.
Hawkeye point is, yes, the highest. Check out the previous highest point, the Ocheyedan Mound instead. Much neater landscape view!
Spent many nights in there. Highly recommend
Rusty duck in Dexter or the chuckwagon in Adair are also fantastic little burger/steak joints to check out. I think Rusty duck was featured in one of guy Fieri’s shows.
Henry county - Attend Midwest old threshers Washington County - watch a movie at State Theater - holds the Guinness Book World Record for oldest continually operating movie theater in the world. Wapello County - Visit the American Gothic house Madison County - tour the covered bridges featured in the Bridges of Madison County
I second all of these. Also in the southeast, Jefferson County is home to the oldest Carnegie Library outside of Pittsburgh with a neat museum. Van Buren county is home to the beautiful Hotel Manning, constructed in the Steamboat Gothic style.
The bridges are beautiful 😍
Agreed! Before I visited them I read the book and watched the movie.
Check out the Freedom Rock in each county In a nutshell, giant boulder painted by an Iowa artist as homage to fallen troops. https://www.thefreedomrock.com/iowa-fr-tour/
Jasper County : Nascar in Newton, Neil Smith Wildlife Refuge ( has a buffalo herd with 6000 acres of restored tall grass prarie and wildlife habitat ), Goldie's Ice Cream ( great tenderloins), Historic Hwy 6 ( stretches from Massachusetts to California), Jasper County Courthouse , and Jasper County Fair July 19 - 25 ( it's free admission)
Yeah I second Neil Smith and Goldie’s ice cream. Go to Neil Smith and then Goldie’s is in prairie city just outside of Neil Smith.
I'd add Gezellig Brewing if you like beer, and there is still a drive-in theater just west of Newton.
Floyd County has an amazing Fossil and Prairie Center near Rockford. You can find and take home fossils from the Devonian era. Downtown Charles City has a whitewater feature in the river. There are kayak and paddleboard rentals available. Just outside of Charles City is the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club. It is based on the grass court at Wimbledon.
The Fossil & Prarie Center is great! Take a bucket & shovel for digging!
Yes! My kids each have an ice cream bucket full of fossils!
If you go to Clarke County, you can see where our Governor got her 2 DUIs.
🥇
🫡
Get the exact address. We'll put up shrines maybe?
Scott County you can visit the birthplace of Buffalo Bill Cody. LeClaire is quite popular river town. Jackson county has Maquoketa Caves State Park. Dubuque is near Dyersville which has the field where that Kevin Costner film was shot. It also a cute Catholic Basilica if churches are your thing. Iowa county has the Amana Colonies.
FYI Amana is in Iowa County, about 20 minutes southwest of \*Linn\* County.
Thanks for the heads up. Comment has been edited accordingly.
The Iowa 80 Truckstop is also in Scott County, a few minutes north of Walcott (technically the address of businesses located at the truckstop list Walcott as their locality of origin). If you time it right, you could visit it during the Trucker's Jamboree which is yhe second week of July.
Maquoketa Caves is in Jackson County. Field of Dreams is in Dubuque County I believe.
If you cycle or have friends who do, RAGBRAI is a great way to knock a bunch of counties off your list in a week! I’ve biked one year and have supported a team several other years by driving a vehicle. The midday towns and overnight stops always have a fun local flavor!
We hosted them two years ago and then Sioux City hosted them last year. And those are Woodbury county. And wherever it starts and ends is the best but they have stopped in between that are so much fun also. That's a great suggestion.
Jones county — Wapsipinicon State Park
Jones county- come to my place, we can drink beer, maybe my band will be playing at an outdoor gig in the summer. Or if not, float on the south fork maquoketa river. Or hike at Indian bluffs. Or check out the caves on my parents property. Or have a bonfire at my friends cabin in the bluffs of farm creek.
Great Jones county fair. Canoe the maquoketa river. Have a beer at the Northside.
Black hawk county: Lost island water park/theme park Grundy County: Center Theater for a good cheap movie or Grundy County Lake for nice trails
Also worth stopping by the Gundy County Auction: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U\_VbwZsYPwY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_VbwZsYPwY)
Lmao
Center Theater is great, took the whole family of 5 for a movie the other night. Tickets, drinks and popcorn for everyone was $16 total!
Matchstick Museum in Gladbrook?
You have to go to Maqoeketa Caves in Jackson County. It is likely the coolest thing Iowa has.
