When my wife, Mimi, and I moved to Cedar Rapids last June, we were planning to explore and enjoy the fun places of Eastern Iowa.
This photo of the Blackhawk Bridge in Lansing, Iowa, was submitted by Diana Johnson, who explains in her comment on the blog.
This is my Monday column for The Gazette:
We knew western Iowa well from years living in Shenandoah, Essex and Omaha. We knew central Iowa well from years living in Des Moines. But Eastern Iowa was mostly a place we drove through, long ago a place to visit some relatives and occasionally a place to cover news.
Beyond the well-known attractions (we had been to the Amanas and Field of Dreams and were planning to visit the National Czech and Slovak Museum), we planned on getting to know the quirky cultural attractions, the pretty lakes and the small-town diners of Eastern Iowa.
Well, the flood and my staff’s efforts to cover it dominated much of last summer. As we moved into fall, some weekends were taken up with travel to journalism conferences where people wanted to hear about our coverage of the flood. Before I knew it, I was hip deep in plans to reorganize this company. And some weekends it’s nice to just relax at home.
After speaking at a seminar in Wisconsin Friday, Mimi and I spent Saturday and Sunday in southwestern Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa. We enjoyed a pretty drive Saturday until the snow started and then decided to spend the night in Dyersville (no, we didn’t visit the Field of Dreams; I’m presuming it’s not as cool in snow and stubble). We enjoyed a pleasant dinner and outstanding pie at Country Junction.
We enjoyed the scenic drive, with some nice views of the Mississippi River, particularly as we crossed the river at Marquette and as we drove U.S. Highway 52 into and out of Guttenberg. We resolved to get out into Eastern Iowa more this year. We’ll explore some randomly on our own, but I’d also like to tap the knowledge and experience of those who live here:
What’s your favorite small-town restaurant?
What’s your favorite historical landmark?
What’s the best museum to browse?
What’s the funniest quirky place to visit?
What’s the best place (and time) to see eagles?
Where’s a great place to rent a cabin on a quiet lake?
What’s the best view of the Mississippi River?
What’s the best stretch of river for canoeing? The prettiest lake for canoeing?
What’s the most scenic stretch of road to drive in Eastern Iowa?
What’s your favorite inn or bed-and-breakfast?
What’s your favorite guilty pleasure here?
Help a couple newcomers enjoy this region that you love. I’ll post your answers on my blog and report on a few of our adventures this spring and summer.
A final note: I mentioned in a recent column that we were keeping track of my nephew Patrick’s leukemia treatment on a web site called CaringBridge. Several readers kindly wrote to say they would be praying for Patrick. I want to express my appreciation for those prayers and to provide an update: Patrick had a bone marrow transplant at a Boston hospital Friday, a treatment that greatly increases his chances for full recovery.
Because donors are not identified, we cannot personally thank this 29-year-old male donor, so instead, I’ll thank all who donate organs and tissue. To register as a bone marrow donor, contact the National Marrow Donor Program at marrow.org or (800) MARROW2.
The Buttry Diary 
Eagles — winter months along Mississippi, especially from any of the Lock and Dams. In Cedar Rapids, try the area behind Cargill on Otis Road or the Roller Dam. In Louisa County, Cone Marsh. I even see them flying over downtown Cedar Rapids near the bridges. But for the really big numbers, go to the Mississippi. They’re here in winter and most retreat north during spring and summer.
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There are several great canoeing stretches along the Wapsi and Cedar rivers, and I’d hit Guttenburg for eagle watching every time. It’s a beautiful little town right on the Mississippi and has some neat little restaurants and quirks.
I love the Crystal Caves in Dubuque, but you’ll spend the whole tour crouched over because of your height!
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I went romping around Iowa a few weeks ago on a trip back from Omaha. We visited the giant windmill, the site of Jesse James train robbery, John wayne’s birthplace and some bridges in madison county. All places were fun! I blogged about it here http://shopoftheheart.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-highway-of-life.html
Also, I highly recommend camping in effigy mounds national park. Iowa’s only national park. Make sure to read conspiracy theories about the effigy mounds BEFORE you go.
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Looks like this year’s Explore section coming out May 16 will be very helpful for newbies like you. It will feature Clayton County (Guttenberg, McGregor-Marquette), Decorah, Amana Colonies, Galena (Ill.), Maquoketa/Dubuque and Monticello/Anamosa. Plus, a calendar of festivals and events.
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Guilty pleasure: I used to drive the long way home to Washington from Iowa City to get a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake from the Dairy Mart in Ainsworth. Address: 2521 Vine Ave Ainsworth
Small-town restaurant: Murphy’s Bar & Grill in Riverside has huge pork tenderloin sandwiches. Address: 71 E 1st Street
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‘m happy to hear the good news about your nephew!
