Iowa (IA)

Iowa State Flag

 

"The Hawkeye State"

Why visit Iowa?

Scenic drive travelers who desire charming towns while enjoying bicycling, casino's, farmlands, caves, golfing, hiking, history, horseback riding, museums, Native American burial grounds, riverboats, rolling plains, scenic railways, skiing, snowmobiling, state fairs, and walking.

Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

At a Glance

• Capital: Des Moines
• State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Wild Prairie Rose
• State Gemstone: None
• State Mammal: None
• State Rock: Geode 

Fun Facts

• On February 3, 1959 Charles Hardin Holley (1936-1959), "Buddy Holly", an American Rock & Roll Musician died in a plane crash near Clear Lake with his band members and pilot.
• Since 1971, has hosted the John Deere Classic, PGA Tour golf event.
  
• In 1989, the first to legalize riverboat casino gambling.
• Wells' Blue Bunny (LeMars) is said to produce more ice cream than any other city in the world.
• Known to have more pigs than people (5:1).
  
• Amana Colonies are seven villages spanning over 26,000 acres bustling in authentic German ambiance and roots since 1855.
  
• Recognized as the most conservative Old Order Settlement with a population of 7000 Amish Residents.
  
• The highest literacy rate in the nation, schools ranked above the national average in scholastic achievement (93%).
  
• Over 85% of the state's land is used for agriculture.
• Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption (West Bend) receives over 100,000 visitors annually.
  
• Features 10 State Forests and 83 State Parks.
  

Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride (RAGBRAI), IA. Photo Credit: S Ahrend/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Ashton Kutcher (Actor), Cloris Leachman (Actress), John Wayne (Actor), Johnny Carson (Comedian), Kirk Hinrich (Athlete) and Seth Rollins (Athlete), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: Children of the Corn (2009), Field of Dreams (1989), Sugar (2008), The Bridges of Madison County (1995) and Twister (1996), just to mention a few.
• Novels Set in Iowa: A Thousand Acres (written by 
  Jane Smiley), 
  Bridges of Madison County (written by Robert Waller), Shoeless Joe (written by 
  W.P. Kinsella), 
  Some Other Town (written by Elizabeth Collison) and What's Eating Gilbert Grape (written by Peter Hedges), just to name a few.

Downtown Des Moines, IA. Photo Credit: Tony Walker/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• During Autumn there are over 260 corn mazes throughout the state.
• Scenic Drives to consider include Covered Bridges Scenic Byway, Delaware Crossing Scenic Byway, Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, Great River Road, Historic U.S. Route 6, Iowa Wine Trail, Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, River Bluffs Scenic Byway and Western Skies Scenic Byway.

Subject to humidity, snowstorms, tornadoes (May-June) and wildfires.

• Best Time to Visit: May-June and Late August-October
• Coldest Month: January
• Hottest Months: July
• Peak Season: June - August

