Must-see attractions in Iowa

From the sparkling gold dome to the spiral staircases and stained glass in the law library, every detail at this bling-heavy capitol (1886) seems to try…

Dating back to the 1880s, this old-fashioned lakeside amusement park is pure fun. The Legend is the seventh-oldest wooden roller coaster in the world and…

Learn about life (of all sorts) along the length of the Mississippi at this impressive museum, part of a vast riverfront development. Exhibits span…

Hundreds of mysterious Native American burial mounds sit in the bluffs above the Mississippi River in this gorgeous corner of far northeast Iowa. Listen…

The best state park locally is on the west side of West Okoboji Lake. It has a beach, lovely lakeside picnic areas and an excellent 1.3-mile long nature…

The original portion of Iowa State's main library was completed in 1925. In the 1930s it was decided to add some murals designed by none other than Iowa's…

This 1883 bridge is in a lovely quiet spot as there is no parallel modern bridge or road. Take your time and watch the water lazily flow under the well…

This historic old village is now part of West Des Moines. The five-block-long commercial strip on Fifth St is the most interesting in the region. Over 60…

On August 20, 1804, Sergeant Charles Floyd became the only person to die on the Lewis and Clark expedition team, probably from appendicitis. You can learn…

Beautiful bluff-top park with views of the Mississippi and elaborate stone details built in the 1930s (including a castle!).

Herbert Hoover, the president of the United States from 1929 to 1933, will forever be remembered for the Great Depression, the economic cataclysm that…

The Czech Village/New Bohemia neighborhood of Cedar Rapids just south of downtown was first settled in the 1870s by Czech immigrants who found jobs at…

This art museum's complex is an all-star monument to some of the greatest architects of the modern era; Eliel Saarinen, IM Pei and Richard Meier all…

Using nothing but apples (no sugars, waters, noxious chemicals etc) the family behind this cidery creates a range of cider styles and flavours. Much…

At the foot of the capitol, this modern museum features first person accounts from people who lived through different historical eras and events. Yes,…

Visit Grant Wood's downtown studio where he worked from 1924 to 1935. In this 2nd-floor space above a carriage house for the neighboring Douglas Mansion…

This curvaceous public park has great skyline views and features sculptures by 22 celebrated artists, including Sol LeWitt, Keith Haring and Willem de…

This vast expanse of Mississippi River Bluffland just south of Dubuque offers 12 miles of hiking trails with scenic overlooks, picnic facilities and even…

The glass-walled Figge Art Museum sparkles above the River Road. The museum’s Midwest Regionalist Collection includes many works by Iowa native (and…

Historic and modern quilts are the stars at this small museum. Visitors learn that there is a lot more to quilting than sewing a few rags together with…