Unique Iowa Attractions: Explore America’s Heartland

Only-In-Iowa Attractions: Brucemore Mansion, Covered Bridges, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream

Malt or shake? Sundae or cone? Two scoops or one? Decisions are difficult in Le Mars, the Ice Cream Capital of the World. Grab a seat on the patio at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and dig in. Linger as you cross the six covered bridges of Madison County, which inspired the legendary love story behind the best-selling book and Clint Eastwood movie. In Dyersville, you’ll find another unique baseball movie site: the real Field of Dreams, located on a family heritage farm. Tour an elegant 19th-century mansion at Brucemore, an idyllic estate with 26 acres of gardens, orchards, and woodlands.

Iowa’s Farms: Pick Berries, Feed Buffalo, and Nibble Cheese

Iowa is farm country. Here in the Breadbasket of the World, you can visit several types of working farms. Pick apples for a pie at Appleberry Farm in Marshalltown, and buy homemade jams, honey, and cider in the country store. Sample artisan cheeses at Maytag Dairy Farms and WW Homestead. Walk through 300 years of agricultural history at Living History Farms in Urbandale: watch oxen plow fields, ride a tractor cart, and see candle making demonstrations. Feed furry beasts at Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch. Milk a cow and see kangaroos at Hansen’s Farm, and wander through purple fields at Loess Hills Lavender Farm. Embrace Iowa’s extraordinary farming heritage.

Nature and the Outdoors: Gardens, Zoos, and Wildlife

Enjoy the beauty and wonder of nature and the outdoors, from colorful native plants to exotic creatures. Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines is Iowa’s premier animal attraction. It’s home to over 800 animals, including tigers and lions. Go birding at the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge and see slinky reptiles at Bailey’s Ford Nature Center. Iowa’s fertile soil is a boon for glorious gardens. Meander through a picturesque riverside setting at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a downtown oasis in the heart of the city. Mingle with butterflies and tropical flowers at Reiman Gardens in Ames, and feed koi fish in the ponds at Dubuque Arboretum.

Heartland History and American Legends

Imagine what life was like on the Wild West frontier at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village in Fort Dodge. Tour 18 original and replica buildings, including a jail and drugstore, in this 1850 military garrison and frontier town. View historical exhibits in the Old Capitol Building in Iowa City, and be dazzled by the gold dome and Renaissance design of the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. Walk in the footsteps of American icons at the childhood homes of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Buffalo Bill, John Wayne, and Herbert Hoover: they all grew up in Iowa. Travel to Clear Lake to pay your respects to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper - their airplane crashed here on “the day the music died” in 1959.

Quirky Roadside Stops & Giant Characters

Much of Iowa is wide-open farmland countryside, and wacky roadside attractions are a highlight of any trip across the state. Many are inspired by the agricultural heritage of the region. On the western side of Iowa, snap a selfie with a 23-meter corn stalk in Shelby, the world’s largest bull statue in Audubon, and a smiley face water tower in Adair. Check out spider made out of a VW bug (Avoca) and a coffee pot made out of a water tower (Stanton). In the east, stop for a pic at the world’s largest wooden nickel (Iowa City) and a giant cowboy (Waukon). For Star Trek fans, Captain Kirk’s future birthplace in Riverside is a must.