101 Great Things To Do In Iowa

Iowa is one of my favorite Midwest states to explore because it is full of wonderful outdoor opportunities, great food, and cultural attractions. Plus, Iowa has its fair share of quirky and strange road side attractions! After more than a decade of road trips through the state, I’ve come up with the definitive list of things to do in Iowa.

Read to explore Iowa? Here’s a list of 101 things to inspire your next Iowa road trip!

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Hike interesting terrain in Iowa

Try hiking the trails in the Loess Hills in Western Iowa (here’s a great road trip to explore north and south Loess Hills trails) or head to the interior and explore Ledges State Park. In Eastern Iowa, look into trails at the Mines of Spain Recreation Area near Dubuque or Yellow River State Forest in Harpers Ferry.

Explore Iowa caves

Top on my list is Maquoketa Caves State Park in eastern Iowa – it has 16 caves to explore. There’s Spook Cave near McGregor, where you can tour the cave by boat. Crystal Lake Cave is one not too far from downtown Dubuque. It’s a cave where you can take a 90-minute Wild Cave Tour that takes you deeper into the cave, with some passages requiring belly crawling.

Rock climb in the Midwest

Head to central and eastern Iowa to find rock climbing opportunities. Chief among them is Palisades-Kepler State Park near Mount Vernon, Backbone State Park near Dundee and Pictured Rocks County Park near Monticello.

Candlelight Ski

Don cross country skis or snow shoes for the annual Candlight Ski along Waverly Rail Trail in Waverly. The event, held on the first Saturday of February, is held on a.11-mile portion of the trail.

Catch a harness race

If you’ve never heard of harness racing, head to the Taylor County Fairgrounds in June. Rather than racing on the horse like a jockey, horses race as they pull a small, two-wheel cart and rider.

Kayak and canoe rivers

Voted as one of the most scenic in America, the Upper Iowa River is found in Eastern Iowa. You can launch near Decorah. I was lucky and got the chance to kayak by moonlight once summer!Another option is kayaking the Mississippi River backwaters at Rock Creek Marina at Rock Creek County Park outside Camanche. You can also explore the water trails of Pottawattamie County in southwest Iowa.

Walk across Lover’s Leap

Head to Columbus Junction and seek out the 262-foot Lover’s Leap Swinging Bridge. It’s a doozy. The bridge is eight stories above the ground.

Fly on a zip line

Hang on tight. Sky Tours Zip Lining in Dubuque has nine zip lines to attempt over the course of two hours. It’s a course that’s fine for both kids and adults.

Ride the roller coasters at amusement parks

Iowa is home to one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in America, The Legend. Find it and other rides at Arnolds Park Amusement Park in Arnolds Park. For newer and even wilder rides, head to Altoona (near Des Moines) to visit Adventureland. It’s home to the only roller coaster in the Western hemisphere with a negative-G loop. The state’s newest amusement park, Lost Island Themepark in Waterloo, also has some epic rides.

Explore the Driftless Region

My first encounter with the Driftless Region in eastern Iowa included a bike ride and kayaking in Decorah. It’s a beautiful area with surprising terrain. Three parks that could be your base for exploring the Driftless Region are Mines of Spain Recreation Area in Dubuque, Bixby State Preserve in Edgewood and Osborne Park in Elkader.

SUP Yoga

Why just do yoga or standup paddleboard when you can do both? Try it at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo.

Take a train ride

It’s a bit of a drive to get to, but Boone is home to the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. The railroad offers out-and-back rides and many of them are themed (and appeal to families) – imagine something along the lines of “Polar Express.”

Take a mini train ride

Each summer on the weekends, kids can take rides on the miniature steam train at Watson Station in Missouri Valley. The ride includes a bridge and a pass through a 50-foot tunnel.

Ride with a team for RAGBRAI

Not for the faint of heart, but definitely a lot of fun, RAGBRAI is an annual bike ride across Iowa that takes several days to complete. Bike all day and enjoy the fun all night. The host cities change each year, as do all the stopping points, so the festivities are always different.

Take a scenic bike ride

If you have a mountain bike or hybrid, try the crushed limestone Wabash Trace Trail that runs north to south in western Iowa. Road bike? Try the Trout Run Trail in Decorah. Another trail I’ve heard is good, even for road bikes, is Cedar Valley Nature Trails.