Winterset City, IA. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Billingsley-Hills House, Buddy Holly Crash Site, Clark House, Dibble House, Dubuque Town Clock, Gilbert-Linn Street Historic District,  Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Hose Station No. 1, Jesse James Historical Site, Joseph Smith III's Liberty Hall, Kanesville Tabernacle, Kilbourn Bridge, Mathias Ham House, Matt Edel Blacksmith Shop, Melrose Historic District, Montauk Historic Site, Motor Mill Historic Site, Plum Grove Historical Site, Rhodes Mill, Simon E Dow House, Snake Alley, Terrace Hill Historic Site, Toolesboro Indian Mounds and Witmer House.
• Museums: Abbie Gardner Cabin, African American Museum Of Iowa, Amana Heritage Society, Ames History Museum, Appanoose Historical & Coal Mining Museum, Bartlett Museum, Bily Clocks Museum, Blanden Memorial Art Museum, Boone History Center, Brucemore, Brunnier Art Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum, Carnegie Historical Museum, Cedar Falls Historical Society, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Charles H MacNider Art Museum, Dan Gable Wrestling Museum, Delaware County Historical Museum, Desoto National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Museum, Farm House Museum, Figge Art Museum, Froelich Museum, Garrett-Phelps House Museum, Glick-Sower Historical House, Greene County Historical Society, Grenville M. Dodge House, Grout Museum of History & Science, Hawkeye Log Cabin, Hemken Collection, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum, Hitchcock House, Ice House Museum, Iowa County Historical Society, Iowa Aviation Museum, Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, 
  Jesse James Museum, John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum, John Wayne Birthplace Museum, Johnson County Historical Society, Joseph Smith Historic Site, Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, Iowa Quilt Museum, Iowa Rural Schools Museum, Kalona Historical Village, Kinney Pioneer Museum, Living History Farms, Locust School Museum, Matchstick Marvels, McGregor Historical Museum, Museum of Danish America, National Balloon Museum & U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, National Hobo Museum, National Motorcycle Museum, Nelson Pioneer Farm & Museum, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, Old Capitol Museum, Pella Historical Village, Pearson House Museum, Rensselaer Russell House Museum, Scholte House Museum & Gardens, Sergeant Floyd River Museum, Sioux City Public Museum, Sioux City Railroad Museum, Stockman House, Squirrel Cage Jail, Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, Surf Ballroom & Museum, The Iowa Children's Museum, The National Norwegian-American Museum & Heritage Center, The Voyage Home Museum, University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, Ushers Ferry Historic Village, Waterloo Center for the Arts and William M Black.
• Popular Attractions: Adventureland Park, Albert the Bull Park, Allee Mansion, Amana Colonies, Arnolds Park Amusement Park, Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden, Black Angel Statue, Blank Park Zoo, Bonaparte Pottery, Boone History Center, Brushy State Recreation Area, Calliope Village, Cedar Rock State Park, Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, Clark State Park, Clark Tower, Cordova Observation Tower, Crystal Lake Cave, Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village & Olde St Ann's Church, Danish Windmill, Des Moines' Downtown Farmers’ Market, Devonian Fossil Gorge, Dubuque Riverwalk, Dubuque Shot Tower, Dubuque Township Round Barn, Dunning's Spring Park, Eagle Point Park, EB Lyons Interpretive Center, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Field of Dreams Movie Site, Frank Lloyd Wright Home, Grandview Park Bandshell, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Heritage Carousel of Des Moines, Hogback Covered Bridge,Holtkamp Round Barn, Iowa's Largest Frying Pan, Iowa Trolley Park, John Peirce Mansion, Julien Dubuque Monument, Kalona Historical Village, Kate Shelley High Bridge, Ledges State Park, Lewis & Clark Park, Lincoln Highway Bridge, Lover's Leap Swinging Bridge, Lowell & Agnes Walter Estate, Maquoketa Caves State Park, Mowry Irvine Mansion, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, National Balloon Classic Field, Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Parkersburg Historical Home, Pedestrian Mall, Peter Toth Indian, Pikes Peak State Park, Reiman Gardens, Robert D Ray Asian Gardens, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Passenger Station, Rolling Thunder Prairie, Salisbury House & Gardens, Sergeant Floyd Monument, Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption, Starr's Cave Nature Center, State Center Rose Garden, Stempel Bird Collection, Sunrise Children's Zoo, Swan Lake State Park, Taylor Country School 4, The Big Treehouse, The Klokkenspel, The Palmer Family Residence, The Sitting Man - Buddha, Traer Salt & Pepper Shaker Gallery, Trainland USA, Trinity Heights, Ulysses S Grant Home, Vermeer Mill, Villisca Axe Murder House, Western Historic Trails Center, Wildcat Den State Park, World's Largest Concrete Gnome, World's Largest Popcorn Ball, Worlds Largest Wooden Nickel, World's Largest Strawberry and Worlds Smallest Church.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Ames, Ankeny, Bentonsport, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Decorah, Des Moines, Dubuque, Dyersville, Elkader, Iowa City, LeClaire, McGregor, Okoboji, Pella, Sioux City, Waterloo and West Des Moines.
• Special Events: (January) African American Festival , Kee Live Music Festival, University of Okoboji Winter Games, Winterfest, (March) Maple Syrup Festival, Waverly Horse Sale, (April) Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, Take a Bite Food Festival, (May) Boone River Valley Festival, Houby Days, Maifest, Orange City Tulip Festival, Pella Tulip Time, Tivoli Fest, Tree Town Music Festival, (June) BACooN Ride, College Hill Arts Festival, Glenn Miller Festival, Ice Cream Days, Lumberjack Festival, Scandinavian Days,Trek Fest,State Center Rose Festival, Whitewater Weekend, (July) AsianFest, Bix 7 Road Race, Iowa Irish Fest, National Balloon Classic, Nordic Fest, Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), Walcott Truckers Jamboree, (August) Great River Tug Fest, Iowa Irish Fest, Iowa State Fair, Meskwaki Powwow, (September) Applefest, GermanFest Celebration, Pufferbilly Days, Pancake Day, Tri City BBQ Fest, (October) Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, Oktoberfest, Scenic Drive Festival, Waverly Horse Sale, (November) Julefest, National Farm Toy Show and (December) Pioneer Village Christmas Wonderland.

Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.