DON'T LAUGH.......Considering a vacation to Iowa! (Iowa City, Council Bluffs: motel, luxury)

[RonnieJonez]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

I'm a big fan but I wouldn't recommend Iowa as a vacation destination. If you happen to pass through or wind up here somehow it's really not that bad.


I applaud to OP's sense of adventure and curiosity to check out a place like Iowa though. I would suggest coming here next August to check out the State Fair (2009 Iowa State Fair | State Fair Time) in Des Moines. If you plan on making it to the Des Moines area, I'd be happy to recommend some restaurants or other things.

Yeah, tourism isn't exactly big in the midwest...lets see, you have Mt Rushmore, Wisconsin Dells, The Ozarks. Which are geographically pleasing locations. I personally enjoy the Wild West for a vacation.

[suecen]

I often find that most people that ask "Why would you want to go THERE?" have never been 'there'! I live in Wisconsin and I remember years ago somebody asked me where I was from and when I told them they laughed hysterically! I said 'Oh when were you there last?". They replied, "Well, never"!
I've been in 3/4's of the states and they all have something to offer. Travel where you want; you're doing it for yourself; nobody else.

[GolfLover2]

odessa3: The suggestion to go up the river road heading north is a very good one. Relaxing, scenic and lots of beautiful small towns. As you get further north ... and if you're a baseball fan ... don't forget to head to the "Field of Dreams" just outside Dyersville. The actual movie site for the Kevin Costner movie has an ongoing game going all the time and looks exactly as it did in the movie. There are usually balls and bats to be found, but again ... if you're a fan ... bring yours along. When done there you can head towards Dubuque. Nice town with some casinos, dog track racing, riverboats, and more. If you're that far north and east .. head over the state line to Galena, IL, which is only a short drive away. Absolutely beautiful and historic downtown with quaint boutiques, great restaurants, golf, wineries, B&B's, and more.
Hope you enjoy the trip ...

[odessa3]

I have heard of Galena, IL. I see also that the National Motorcycle Museum (right up my alley!) is in Anamosa. Iowa it is for next year's vacation! I already got the Iowa tourism guide. We'll probably base ourselves in Dubuque and go from there.

[mrkool]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

i love how offensive the title of the thread is, haha.

As if visiting Iowa is a totally WHACKED out idea. It kinda pisses me off.

I agree. It's NOT a totally whacked out idea...
just a mostly whacked out one. ;-))

[suecen]

I went to Dubuque yesterday for a little quickie trip and I'll tell you , that's a cute city . I absolutely love the architecture! We went to the National Mississippi River Museum/Aquarium - it's excellent ; rode up the 4th Street elevator and went through Hotel Canfield! I would definitely go back - looked like they had a nice art museum as well. Just to point out - yes, every place definitely has merit and something you can find to do and see!! On the way back went through Platteville, WI and that too looked to have some interesting things. Oh well -just my observations!!

[TootsieWootsie]

If you look at the Iowa board, it seems that the two cities most cited for activities are Des Moines and the Quad Cities. I can personally vouch that the Quad Cities area (Davenport, Iowa), which is eastern, has TONS of activities going on. You can check this with the local paper: The Quad City Times. It's online, also. People are nice here and friendly, so you should have no problems at all...plus, the costs are really, really cheap here to party.

[txhawk36]

I didn't laugh, I grimaced!!! Actually Iowa is my "home" and I'm thinking about going back soon too. I'm not working really so I might as well go see my family!

[cyclone47]

I agree with most of the board that Northeast Iowa is probably the best area to visit in Iowa, with your base being out of Dubuque. If your vacation plans allow it, I might also suggest coming in early to mid-October when the leaves on the trees are turning and the harvesting is going on in the fields. And the Fall colors are especially beautiful in the NE part of Iowa.

[NCN]

We bought a timeshare and since that time have taken some really unusual vacations into areas we would never have thought to visit. Sometimes because we wanted to and other times because the more popular places were taken and we needed to go somewhere to use our points or lose them.

I love adventure, so I love it. It also lets you know what you really like. I remember one year about Easter we went to Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. Probably 20 or more people would ask where I was going on vacation and then they would ask, do you have family there. It was one of our best vacations. In the introductory talk that happens at the beginning of the week to let us know what is to do in the area, we won 4 hours on a pontoon boat. Greers Ferry Lake was beautiful.

The biggest thing I have learned from these experiences is that there are many more things to do in America than we could do for the rest of our lives. Every state, town, city, etc. has its own culture and special things to do. You are really smart to be asking the locals. I first google state parks, then city parks, national parks, just put the name I am going to visit in the search, usually including the date, because some activities are timely. I do a map of the area we are planning to stay to see what is near such as places to eat.

Then I go to the library and look for books and authors from the area. The year we went to Arkansas we listened to The Painted House on tape in the car while driving through the area it was talking about. It really made the book come alive. We were so engrossed in it that my husband (Mister I am not really interested in anything.) stuck in the next tape when we got to the condo and every meal we ate was listening to the tapes until the book was finished. Then on the way home we listened to it again.

I know that Iowa has a state fair, because I have seen pictures of my relatives who live there enjoying the fair. We love seeing historical places, listening to live plays and music, and generally getting to know the uncommercial parts of each place we visit. To me the beach is a miserable place to be when it is hot, but I love it in 60 and 70 degree weather.

I hope you enjoy your vacation and find lots to do there.