 |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
    
Sponsored Links
|
IowaProvided by the Iowa Division of Tourism You could think of Iowa as two major rivers (the Mississippi and the Missouri), with a giant playground in between! Iowa’s terrain accommodates nearly every form of recreation from fishing, to downhill skiing to hiking and bicycling, to golfing. Iowa is also bordered to the west and east by two National Scenic Byways. Western Iowa’s Loess Hills National Scenic Byway offers a unique landscape of rugged silt hills sheltering natural prairies, rare plants and wildlife, and dozens of photo-worthy views. Along the same Missouri River valley, explorers Lewis and Clark made their way northwest, and several sites in Iowa reflect parts of their journey. The Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center offers a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the expedition. To the east, The Great River Road National Scenic Byway is Iowa’s segment of the famous route from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Riverboat communities offer antiquing, bed & breakfast inns, and interpretive centers that capture stories of the history, industry, people and natural resources of the great river. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque also features the National Rivers Hall of Fame. For families that play together, Iowa offers countless ways to take advantage of its outdoor beauty. Catch a NASCAR race at the Iowa Speedway in Newton. Squeeze in a round of golf at one of 240 golf courses located across Iowa. (Iowa is known to have more 9-hole golf courses per capita west of the Mississippi!) Go wind surfing and boating on Lake Okoboji (one of the five Iowa Great Lakes). In July, thousands of bikers from around the world come to Iowa to participate in RAGBRAI, the famous 7-day bike ride from one end of the state to the other. Attend the renowned classic Iowa State Fair. Grab your climbing gear and go caving in eastern Iowa. As you can see, whether you prefer to get out your walking stick or your golf clubs, Iowa offers great ways to enjoy the great outdoors. Colorful festivals and special events keep visitors busy all year. In spring, the tulips bloom in profusion at the Pella Tulip Time Festival and the Orange City Tulip Festival, both created to celebrate those communities’ Dutch heritage. Nordic Fest in Decorah brings a touch of Scandinavian color to northeast Iowa. Agricultural heritage events such as the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant demonstrate the state’s traditional farming skills and equipment. Fall colors call for fall festivals and scenic drives, and as the weather turns cold, communities warm up to holiday events such as lighted parades, pageants, Victorian Christmas presentations, and more. Iowa’s natural history is preserved through prairie restoration projects, the largest of which is the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City. Visit the Prairie Learning Center before setting out on foot or by car to explore the plants and animals (even bison) of this reconstructed prairie. The history of Iowa’s earliest residents is preserved at Effigy Mounds National Monument near McGregor and other prehistoric Indian mounds along the Mississippi. Iowa is home to 24 National Historic Landmarks, including the Louis Sullivan-designed Merchants National Bank in Grinnell, the Historic General Dodge House in Council Bluffs, and the Hitchcock House in Lewis, a notable site on the Underground Railroad. Learn about Iowa’s early immigrants at three national museums: Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum in Decorah, the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn, and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids. Find a touch of Hollywood in Iowa at movie sites such as the Field of Dreams and the Bridges of Madison County. Entertainers, musicians and actors who hailed from Iowa include John Wayne, Meredith Willson, Donna Reed, Glenn Miller, Andy Williams, Ashton Kutcher, Elijah Woods and Brandon Routh. Galleries and museums feature artists of the past and present, including one of Iowa’s most famous artists Grant Wood. Visit his restored studio in Cedar Rapids, and then explore the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, which maintains the largest collection of Grant Wood works in existence. The friendly people of Iowa share their hospitality with all, in communities large and small. Wherever you travel, you’ll receive a warm welcome!
|
|||||||||||||
| Home | Contact Us | Site Map Midwest Tourism Association © Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved |
||||||||||||||
