Iowa Top Reasons to Go to Iowa

Marvel at a Museum: Iowa’s universities host amazing collections of art, history, and culture, including the Farm House Museum at Iowa State University in Ames and the University of Iowa Museum of Art in Iowa City.

Antiquing: Main streets and downtowns are lined with antiques shops, from LeClaire near the Quad Cities to Walnut, 40 miles east of Omaha, Nebraska.

Dig In at Small-Town Cafés: Even the tiniest towns boast places serving huge plates of down-home, farm-to-fork cuisine in stylish surroundings.

Hop on a Bicycle: Mimic Iowan’s bicycling energy, as shown in the annual RAGBRAI ride each July, by pedaling through a mix of urban centers and pastoral farmland.

Step into History: The largest Amish–Mennonite settlement west of the Mississippi River is in Kalona, near Iowa City. This self-sufficient community sells handwoven fabrics, furniture, and pies, all produced without using modern conveniences.

Take a Bite of Farm-Fresh Foods: The Iowa State Fair, held in Des Moines each August, is the granddaddy of regional farm culture, showcasing fun, regional snacks (like deep-fried brownie on a stick) and champion livestock. And farmers’ markets are prominent in most communities from early summer to late fall.