Anyone been to the Webster County water trail? How is that?
How about winter spots to check out?
How about winter spots to check out?
Iowa's Hidden Gems - Iowa Vacations
- Thread starter BloodyBuddy
- Start date
You could take a tour of the state capitol and iowa history museum. There are those cool effigy muonds near Dubque (sp) they have zip lining there too now I heard. There are some websites where you rent people's lake homes in IA and spend the weekend at holiday lake or somthing.
Charles City has a white water course that looks like it's a lot of fun. I havn't been up there to check it out but it looks great as far as white water in Iowa goes.
I'm thirding (or fourthing?) the suggestions for Dubuque/Galena/Savannah. Used to go to the Palisades a lot when I was little (grandparents lived there). Very cool area. Galena is full of little shops and all that **** that most women like. There is a great Italian restaurant there (and in Dubuque now too), a fudge/chocolate shop, and a gourmet popcorn place.
The Hotel Julien in Dubuque is beautiful and a nice stay - lots of beautiful scenery in the area with the river and bluffs. Haven't done this, but have been told to take the trolley up the hill in Dubuque at night. There is also a neat little Christmas in the Valley place a little east of Galena on Stagecoach Trail which is a really pretty drive.
You could also jump across the border into WI and hit the brewery and tour in Potosi.
eta: also a couple ski resorts right there - Sundown and Chestnut Mountain if you are after winter activities.
The Hotel Julien in Dubuque is beautiful and a nice stay - lots of beautiful scenery in the area with the river and bluffs. Haven't done this, but have been told to take the trolley up the hill in Dubuque at night. There is also a neat little Christmas in the Valley place a little east of Galena on Stagecoach Trail which is a really pretty drive.
You could also jump across the border into WI and hit the brewery and tour in Potosi.
eta: also a couple ski resorts right there - Sundown and Chestnut Mountain if you are after winter activities.
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Are you thinking of Vinny Vanucchi? Another gem in Dubuque is the arboretum, that is if you are going around the spring/summer time.
If driving from DBQ to Potosi for the brewery, might as well make it a mid point stop on the way to New Glaurus.
This may not be up your alley but the amana's are a good place to go. Wine tasting in almost every town great food Ox Yolk Inn in main amana is by far my fave. When you get done there Tangier outlet mall near williamsburg is a good place to shop bed and breakfasts or the hotels on i80 would be suffice also nice quiet shops also.
Would definitely want to take out upstream of Decorah, especially if you started @ Lime Springs. Making that a three day float would be tough. You would have a REALLY long day from Lime Springs to Kendallville (and you couldn't stop much), then Kendallville to Bluffton is a probably an 8 hour float, and Bluffton down towards Decorah can take a long time too.
no, New Glarus is about another 70 miles east of Dubuque/Potosi. Potosi is 20 miles straight north of Dubuque.
Yes! I haven't been there in quite a while though
Oh, and there's also the river museum and aquarium.
I just spent a few days in Dubuque for work prior to Thanksgiving, and really enjoyed it. A very interesting, old city that has an architectural style and lay out that's very different than most Midwestern cities (seems more like a city you would see in the east). Definitely some rougher around the edges areas, but downtown has a lot to offer for a weekend and Galena is just 15 minutes away.
If you're there in the winter you have both Sundown Mountain and Chestnut Mountain, which are probably the best ski areas in this part of the world.
If you're there in the winter you have both Sundown Mountain and Chestnut Mountain, which are probably the best ski areas in this part of the world.
I'll keep shilling for the Driftless Region.
Decorah is a great base of operations for exploring the area. Not only is there a ton to do there, but there are a lot of places within an hour's drive of Decorah that are very cool.