Do the Taco Ride

Keeping with the bicycle theme, there’s one last item on this list to be done on two wheels – the Thursday night Taco Ride along the Wabash Trace Trail in Western Iowa. Leaving from Council Bluffs, cyclists ride about 10 miles to Mineola for dinner at Tobey Jack’s Mineola Steakhouse, and they pedal their way back. Hundreds of people do it each week and it’s a blast!

Tip: Wear a helmet, bring a bike light, and watch for cyclists on the way back who may have had one too many drinks at the half-way point.

Go horseback riding

There are guided horseback trail rides across the state. For central Iowa, I hear Jester Park trail rides are a great experience.

Meet a bison

Bison were once native to Iowa, and now, there are just a handful of places to see them. In central Iowa, visit the Van Meter farm Bare Bison on a Saturday to meet them. In northeast Iowa, Hawkeye Buffalo and Cattle Farm offers hayrack ride tours to meet and feed the buffalo. The farm is located near Fredericksburg. In Western Iowa, Botna Bend Park in Hancock is home to a small herd of bison. You won’t get as close to the animals as you would with a tour at Hawkeye, but it’s still pretty cool.

Stay in a yurt

What’s a yurt, you ask? It’s like a more permanent tent, like not quite a glamping experience but definitely a step above camping. Find two yurts at McKintosh State Park near Clear Lake. The view is worth it!

Attend a maple tree tapping

You might associate maple tree tapping and maple syrup pancake feeds with more northern states, but visit Botna Bend in Hancock at the right time and you can attend an event for each.

Play in the Iowa Great Lakes

The Okoboji region is a popular summer destination for families. Consisting of six lakes, AKA the Iowa Great Lakes, the region is the place to go for boating, fishing, and my kids’ favorite, playing on the beach.

Find a waterfall

If you know me, you know I LOVE waterfalls. Iowa has some pretty ones. An easy one to climb is in Decorah, inside Dunning’s Springs Park.

Whitewater raft

Iowa is home to whitewater rafting parks, including one in Manchester and another in Charles City. It’s not necessarily long rafting experiences, but you did get the white-capped waves.

Splash at a waterpark

Adventureland in Altoona has a large waterpark that’s included with admission to the amusement park. You can also cool off at Lost Island Waterpark in Waterloo. If I had to choose between the two, I’d definitely pick Lost Island first (it’s huge!).

Ski in Iowa

The closest ski resort to Western Iowa is in Honey Creek called Crescent Hill at Hitchcock. You can also find ski slopes in Dubuque and Seven Oaks Recreation in Boone. Both are great for beginner skiers, and both have some difficult (but short) trails to tackle, too.

Find your Christmas tree at a tree farm

It’s like a scene out of a movie: Finding the perfect Christmas tree at a bucolic tree farm. I’m most familiar with the Council Bluffs tree farm, Dappen Tree Farm. Here’s a list of seven other Iowa tree farms where you can find a great fir or pine.

Pick apples at an orchard

Iowa is home to a lot of apple orchards, but a few that have been vouched for by my travel writing friends include Wilson Orchard near Iowa City and my favorite, Ditmars Orchard and Vineyard in Council Bluffs. On the northeastern side of the state, check out the small, family-run orchard, Peake Orchards.

Bike across High Trestle Trail Bridge

The centerpiece of the High Trestle Trail near Madrid, this pedestrian bridge is so unique, it’s was named by the BBC as one of the world’s eight most amazing footbridges Go there by day or night, as it’s lit by mesmerizing blue LED lights.

Watch waterski stunts

I’ve been obsessed with the idea of water ski stunts ever since I saw a picture of a pyramid of water skiers. If you want to see those kinds of stunts, the Waterhawks perform stunts on Eagle Lake in Waterloo each summer.

Stroll botanical gardens

There are gorgeously cultivated gardens around the state of Iowa, including Reiman Gardens in Ames and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. We took the kids to Ames one early spring weekend and caught the tulips in bloom!

Sip some wine

Iowa has so many wineries, they made a wine passport! Which sound better to you: Sip wine while munching on wood-fire pizza or sip wine in a castle-like setting?

Take on some food challenges

Not one to shy away from a challenge? Iowa has some gut-busters for you. Head to Des Moines to try the Adam Emmenecker Challenge at Jethro’s BBQ. It involves all of the basketball star’s favorite foods and you have to eat it all in 15 minutes (including but not limited to brisket, pork tenderloin, a cheeseburger, fried cheese curds and a pound of fries).