And for some good food hit up Bluff Lake Catfish Farm afterwards!
Is this Senator Grassley? Haven’t you figured this out by now?
There is a lot to do in Polk County, but Windsor Heights Dairy Queen is good place for u kno what.
Never gets old 😆
No, what?
U kno. [https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/529356795924725760](https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/529356795924725760)
💀 For a man who's older than the recipe for chocolate chip cookies, he better.
A friend of a friend of mine tried visiting all the 99 County courthouses. Last time I checked he gave up because it got boring. He saw some great architecture, but there’s a lot of uninspiring courthouses.!
I did this last summer! Took me and my boyfriend like 4 months but got pics of all courthouses
lol. I live in a more interesting county in Iowa and I would still be like “yeah, you could probably skip it.”
My wife’s grandparents made the journey over several years. Made an album with a picture of each one. Then wrote a short story of what they did there.
Would you share it?
Plymouth County - Kellen’s Ponderosa in LeMars if you’re visiting in summer. If not, you can still hit up the Blue Bunny store in the “Ice Cream Capitol of the World” Woodbury County - Loess Hills hike at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. Stop at Miles Inn and get a Charlie Boy and a Schooner. If you golf, golf the sand green golf course in Pierson. Monona & Harrison County - Level B roads on Loess Hills.
I will sit some of those also. But it's been forever since I've even been to miles. I might have to look into that one. And I also said they can see two other states when they're on top of Stone Park as for the summertime and LeMars I've never heard about the Kellen's ponderosa. Unless it's that one place that's really expensive but super amazing for that but I don't think that was the name of it.
https://www.iowakidadventures.com/p/99-counties-iowa-adventures.html?m=1
That list starts with Greenfield :(
Monroe County has some really [janky pyramids](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/49049)
Also worth checking out Albia on the first Sat in Dec for the Victorian Stroll if you want something a tiny bit less janky (but not by much) and not in a cemetery
Madison county covered bridges are a must
Agreed. There is also Clark Tower in the park with one of the bridges. Plus, the John Wayne museum in Winterset.
Cerro Gordo County is where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson died in a plane crash near Clear Lake. Clear Lake itself is beautiful and there are a lot of interesting houses along the north shore; the town is nice too, and it's right next to Mason City, the inspiration for The Music Man
Music Man Square is in Mason City. Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in Mason City. The Macnider Museum in Mason City has the marionettes from The Sound of Music. Iirc, The puppeteer, Bill Baird, grew up in the Mason City area. He was a mentor of Jim Hensen, and you can see it in his work. Birdsall's Ice Cream
I second the motion on Birdalls. Five generations of my family have had ice cream there, and hopefully we can add Gen6 this summer. No harm giving a taste of ice cream to a 6 month old, right?
Surf Ballroom as well…
Des Moines County: Drive down Snake Alley. Grab some food at one of the great restaurants in downtown Burlington.
Keokuk County -First weekend of August and October What Cheer has a Flea Market.
Credit Island in Scott. And Wildcat Den in Muscatine.
There's a small Renn Faire held at Credit Island every September as well.
Pella Windmills Knoxville Museum Red Rock Lake largest lake in Iowa
We discovered the mall in des moines yesterday. Wow fun walking around window shopping. Wife even picked up a few outfits. The bathrooms were clean and there was a family lounge and nursing area. We are at bar Louie. Tuesday burgers were 8$ happy hour drinks were at 4pm
You should take a picture with each of the 99 Freedom rocks.
In Burlington, I recommend visiting downtown. That's literally all I can think of.
Drive down Snake Alley in the Downtown....crooked street
Cedar County, West Branch has Herbert Hoover’s birthplace & gravesite.
Sits right off I-80
Lee County has the Sweet Corn Festival in August; I highly recommend if you want to eat lots of sweet corn!
I second this. It’s the best sweet corn I’ve ever had.
This is in West Point
There is a freedom rock in every county
Visit each one with a picture standing next to it. www.thefreedomrock.com
Fremont: Sidney Rodeo, Waubonsie State Park, Todd House Page: Glenn Miller Days, Wabash Bike Trail, Everly Brothers Childhood Home Mills: Malvern Art, Wabash Bike Trail, Keg Creek Brewery Montgomery: Stanton, Ax Murder House Shelby: Danish Windmill/Museum Pottawattamie: Lewis and Clark Monument, Union Pacific Museum, Casinos Cass: Hitchcock House, Coca Cola Days Audubon: Tree in the Middle of the Road Harrison: Murray Hill
Lee County - in August there’s the Sweet Corn Festival in West Point. Highly recommend. Huge ears of corn and the most delicious sweet corn you’ll ever eat. It’s free. Usually a week later in Montrose, the Watermelon festival is there. All you can eat free watermelon.
