Lake Region? (Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Dubuque: retire, nightclub, humid)

[CA central coast]

What area of the state is the Lake Region, the north-east? Is this the nicest, most scenic area of the state? Nice towns and lakes?

[pepe1]

I think you are refering to the Okoboji area - Which is Northwest Iowa. Definetly nice, large, and clean lakes. I personally think the towns around Okoboji are just OK, nothing spectacular.

It is hardly the most scenic part of the state. It sits in the middle of a vast glacial plain, so it's very flat, monotonous landscape.

[CA central coast]

Thanks for the reply. Where would the most scenic part of the state be? My time in Iowa was spent driving from Omaha to MN on the Interstate through Des Moines. I don't think I even stopped for gas. Oh, and the casino in Council Bluffs. The nightclub there was a blast. Anyway, forgive me all, this is just a CA'ians assumption. Isn't all or most of Iowa monotonous landscape? I know it can't all be. I'm just thinking about a nice place to retire. Is there an area that would be considered the most temperate, climate wise?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

Thanks for the reply. Where would the most scenic part of the state be? My time in Iowa was spent driving from Omaha to MN on the Interstate through Des Moines. I don't think I even stopped for gas. Oh, and the casino in Council Bluffs. The nightclub there was a blast. Anyway, forgive me all, this is just a CA'ians assumption. Isn't all or most of Iowa monotonous landscape? I know it can't all be. I'm just thinking about a nice place to retire. Is there an area that would be considered the most temperate, climate wise?

All of Iowa has a Humid Continental climate, but the mildest section of the state is the southeastern portion. However, the economy in that area of Iowa is probably the worst in the state. The best portion in the state in terms of scenery IMO would be NE Iowa around Dubuque and to the east of Decorah. The driftless region is quite nice with forested bluffs and some nice rural roads. The nearest larger metros in that area of IA would be La Crosse, WI and Dubuque, IA. Winters would be a bit colder than you would probably like in that area, but winds tend not to be strong in that area of the state if you look at the climatological data.

[pepe1]

I don't know what percent of Iowa I would say is the stereotypical flat, monotonous cornfield? 40 % or so - all being in the north central portion of the state. There actually is alot of nice, rolling topography in southern and eastern Iowa. I would agree that northeastern Iowa is the most scenic (that's not to say there aren't cities in other areas of the state that are nice).

Climate might be an issue though as we seem to get the worst of all seasons in Iowa (hot & humid summers, bitterly cold winters, pratically monsoon season in spring).

[Northern Traveler]

I would say 1/3rd of the state is the flat glaciated plains, otherwise it's gently rolling plains.