While you’re in Des Moines, stop at B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli to attempt to put down the Killosal Sandwich.

Other food challenges can be found in Waterloo, home to the 28,890 Challenge at the Screaming Eagle; Carroll, where you can take on the The Carrollton Challenge at Charlie’s Steakhouse; and Ames, where you can try to eat the Triple Double Food Challenge at Brick City Grill.

Eat pizza on a farm

One of the most unique dining experiences I’ve had was at Luna Valley Farm near Decorah. The farm offers wood-fire oven pizza on special nights, using ingredients they’ve grown or raised on the farm! When I went, they also had a band playing and had local beer on tap. It was the perfect Friday night.

Try a pork tenderloin as big as your head

You will not go hungry if you attempt to traverse Iowa’s Tenderloin Trail. There are usually more than a dozen stops on the trail each year, and always some of ginormous sandwiches. (I’m looking at you, Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Prairie City).

Participate in a donut eating contest

Head to Elkader in July for the Sweet Corn Days. Among the many activities planned is the donut hole eating contest, held at Pedretti’s Bakery (home to some of Iowa’s best donuts!).

Enjoy the best apple cider donut ever

It’s a bold claim, but I stand by it. I love the freshly made apple cider donuts at Ditmars Orchard in Council Bluffs. Being an apple orchard, they also have u-pick apples, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I purposely go there just for the donuts.

Drink out of a happy cat

I’m a fan of Fong’s Pizza in Des Moines and we stop for pizza every time we pass through the city. If we’re not in a rush, we order one of their mixed drinks that come in quirky glasses.

Boat up to the Barefoot Bar

The Barefoot Bar is a bit of the tropics in the middle of the Heartland. Boaters pull up daily to grab a few drinks, hear the live music, and maybe cool off by sliding into the lake. Barefoot Bar is located in Okoboji.

Go for some gourmet food

The chefs from one of my favorite Omaha restaurants, Lot 2 (now closed, sadly), moved to Corning to open Primrose, a restaurant that sources its ingredients from local farms.

Dine family-style in Amana Colonies

There are three restaurants in Amana that come highly recommended for their family-style dining. If I had to pick one for you to try, I would recommend Ox Yoke Inn (and don’t pass on trying the strawberry jam and fried chicken…not together…unless you want to).

Cheers over some beers

Just a few years ago, Iowa ranked 15th in the U.S. for the amount of breweries per capita – 33. There are even more now. A few that I’ve tried (and liked) include Pulpit Rock in Decorah, which is near a biggie among beer nerds (Toppling Goliath Brewery), West O Beer in Okoboji, and Lake Time Brewery in Clear Lake.

Get an ice cream headache

Iowa is home to the ice cream capital of the world, so you know they love their ice cream (Le Mars is the place to visit the home of Blue Bunny Ice Cream). Additionally, I recommend going to Lagomarchino’s in Davenport. Be sure to head to the original location to be tempted by the candy treats as much as the sundaes. And last, but not least, try the homemade ice cream at WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon. It’s worth noting that WW is actually more known for their cheese curds…so maybe try both while you’re there.

Cave into your inner-chocoholic

Iowa has so many candy stores and sweet shops, it’s hard to narrow down the list. Some of the more unique destinations include Kalona Chocolates in Kalona, an Amish town in central Iowa where it’s not uncommon to see horse-drawn wagons in transit; The Chocolate Haus in the Amana Colonies; and Palmer’s Candy in Sioux City, which is one of the oldest candy companies in the U.S. (and home to the Cherry Bing).

Eat a Dutch letter

Iowa has its fair share of Dutch communities, and each one (it seems) has a bakery with the best Dutch letter. These “s” shaped pastries are tasty. You can find Dutch letters in Boone County at Van Hemert’s Dutch Oven Bakery or head to Orange City to get one at the Dutch Bakery.

Dine at the Sistine Chapel

OK, full disclosure. It’s not the Sistine Chapel, just an incredible replica of the famous ceiling spray painted on the ceiling of Capella Magna, a restaurant in Waterloo.

Ride in the Grapemobile

Iowa has a surprising number of wineries, but few can offering what Tassel Ridge Winery offers at its vineyard in Mahaksa County: The Tassel Ridge Grapemobile. Seasonally, it’s used to take visitors on tours of the vineyard.