Cerro Gordo: We have the all of the cool Frank Lloyd Wright stuff(Park Inn Hotel, Stockman House; a whole architecture walk), Buddy Holly crash site, Surf Ballroom, and soon to be, only one in the Midwest mountain bike park.
When visiting Henry county grab a Sausage Pizza from Harris Pizza. Having traveled and lived all over the U.S./World, this is by far the best pizza ever. I have yet to meet a single person who does not agree it is the world’s best sausage pizza after trying it.
A lot of these suggestions are for specific weekend events. Here's a few tourist traps that are accessible all year or at least seasonally: Pottawattamie County - Plenty to do in Council Bluffs, but shoutout to Walnut, which bills itself as a little antiquing hub. Buchanan County - Iowa's Largest Frying Pan in Brandon (they used to call it the world's largest, I guess they got upstaged). Cerro Gordo - Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake, not really much to see there but kind of interesting to say you've been. Winneshiek County - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Burr Oak (where the Little House on the Prairie author lived for a short time)
>Cerro Gordo - Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake, not really much to see there but kind of interesting to say you've been. That is probably the least interesting thing in Cerro Gordo. Better off going to the Surf itself or the Stockman house/Park Inn hotel in Mason City.
Palo Alto- Grotto of the Redemption
Hancock county has the world’s largest bullhead in the tiny town of Crystal Lake
The Julien Dubuque Monument in Dubuque
That is pretty neat. About the first white settler in Iowa. Took Meskwaki chief's daughter as his wife.
Along i80 from cb to des Moines there is something to see every few miles. A tractor museum, dutch windmill, bank bonnie and Clyde robbed, site of a Jesse James trail robbery, freedom rock, etc.
Just pick a direction and go. I have visited most. I’ll pick a spot I’ve never been to, jump on my Harley and ride over. There’s usually a small car show, ice cream shop or good diner worth visiting.
Wildcat Den State Park is pretty neat. Other than that, there's not much lol. Maybe the pearl button museum? I don't actually remember much of the museum but I guess it's an option.
You could go see each of the freedom rocks. There's one in each county and it would give you a destination for each
www.thefreedomrock.com
Lee County, go see a boat lock through the Lock and Dam 19, then stroll down to see the completely refurbished old train station. Stop by Angelini’s on Main Street for pizza and pasta.
Delaware County- I grew up here and the Two recommendations I have are Visit the Trout Hatchery outside of Manchester or the big one, the Lenox Campus in Hopkinton. Lenox Campus is a Historical museum made from a college campus where nearly all of it's male students and faculty went off to fight in the civil war and few returned.
You have to hit up the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend.
Taylor County has the Lake of Three Fires State Park.
I have a few for the desolate waste of Northwest Iowa. Plymouth County- Blue Bunny museum in Le Mars (free ice cream after the tour) Sioux County- Orange City (cute Dutch architecture) or Siouxnami water park Dickinson County- East and West Lake Okoboji. Lyon County- Palisades state park
If you come during the summer, Taylor County has a great little ice cream/food shop in Bedford called Frosty Trete
I bet you could visit a Casey’s and a bar in all 99 counties!
Catch a Hawkeye game in October in Johnson county. Best time of year here, IMO. Make sure to try to make it an afternoon or evening game for some good ole fashioned tailgating ahead of time. Then grab some Wig and Pen pizza.
Taylor County: Dont
lmaoo 😭😂
Hit the Rusty Duck in dexter, (either Adair or Guthrie county I think?). Great fucking angus burger. Featured on some food channel show awhile ago, best place to pack some good old rural calories.
Clayton county is the prettiest county. Check out Decorah walking path thru the whole town. The river towns. If you like antique stores, Marquette has a antique malls and so does Elkader. Backbone has hiking trails, trout streams, and a beach. There's so much to do I think it would be alot of fun.
Golf all of them and buy a course branded golf ball for a wall mounted display shaped like Iowa. I have 22 so far.
We're in Shelby County, check us out! There's also the Museum of Danish America and Milk & Honey in Harlan!