Diana’s right; Dubuque by the lock & dam has the best view of eagles. While you’re there, visit a moving historical landmark – the Fenelon Place Elevator.
My roommate, a former figure skater says the funniest, quirkiest place is the Indoor ice arena at Coralville.
My guilty pleasure is walking from Coe’s campus to the confection shop on 3rd – I think it’s called, Simply Divine.
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My favorite guilty pleasure here in Iowa is renting a houseboat and cruising the Mississippi in Northern Iowa Bluff country.
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You might be interested in the history of why eastern Iowa was literally frozen out of Linn County development. It was mainly due to relocating of the county seat from Marion to what my grandather called and knew as ” The swamp in the cedar river rapids.”
The emphasis still exists with the ” corridor ” culture and planning, but doubt if many know the origination. Planners still insist on locating everything back in the same area.
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Another guilty pleasure: The Jaarsma Bakery in Pella. The Dutch letters and iced molasses cookies are the best.
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Deena Nelson gave me permission to post the following response, which she sent by email (it’ll take me some time to visit all these places):
Take it from an eastern Iowa Native – you have missed the jewel of the state! Let me share some of my favorites!
What’s your favorite historical landmark? I don’t know if it is still there, but the suspension bridge in Charles City Iowa holds some great memories for me. It took lots of tries before I would cross it. It is also the last place that I took my Grandmother. I took my fiancee to meet her and she took us out to eat and we ended up at the suspension bridge along the Cedar. I hope it’s still there 🙂
What’s the best museum to browse? Wow – that’s a tough one but you know, my absolute FAVORITE is McBride Hall in Iowa City. It’s a gem that a lot of people forget about and to really make it fun, watch Night at the Museum afterwards! (The Mississippi River Museum in Davenport is a close second – I love the otters!)
What’s the funniest quirky place to visit? Trek Fest in Riverside. Only in Iowa would we celebrate a person’s birthday that isn’t even born yet!!
What’s the best place (and time) to see eagles? Easy! Dubuque or along the rollerdam near the old Animal Shelter
Where’s a great place to rent a cabin on a quiet lake? skip the cabin! go to Durango Iowa and stay in a log cabin B&B. Much better! Then you can visit all the cool places in Dubuque & Quad cities.
What’s the best view of the Mississippi River? Pike’s Peak near Marquette/McGregor
What’s the best stretch of river for canoeing? The prettiest lake for canoeing? Sorry – I don’t canoe! but I’ve been told that Pinicon State Park by Central City has some really pretty stretches and you can rent canoes and paddle boats.
What’s the most scenic stretch of road to drive in Eastern Iowa? River Road going North to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin
What’s your favorite inn or bed-and-breakfast? Quiet Walker Bed and Breakfast in Durango, Iowa. It is so close to Dubuque but out in the country so it is very peaceful and relaxing!.
What’s your favorite guilty pleasure here? Lake Darling in Brighton, Iowa or Kent Park near Tipton, Iowa. Both are great camping or picnic spots. They both have a beach and they are ABSOLUTELY beautiful!
The interesting part about Iowa is you can live here your whole life and miss some of the best! I was nearly 30 before I discovered Pike’s Peak in McGregor/Marquette and now it is probably my favorite place to go. We always stop there on our way to the apple orchard in Gay’s Mills, Wisconsin during our fall weekend trip. If you’ve never been to the Grotto in West Bend Iowa, I encourage you to go there also. You should also visit Kalona and go to the Cheese House there as well as the Amish country store just up the road. Don’t forget our wonderful Freedom Festival (cut horribly short last summer) with all the fun activities that it has to offer. Of course there is also Solon Beef Days, St Ludmilla’s Kolache Festival (you have GOT to have some of those!), St Jude’s Sweet Corn Festival and Hiawatha’s Hog Wild Days!
Bloomsbury farms is a great place to visit in the fall for pumpkins and I think CR has one of the BEST fireworks displays ever!
Iowa has so much to offer that it is really a shame that so many people feel the need to go somewhere else to vacation!
Enjoy your time!
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Mr. Buttry,
Decorah is well worth a day or two’s visit. The town has almost a square mile of parks within it’s boundaries. Try to visit all of them. Dunning’s Springs is a great spot for a picnic on a spring, summer or fall day. It’s also nice to visit in the winter
Other ‘must see’s” are Luther College, Hotel Winneshiek, the Whippy Dip, the Oneota Food Co-op and Seed Savers Exchange.
Web site – http://www.decoraharea.com/
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In reguard to the suspension bridge in Charles City, It went down with the flood last year, but there are plans to replace it.
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Las Lomas in Muscatine is one of my favorite restaurants. It’s owned and operated by a local Hispanic family and has the best authentic and affordable Mexican food in Eastern Iowa. Stop into Green’s Tea in downtown Muscatine afterward for amazing desserts and tea or coffee and check out all the little shops in Pearl Plaza. If you visit in January or February, you can view eagles along the Mississippi. Also check out the Pearl Button Museum and the huge, nicely restored historic houses west of downtown.