We've really gotten into biking lately, and you have a ton of options in that area. Just 25 minutes north of Decorah is the Root River trail system in Minnesota. There are lots of small towns/resorts linked together along that route and you can have a ton of fun just going from town to town and stopping for a beer, or hitting up the pie shop in Whalan, or you can get a great workout in too. Southeast Minnesota's Root River Trail System Keep in mind that the Lanesboro/Whalan stretch will be closed for until mid-July. In Decorah you have the Trout Run Trail which circles the city (its about 12 miles long) and offers some incredible views. Its a lot tougher than riding a rail trail, like the Root, as you climb nearly 1,000 feet of elevation during that 12 miles. You also get to bomb down some big hills. It all makes the beer at TG taste great. The Trout Run Trail in Decorah, Iowa. You also have the Prairie Farmer trail from Cresco to Calmar. Not quite as hilly or scenic as others, but there are some nice views from the ridgetops of the surrounding countryside, and there are some fun small town bars along the way.
You also have great hiking at Yellow River Forest, near Harper's Ferry. Yellow River State Forest In Minnesota, there is great hiking at Forestville (Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park: Minnesota DNR), Beaver Creek Valley (Beaver Creek Valley State Park: Minnesota DNR) and Whitewater (Whitewater State Park: Minnesota DNR) State Parks. All less than hour from Decorah, and all pretty spectacular (Whitewater is probably the most so, but it is the farthest as well).
An underrated adventure spot is the Coldwater Creek Recreation Area, northwest of Decorah. It features the outlet of Coldwater Cave, and sits in a picturesque valley along Coldwater Creek. There's a nice parking lot, and a ton of trout fishing, as well as a trail that winds its way back and forth across the creek up the valley to the cave entrance. Here are some pictures I took there in April:
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Decorah is a great base of operations for exploring the area. Not only is there a ton to do there, but there are a lot of places within an hour's drive of Decorah that are very cool.
We've really gotten into biking lately, and you have a ton of options in that area. Just 25 minutes north of Decorah is the Root River trail system in Minnesota. There are lots of small towns/resorts linked together along that route and you can have a ton of fun just going from town to town and stopping for a beer, or hitting up the pie shop in Whalan, or you can get a great workout in too. Southeast Minnesota's Root River Trail System Keep in mind that the Lanesboro/Whalan stretch will be closed for until mid-July. In Decorah you have the Trout Run Trail which circles the city (its about 12 miles long) and offers some incredible views. Its a lot tougher than riding a rail trail, like the Root, as you climb nearly 1,000 feet of elevation during that 12 miles. You also get to bomb down some big hills. It all makes the beer at TG taste great. The Trout Run Trail in Decorah, Iowa. You also have the Prairie Farmer trail from Cresco to Calmar. Not quite as hilly or scenic as others, but there are some nice views from the ridgetops of the surrounding countryside, and there are some fun small town bars along the way.
You also have great hiking at Yellow River Forest, near Harper's Ferry. Yellow River State Forest In Minnesota, there is great hiking at Forestville (Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park: Minnesota DNR), Beaver Creek Valley (Beaver Creek Valley State Park: Minnesota DNR) and Whitewater (Whitewater State Park: Minnesota DNR) State Parks. All less than hour from Decorah, and all pretty spectacular (Whitewater is probably the most so, but it is the farthest as well).
An underrated adventure spot is the Coldwater Creek Recreation Area, northwest of Decorah. It features the outlet of Coldwater Cave, and sits in a picturesque valley along Coldwater Creek. There's a nice parking lot, and a ton of trout fishing, as well as a trail that winds its way back and forth across the creek up the valley to the cave entrance. Here are some pictures I took there in April:
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I'll back Al up on Lanesboro/Whalen area. That pie shop is legit. Heading up there for a few days with my family again this summer.
Honeycreek resort on Lake Rathbun is wonderful, waterpark for the kids, golf course for the adults and its right on the lake with tons of bike paths for the whole family.
Buzzed thru briefly, and didn't see a mention of Backbone State Park, just outside of Strawberry Point (largest strawberry in the world). IMO one of the most beautiful parks in the state. There is good trout fishing both in the park and on the Maquoketa River on the outskirts (caught a 27" rainbow there once), hiking trails and a beach. 45 minutes from Dubuque, probably 20 from Balltown (Breitbach's restaurant -- I know the family). If you do go to Dubuque, don't miss Marco's Italian restaurant on Central Ave. I've had pizza from Chicago to San Fran, Portland to Vancouver BC. Marco's is still my favorite (and I hear tell their chicken is even better).