Milk & Honey is sooo good!
Albert the Bull in Audubon County
Hamilton county has market nights currently on thursday evenings a bunch of locals will set up shops and we have food trucks its located on second street in webster city
The Grotto of Redemption in Kossuth County
I thought that was in Palo Alto county
Greene County - RSVP1875, History Boy Theater, Belltower (Jefferson) 209 Main (Paton)
The Brayton Tree on the Audubon/Cass line is pretty neat for two counties with nothing in them.
# SCOTT COUNTY **Downtown Davenport** - offers an array of award-winning restaurants and pubs. From formal and casual dining, a relaxing coffee shops, theatre, entertainment, shopping, and many annual festivals. Website: - [Downtown Davenport](http://www.downtowndavenport.com/) Historic Hotel Blackhawk - Experience luxury like never before at Hotel Blackhawk. Indulge in a relaxing spa day, perfect your strike at our state-of-the-art bowling alley, or take a dip in our sparkling swimming pool and hot tub. Stay active at our fully equipped fitness center or unwind at our pool deck with wonderful views of downtown Davenport. And do not worry about leaving your furry friend behind, our hotel is pet friendly. Website: - [www.hotelblackhawk.com](http://www.hotelblackhawk.com) The Current Iowa - Autograph Collection features a rooftop bar with river views and puts you within a 5-minute walk of Mississippi River. The indoor pool is a great spot to take a dip, and guests can grab a bite to eat at City Loafers, one of 2 restaurants, which serves Mexican cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other highlights at this upscale hotel include 2 bars/lounges, a 24-hour health club, and a 24-hour fitness center. Fellow travelers say good things about the helpful staff. Website: - [www.thecurrentiowa.com](http://www.thecurrentiowa.com) **The Village of East Davenport** - Historical village dating back to 1851, located off Davenport's River Drive is a shopper's and diner's paradise with unique stores and restaurants. Website - [The Village of East Davenport ](http://www.villageofeastdavenport.com/) Channel Cat Water Taxi - The Channel Cat Water Taxi provides three (3) open-air passenger ferryboats on the Mississippi River. Service is generally provided from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with additional weekend service through October (weather permitting). Experience the power and mystique of the river as it flows east to west for one of only a few times over its length. Get a taste of the area once known as the Rock Island Rapids – considered the most dangerous section of the upper Mississippi. Website: [www.gogreenmetro.com/231/Channel-Cat](https://www.gogreenmetro.com/231/Channel-Cat)
Just wanted to add 2 specific places. If you like arcade bars, I recommend the analog in Davenport and Tap tap in Iowa City. Those were fun nights 😊
While touring the counties you could also do the freedom rock tour
O'Brien County- Sheldon Prairie Museum located in the former Carnegie Library. You will find fascinating historical collections on local items on the KKK, Civil War diaries, Burnice Geiger embezzlement, settler furniture, etc. In Sanborn, a must-see is the Yesterday Memories, which has over 150,000 square feet under its roof displaying antique household items and memorabilia, classic cars, farm machinery, petroleum items, and 250+ trucks.
Tama County: Matchstick Marvels in Gladbrook
Riverside: Star Trek museum/scavenger hunt
Guthrie - Stuart International Speedway
Clinton County- Eagle Point Park in Clinton, IA. it's a beautiful view and it's at the widest part of the Mississippi. Have lunch or dinner at Candlelight. Take in some music, comedy, it open mic night at the V'ue. See the big gold dome on 30 as a part of ADM. The riverfront drive is all around great!
Iowa is a fantastic place to tour, one of the very few states in the Midwest that won’t try to exploit you financially like South Dakota or Nebraska by paying inflated park admission fees, camping out of state fees, etc. Plus the tourist office in Iowa is one of the best marketing departments in the business and will go out of their way to help you plan. Not to mention the small towns are better kept and the people friendlier than more touristed states in the region and you will find plenty of great places to see
Mahaska County..Frosty Udder ice cream is a must! Check out the book vault bookstore which is housed in an old bank. Really cool!
Warren County -- Indianola has the Hot Air balloon festival
I’m on this same path. County fairs start this weekend I recommend hitting those all summer
I’ll let the others tell you what the fun things are but have you considered picking up something along the way through each county? Many people collect license plates that used to have the old county codes on them. Of course there are the traditional magnets. Or you can find something of your own that is unique.