Eat a loose meat sandwich

Do you call these things taverns or Maid-Rites? Whatever you want to call them, Iowans have been eating loose meat sandwiches for decades. They’re not quite a hamburger or a sloppy joe. They’re their own thing. I’ve tried a few in Sioux City, which claims the sandwich as one of their signature foods. You might like the one at Bob’s Drive-In or Tastee Inn & Out.

Try the nuns’ candy

Monastery Candy in Dubuque is home to the world-famous caramels made by nuns. Word is, the hazelnut meltaways are the best.

Try a bit of headcheese

For the adventurous eater, head to the Amana Colonies to try headcheese from Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse in Amana. I’ll admit, when we stopped by that shop, we just stuck to sausage and cheese.

Visit Captain Kirk’s future birthplace

I know, I know, “Star Trek”’s Capt. Kirk hasn’t even been born yet. That doesn’t stop the town of Riverside from celebrating its most famous fictitious resident. Places to stop include Voyage Home Museum with memorabilia and the photo opp in front of the U.S.S. Riverside out front.

Look for the marker of his official future birthplace behind New Image Salon and if you’re really a fan, look for the plaque commemorating where he was conceived (it’s in Murphy’s Bar & Grille).

Find those famous covered bridges

You’ve heard of the book and movie “The Bridges of Madison County,” right? Madison County is in Iowa and you can go find those bridges. Grab a map from the Winterset Chamber of Commerce office or even book a guided tour.

Marvel at Matchstick Marvels

The Matchstick Marvels museum in Gladbrooke contains matchstick replicas of buildings and pop culture icons like the 1970 Dodge Charger from the “Fast & Furious” movies.

See some of the “World’s Largest”

Iowa is home to a few attractions that can claim “world’s largest” fame, including the world’s largest truck stop in Walcott and Elwood, the world’s largest garden concrete gnome found in Reiman Gardens in Ames. There’s a ton more to name, but a few more that might interest you: The world’s largest ball of popcorn in Sac City and the world’s largest wooden nickel in Iowa City.

Sleep in a Frank Lloyd Wright hotel

Find the Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City, the only remaining Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel that’s still remains. It’s gorgeous inside and out.

Strike an “American Gothic” pose

Visit the American Gothic House in Eldon, which has been immortalized in Grant Wood’s painting. While there, you can don costumes and pose in front of the house.

Go to popular tulip festivals

The most well-known tulip festival is Tulip Time in Pella. It’s huge! However, I’m most familiar with the delightful Tulip Festival in Orange City, with a parade that includes street sweeping in traditional costumes. Both take place in early May.

Run around the bases at the Field of Dreams

Head to Dyersville to see the famous ballpark in the middle of a cornfield made for the movie “Field of Dreams.” In the summer, there are Ghost Sunday events. In 2020, an actual MLB game was actually played there.

Stay the night in the Villisca Ax Murder House

If you dare, you can book an overnight stay at the Villisca Axe Murder House. For everyone else, there’s the option of touring the infamous home in the daylight. I took the tour one afternoon and can only say no ghost were spotted.

Visit one of the last rotary jails

You can tour Historic Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs and see one of the oldest rotary jails in the United States (think “lazy Susan”-esque). It’s notoriously haunted, and occasionally there are flashlight tours offered.

Visit the first aronia berry farm in the U.S.

Sawmill Hollow Organic Farm in Missouri Valley was the first farm in the U.S. to grow the superfood called the aronia berry. The farm hosts the North American Aronia Berry Festival each September.

Pick a bouquet of lavender

Not too far from Sawmill Hollow is Loess Hills Lavender Farm, also in Missouri Valley. There are fields for U-pick lavender bouquets. They also have a two-day festival, Lavenderstock, every July.

Attend a quirky festival

The quirky festivals in Iowa are year-round, but some of the most interesting happen in the summer. There’s TrekFest held each June in Riverside, the hometown of the fictional character Capt. James T. Kirk.

August has two great ones to consider: Iowa Tugfest pits two teams in an epic tug-of-war across the Mississippi River each August. Find the Iowa team fighting from the Leclaire side of the river. Britt Hobo Days takes place during the annual National Hobo Convention in Britt each August.

See the Little Mermaid

OK, OK, this is not the Disney Little Mermaid I’m talking about. Kimballton is a small town in western Iowa that’s home to a replica of the famous Danish statue of the Little Mermaid. Find it at Mermaid Park (obviously).

