Effigy Mounds and Pike's Peak State Peak are fine especially for hikers. Spook Cave, on the other hand, sucked. If I remember properly there was a true cave on the other side of the Mississippi.
Cool Iowa small towns
- Thread starter yoteforever
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I went on a trip this winter to southern Iowa to deer hunt. We ended up hitting small town bars all night long. First stop was Davis City, The bar of the century Monnies. Then up the road to Decatur city Poooor Boys decent bar, then Good Times. Last stop Leon to the Bears Den. The next Morning one Heck of a Hangover very little to no hunting was done that day.
Goldfield, Iowa the artisian wells and the town watering hole is called The Well, Stop in and see "The Gov" if your passing through.
Goldfield, Iowa the artisian wells and the town watering hole is called The Well, Stop in and see "The Gov" if your passing through.
I've always gathered that south central Iowa was pretty economically depressed and meth-ridden. I take it that wasn't your experience?
Let's just say I've had a few of those in my day. I grew up in north central Iowa about 2 miles from the MN border. I've done a lot of time in dirty, wild, and generally entertaining small town bars. Some buddies and I go up to a hunting cabin near the Mississippi every year and raise hell in towns like Lansing and Harper's Ferry. Good times.
if you lopped off the bottom third of Iowa and gave it to Missouri, you would raise the IQ of both states.
I worked at KLMJ-Hampton for a few years during college and will vouch for the Franklin County fair. It is excellent and usually very good entertainment. I got to interview the Little River Band one year.
Drove to Waukon for a wedding last year and once we got past New Hampton we took back roads and there is some very nice country there. And there was the opportunity to eat at Klunder's Country Cafe in NH. Great Food.
Fun to see the rebuilding in Parkersburg when we were back this weekend. That school is going to be one of the best in the state when it is finished. While you are there, swing through Wellsburg for the state's best tenderloin. Steamboat Rock is a nice, tiny town as well. They turned the old school into a little mall with specialty shops and the cafeteria is a little cafe. Not sure if that is still in operation or not.
Drove to Waukon for a wedding last year and once we got past New Hampton we took back roads and there is some very nice country there. And there was the opportunity to eat at Klunder's Country Cafe in NH. Great Food.
Fun to see the rebuilding in Parkersburg when we were back this weekend. That school is going to be one of the best in the state when it is finished. While you are there, swing through Wellsburg for the state's best tenderloin. Steamboat Rock is a nice, tiny town as well. They turned the old school into a little mall with specialty shops and the cafeteria is a little cafe. Not sure if that is still in operation or not.
Clutier, Iowa
Litehaus Lounge has "dancers" everyother weekend. Bar is complete with pole at front of the room. Pretty impressive for a town that doesn't even have a gas station!
Litehaus Lounge has "dancers" everyother weekend. Bar is complete with pole at front of the room. Pretty impressive for a town that doesn't even have a gas station!
If you come up here to NW Iowa, I agree with the Grotto in West Bend, really cool. If you like Ice Cream, stop by the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor here in Le Mars. Just show up hungry!
Lansing is a really neat place. My family helps run the fishing museum as they used to be a big part in the local fish market back in the day. A lot of nice little shops. Horsfalls is a experience in itself. Supposedly they are starting to work on a bike path to another small town 11 miles north of there.
Just go as far northeast in Iowa as you can go, and you're there.
McGregor Iowa is a great little port town right on the Mississippi. In addition theres a new microbrewery thats opened in a completely renovated historic building called Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery. Great beer, and great upscale casual atmosphere and food. Definitely worth a try.
Link: Old Man River Brewery
Link: Old Man River Brewery
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My gf is from that area, and about every other time we go up there, we try to make it there for breakfast. That place is AWESOME.
I've got to throw some love out for Delhi. I used to date a girl who lived near there and I always enjoyed the town and Delhi Days was a blast. Also, nearby Lake Delhi is a hidden gem.
Id have to go with Arnolds Park and Okoboji, those towns are situated perfectly around the lakes, and in the summer those towns are bustling
Any place with a good tenderloin, like the one at Tojo's in Jamaica:
The Dunlap Dairy Sweet was the 2006 Iowa Pork Producers Best Tenderloin in Iowa. And, it was in Bon Apetit as the best PT in the U.S. Better come hungry if you order this one. Dunlap is 2hr15min west of Ames on Hwy 30.
Lansing is a very scenic town and Horsefalls is fun to go to a time or two. I would also recommend going to Effigy Mounds. And I will recommend checking out Decorah, though I may be bias on that.
Personally I would like to see that Grotto in West Bend and seeing some castles in Iowa would be fun.