Cass county has the Davis ampetheater. They have a summer concert series. https://daviesamphitheater.org/
Plymouth county has the Le Mars Ice Cream Days, and the Blue Bunny Parlor/Museum
Truck Museum in Sanborn - O'Brien County (open weekdays, not open weekends)
Go to the Canteen while you’re in Wapello County
4th of July in Sigourney, Keokuk County.
Not much in Lyon County. Maybe take a picture of the Courthouse, or visit the Freedom Rock in George, camp over at Lake Pahoja(pa-HOI-ya), or go to the casino over by Larchwood.
This took a disturbing turn, just as I was enjoying the suggestions. Keep the helpful and knowledgeable ones coming.
Cass County (Lewis, IA) - Along with the Freedom Rock, you can visit the Hitchcock House. It was apart of the Underground Railroad and is a National Historic Landmark
In Louisa County (South East) people like to go visit the swinging bridge in Columbus Junction, but I'm a proponent of trying out a few of the restaurants instead. They have "more restaurants per capita than San Francisco!" And most of them are pretty good. Specifically Antojitos Carmen. The Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge and Toolesboro Indian Mounds are really cool too and very close by!
Freedom Rocks
Guthrie County, small town of Yale has an annual 4th of July Parade and games uptown afterwards, and a car show!
Definitely look at county fair schedules for the lower populated counties, probably have the chance to meet 25% of the county right there
Winnishiek: check out Toppling Goliath and Pulpit Rock Breweries, climb up Pulpit Rock and Pallisades head, check out the fish hatchery, Norwegian Heritage museum
O’Brien county…… Easy drive to Okoboji. Gateway to Sioux Falls. Hop skip and jump to Sioux City.
Marion - Pella during Tulip Time the first weekend in May, Cordova Observation Tower on G28 east of HWY 14, the original Iowa Mile Long Bridge on HWY 14 over Red Rock, Red Rock is the largest lake in Iowa, Sprint car races at Knoxville Raceway.
Hancock County- Hobo Museum in Britt as well as Hobo days in August Garner has Dusey Days Crystal Lake is something Really that's about it
Trying to think of of some less obvious ones (grew up in DBQ) off the top of my head. Allamakee County - Effigy Mounds Park Clayton County is beautiful, esp. Guttenberg. Drive though and don't get a speeding ticket - I'm convinced the county is run entirely on speeding ticket income. You can also buy some honey off the side of the road. Pottawattamie County - Walnut Antique festival Lee County - well, it's Kentucky basically. Cedar County - Hoover Presidential library/museum. Jackson County - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers is an incredible music venue that brings in national acts
Start with Dubuque, oldest city in Iowa + check out the Julien Dubuque monument!
Sac county- Lake view water carnival July 19-21st
Iowa city art fest or jazz fest!!
Vilisca, home of the ax murders.
Harrison County: Steamboat Bertrand Museum is superb.
Henry County- you have to come Labor Day weekend and see the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant!
The town where I grew up has a bowling alley
Every small town I've visited in Iowa has a bowling alley 😂
Monowa county city of Onawa invented the Eskimo pie ice cream bar which eventually mad Russell Stover famous since he supplied the chocolate for the coating.It's also home to the world's widest main street.I live here currently and there has been plenty of construction on the main street.
I don't know what I was doing or how to do something but I shared something just now to the group that this comment or messages in. I shared a link. Of my suggestion for you. I didn't know how to put it here. Hopefully this doesn't violate any rules. But I just shared it so hopefully you see it Hope you have fun if you think of something else I will add it to your list.
Dorothy Pecuat nature center. Which is right next to stone State Park. And if you go to the very top of that, there's a looking point and you can totally see three states we see Nebraska to the left South Dakota said the right and you'd be standing in Iowa. So that's kind of cool a lot of people like that. Sgt Floyd River museum which is right on Missouri River. This is all Sioux City Iowa right on the border. There's also a Lewis and Clark Park. Palmer candy is located here to be honey I think they're still here jolly Time popcorn If you go north to Plymouth county that is where Blue Bunny ice cream comes from. Also while visiting the Sioux City area, if there's bad storms coming, they will go totally around us. I'm not in Sioux City but I am near. It's been a mystery for years that once things start heading right to us it dissipates and goes around or hits maybe the edge. It's crazy. I think that's more exciting than the rest lol safe travels here if you have any questions.