See a bit of WWII history in Algona

The small town of Algona was once home to a POW camp that housed German, Italian and Japanese prisoners. The story goes that a German POW began constructing a Nativity scene, and in time, he and several others built 65 pieces of a set that’s about half of life-size. It’s on display at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds during the holidays each year.

Reenact a scene out of “The Music Man”

Mason City is the birthplace of Meredith Willson, who wrote the 1962 musical. Head to the Music Man Square to find the 1912 “River City” indoor streetscape, a recreation from the set design of the movie.

While there, might as well tour his home and the Meredith Willson Museum, where you can seek out the “76 Trombones” hanging from the ceiling.

Make a music pilgrimage

On Feb. 3, 1959, the airplane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valence and the Big Bopper crashed in a cornfield in Iowa. A memorial exists at the crash site near Clear Lake that fans visit year-round. You can also go to the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, where they played their last concert.

Des Moines Arts Festival

Every June, thousands of art aficionados take to the streets of Des Moines to view works (and maybe purchase one) in this large outdoor juried art show. The Des Moines Arts Festival huge! And, if you’re going with kids, there’s a great area for families you’ll want to visit.

Ride the Fenelon Place Elevator

The Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque is the world’s steepest, shortest scenic elevator. You can see two other states while at the top.

See the Immersive Art Fun House

The best way I can describe Fairfield’s Immersive Art Fun House is it’s like Meow Wolf was a one-man show dipped in neon. It’s fascinating to explore. Hours are tricky, so look the place up on Facebook to see when it’s next open.

Visit Effigy Mounds

Effigy Mounds National Monument, located in Harpers Ferry, contains more than 200 mounds, many shaped like animals. It’s an American Indian burial and ceremonial site located in the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Snap a photo of the Round Barn

Just north of Bedford, you’ll find the beautifully restored Round Barn. Built in 1907 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The barn is exactly what it sounds like. Find it at the Taylor County Museum.

Go on “America’s Racin’ Vacation”

Boone Speedway, AKA “Iowa’s Action Track,” hosts the International Motor Contest Association Super Nationals each September. For one week, champions are crowned in Modified, Stock Car, Late Model, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Southern SportMod, and Sport Compact races. Many race fans make a week-long vacation out of the Super Nationals.

Pedal on railroad tracks

On a whole other level of speed, Rail Explorers puts you into a four-person pedal car and sends you off pedaling on railroad tracks in Boone. It’s exhilarating, especially when you go over the tall bridge. It’s the same track the train uses, but obviously, they time things so you’re the only ones out there.

Visit the only ice harvest museum in the U.S.

Learn what ice harvesting at the Ice House Museum, a round building designed to hold millions of pounds of ice harvested from the Cedar River. There are hands-on activities to try in the museum housed in a former ice house.

See a small town lightshow

The Lewis Memorial Fountain in the Town Square of Sigourney is unique in that it has a nightly rotating light show from May through September. The multicolored, three-tiered fountain has been around for nearly 80 years.

Tackle Snake Alley

Ripley’s Believe It or Not named Snake Alley as the “CROOKEDEST Street in the World.” Find this curvy road in Burlington.

See a windmill up close

One of the closest windmills to Omaha is in Elk Horn, a small town heavily influenced by its Dutch roots. You can also explore the one in Pella, Vermeer Windmill, the largest working windmill in the U.S.

See the Hula Hoop Tree

Head to rural Jones County to find the Amber Hula Hoop Tree, a whimsical sight to be certain. Hundreds of brightly colored hula hoops hang from the tree. Note: There is no place to park there, so put on your hazard lights when you stop to take a picture (which you will want to do).

Tour the capitol building

This building is gorgeous, but most importantly, taking a tour of the Iowa State Capitol means you get to see the most magnificent law library ever.

Ride in a hot air balloon during the National Balloon Classic

If you don’t own a hot air balloon, you can still fly in one during the National Balloon Classic held in Indianola in late July-early August. People can make a reservation for the ride. Of course, you can always just watch from the ground, too.

On the western side of the state, you can attend a balloon glow every September at Ditmars Orchard and Vineyard in Council Bluffs. The Fields of Flight event is so popular at the orchard, tickets sell out long before the actual event!