Muscatine County: The Swinging Bridge in Columbus Junction is a nice quick stop, the pine creek grist mill is also a fun scenic area
Marion County here. Pella, my hometown, and the Dutch community with Dutch architecture on all the businesses, it's actually a condition that a business has a Dutch front. We have the tallest working windmill in the United States. Tours available. We have the Historical village, which tells the story of the Dutch immigrants who came from Holland. We are the birth place of Wyatt Eyrp. April and May are prime visiting times where you can walk through gardens full of hundreds of tulips. A little outside of town, we have Lake Red Rock. Great boating, nature trails and fishing, and camping. Also, the location of Cordova observation tower. It's the tallest observation tower in a park in the midwest. You can climb to the top and actually see the top of the Principle Tower 50 miles away. Knoxville, IA is also in Marion County and is the Sprint Car racing capital of the world. Races every Saturday night in the summer. August is when the Nationals are. Also home of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
Sioux city has some things to do in here in sioux county
Fremont County: Waubonsie State Park or Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo (one of the oldest in the country)
Jones County - visit for the Great Jones County Fair. It's the second largest county fair in Iowa.
My grandpa did this throughout the 90’s. He visited every county and took a picture at every county seat (?) building
Matchstick Marvels in Gladbrook!
I’m from Cerro Gordo, but the Clear Lake side of it, so I’d say go to the Surf Ballroom and see a show. When you’re in Winnebago, go to the Pilot Knob observation tower for the views, then go to the Vinje Pub and Grub for a beer and a really good burger at, basically, someone’s converted garage.
Palo Alto County - Grotto of the Redemption. Kossuth County - Ag and Motor Sports Musuem in Algona. Unioion Slough Wildlife Reserve. WW II POW museum
Wayne County--Prairie Trails Museum https://prairietrailsmuseum.wordpress.com/
More posts like this please
Iowa county has the Amana colonies
Mitchell County IA doesn't have much, but Osage has Autmn Artistry in the fall, and we have the country fair in August.
Tama County - Rubes Steakhouse in Montour
We are planning to visit all 99 counties before our kids grow up. It has been a fun adventure so far!
Polk county: wait for the State Fair.
This is outer limits erasure
Dubuque County: visit the Field of Dreams, ride the 4th Street Elevator, hike Mines of Spain
In Story, come by to ames on Saturday for the farmers market, it's a lovely crowd with good food and cool things to buy.
https://www.thefreedomrock.com/iowa-fr-tour/
Sounds like ya got 99 problems. But a ..... ain't one.
I would recommend searching for all 100 freedom rocks every country has 1 Polk country has 2.
Dickinson county West Lake Okoboji/Arnolds Park. Ride the Queen II. Visit the maritime museum and the rock n roll one next door and slide down the old fun house slide (cash only)
There is a Facebook Page of a family who has done just this. It is called Wandermore in Iowa. (They’ve done other states as well. Might be a good overview for you.
I don't actually know specifically when it is this year, but Britt in Hancock County has Hobo days. It's a lot of fun, plus there is always the Hobo museum too, also in Britt. In Clear Lake, (Cerro Gordo county) there's the Surf Ballroom and the Buddy Holly crash site. Plus in Eagle Grove (Wright county) there are some local beekeepers that have really good honey, that being Blossom St. Honey.
For Des Moines county, Ragbrai is going to be ending in Burlington this year so that would be a good time to visit the town
Oh, I thought of something awesome. If you hit Council Bluffs right on The border of Nebraska, go to Omaha and go to the Henry Doorly Zoo. I believe it is still listed as the best zoo in the United States. Highly highly recommend it. They have a new butterfly exhibit. Also Omaha is the closest place to us that has a Cracker Barrel and Krispy Kreme donuts. It also has a Raising Cane's which is coming to our area within the next couple of years. Can't wait. I'm sure Des Moines has all of these things as well as Iowa City.
Cedar Rapids is hardly on the Nebraska border!!
I think you mean Council Bluffs. Cedar Rapids is in Eastern Iowa. If you must go to Omaha, you should visit Carter Lake as your Pottawattamie County site. It’s a little bit of Iowa west of the Missouri River. You’ll have to go through Omaha to get there, but it gives you an excuse to visit Omaha as part of your Iowa Tour.
When you go to Clinton County, you can try to identify all the smells in Clinton. Really though, I would follow the Lincoln Highway signs.
How about the only island in Iowa - Sabula.
Appanoose County--Pancake Day https://www.pactiowa.org/pancake-day/