Appreciate the (free) public art

The Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines is well worth a detour if you’re near the city. The modern art is creative, huge, and Instagrammable. Pottawattamie County in southwest Iowa is also home to a lot of unique public art.

Learn about a Suffragette

Visit the girlhood home of Carrie Chapman Catt, a woman who fought hard for the right to vote throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s. The home is located near Charles City. If you visit with kids, there are a few interactives, including some period costumes to try on.

Admire masterpieces

No need to travel to the coasts to find stunning works of art. A few art museums worth a visit include Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and the Des Moines Art Center.

Stay in a historic hotel

Iowa is home to several historic hotels that continue to offer unique overnight stays. Some of the longest running hotels include the Hotel Julien in Dubuque, which opened in 1839, and the Black Hawk in Cedar Falls, which is more than 165 years old. Other hotels include Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah, which opened in 1905, and Hotel Pattee, a hotel in Perry that was built in 1913 and featuring 40 different themed rooms.

Learn hobo history

Britt, Iowa, is home to The Hobo Museum and the National Hobo Convention. The museum contains artifacts to preserve the culture of this small community, including items from Frisco Jack and Connecticut Slim.

Visit the country’s first all-organic city

South of Iowa City is the small town of Maharishi Vedic City, established as a meditation-themed community. The city is designed to promote happiness and balance, and everything is designed right down to which direction the buildings face and with rooms at precise proportions. Also, the city has banned pesticides and non-organic foods.

Dive into wrestling history

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo explores the 5,000+ years of the sport, including regular ol’ wrestling and professional wrestling.

Find the Volkswagen Beetle Spider

Just what the heck is this? Well, it’s a black Volkswagen Beetle made into a spider sculpture, of course. Find it in Avoca, a little less than 2 miles south of Interstate 80.

See the world’s smallest church

Built in 1885, the world’s smallest church seats eight people and can be found in Festina, near Decorah. In all, the chapel is 14 feet by 20 feet.

Visit Cabbage Patch Fantasy Land Museum

I’m a child of the ‘80s, so I had my fair share of Cabbage Patch dolls. Even so, I could never compete with what’s on display at Cabbage Patch Fantasy Land Museum in Griswold. See more than 3,000 dolls on display, including some that had the dreaded “Cabbage Patch Pox.”

Visit a pumpkin patch in the fall

Some of the closest pumpkin patches to Omaha include Pioneer Trail Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in Council Bluffs and McCurdy’s Pumpkins in Atlantic. For a list of 10 pumpkin patches in Iowa, click here.

See the Grotto of the Redemption

Here’s a rather unexpected find in West Bend – the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption. Taking more than 40 years to complete, this grotto is the largest man-made grotto in the world. The town is so small, it’s hard to believe this place exists there!

Have fun exploring science

Two of my family’s favorite science centers are located in Iowa. They are the Iowa Science Center in Des Moines and the Putnam Museum in Davenport. We make sure to visit them whenever we’re nearby, thanks to the free admission we get with the reciprocal membership benefits we get through out Omaha Children’s Museum membership.

Go to the Iowa State Fair

Sure, there are butter cows at the Iowa State Fair, but I suspect there is something bigger and even greater to see there. Why else was it included in the book “1,000 Places To See Before You Die”? Clearly, the Iowa State Fair stands out over other fairs.

Ride a historic carousel

Story City is home to a classic antique carousel that’s still in operation. And rides were pretty cheap!

Walk through history

Living History Farms, located in Urbandale near Des Moines, is an outdoor attraction that recreates farm life from various eras. There are hands-on opportunities and the chance to interact with costumed re-enactors.

Visit a dairy farm…with kangaroos

I don’t exactly know why, but Hansen’s Dairy in Hudson is seventh generation family farm. Take a tour and you’ll meet their kangaroos. Because, why not have kangaroos?

Snow shoe in the Loess Hills

One of my favorite things to try with my kids this past winter was snow shoeing. We rented snow shoes at the visitor center at Hitchcock Nature Center in Honey Creek, and enjoyed the fresh air and views.

Ride on Thomas the Tank Engine

Got a fan of Thomas? Check the calendar to see when the annual Day Out With Thomas is at the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone. The engine is the legit Thomas.

Feed a giraffe

For just a couple dollars, you can be amazed at the awkwardness and cuteness of a giraffe up close. Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines offers a giraffe feeding experiences as a little add-on to your zoo visit. I highly recommend it!