My husband and I spent last Labor Day weekend at the Bonaparte Inn in Bonaparte, just south of Fairfield. We liked it very much and highly recommend it. It’s a small boutique hotel housed in a former glove factory. It has been beautifully renovated. There is a big state park nearby that you can hike in and, for a real down-home Iowa meal, go to the Bonaparte Retreat restaurant across the street from the inn. (They are not affiliated.)
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Carolyn W. Kohler of Iowa City gave me permission to post this advice she passed along in an email:
Don’t miss Backbone State Park. It has a Dundee postal address (Dundee is a delightful little town of about 150 people), and is about 12 mi northwest of Manchester and 2 mi southwest of Strawberry Point (both nice places to explore). There are unique and inexpensive restaurants in Manchester; I won’t say more because they vary from visit to visit.
At Backbone, you can rent delightful two-bedroom A-frame log cabins, with large living rooms with futon (so cabin sleeps 6 comfortably), modern kitchen/dining area with microwave, toaster, coffeepot. Front and back doors, wrap-around (almost) porch with view of the lake.
Central air conditioning and heat as needed.. There are also larger two-story modern cabins, and older but refurbished 1 bedroom cabins, built in the 1930’s.
Lots of good hiking trails, especially the one from the lake below the cabins all the way to the backbone, transversing many different land formations on the way. Great trout fishing (stocked streams), canoeing and paddle-boating, and swimming if you can stand the water. Plenty of places to wade. Once, while wading upstream, i encountered a deer wading downstream. I don’t know who was more surprised; we just stood and stared at each other for a while.
Look for Balance Rock, Richmond Spring, and the cave. Above all, don’t forget to WALK THE BACKBONE. Too many people just drive by and don’t discover what’s there.
See http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/images/maps_pictures/backbonemap.pdf
and http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/backbone.html
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Marianne Hanshaw of Washington (Iowa, not D.C.) gave me permission to post this email response:
Please put Washington on your list of places to visit!
An especially great time for you to visit would be on a summer Thursday evening. Starting at 5:00 is our Wonderful Farmer’s Market (Of course it gets better and better as produce becomes more available)…Then at 8 p.m. following the market is the Community Band Concert in Central Park.
We have the Centennial Fountain plus delicious restaurants (Cafe Dodici will be a fun place) and friendly atmoshpere.
Our Welcome Mat is out for you and Mimi.
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Eagles… this one was easy for me since I will not forget it. Early last February I took an Amtrack trip from Mt. Pleasant to Chicago. When we crossed the Mississippi I was completely in awe of the eagles sitting at the edge of the river — and in the trees. No kidding, I have never seen so many at one time. At least 10 roosting in one tree. It was a great weekend, but my favorite part was probably seeing those eagles. Since they were an endangered species when I was a kid I think I learned to appreciate the few I have seen since. It really made the trip.
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Marilyn Hanson Yoder gave me permission to post the following email response:
The Norwegian Museum in Decorah. Be sure to check out Nordic Fest in late July in Decorah.
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Dear Steve,
Take it from an active, life-long, Cedar Rapidian. Here are some really fun thngs to do in the area.
Kernels Home Games
Freedom Festival
The Lakes, Rivers, Streams, and Beaches
Theatre Productions
Come Fall…
Iowa Tailgating
and Frightmare Forest (a Haunted House)
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Diana Johnson of Allamakee County Economic Development gave me permission to post the following email response:
Hi Steve,
I read your recent article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette and after living here and working here, I had to respond to your questions.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Favorite restaurant: Allamakee county has food for every taste bud but my personal favorite would have to be Wings because they make the best homemade soup and salads and they still have a salad bar.
Wings
606 Waterloo Creek Drive
Dorchester, IA 52140
Contact: Lennie & Linda Burke
Phone: 563.497.3353
Favorite Landmark:
Blackhawk Bridge in Lansing, Iowa. The people of Lansing just recently completed installing lights on the bridge and it is beautiful! (I have attached a picture.)
Favorite Museum:
Old Courthouse Museum
Location: 121 Allamakee Street – Waukon, IA 52172
Contact: Ada Marie Kerndt
Phone: 563.568.2954
Quirky place to visit:
Waterloo Workshop
369 Waterloo Creek Drive
Dorchester, IA 52140
Contact: Jill & Michael Stephenson
Phone: No phone
In their old log home they live much as people used to 100 years ago, with no electricity or telephone. They continue to practice the old-time arts of wood-working, basket-weaving and preserving wild or home-grown fruits and vegetables. Visitors share fresh, made-from-scratch rolls baked in their wood stove, sample country jams and sip tea or fresh well water. They are located 4 miles Northwest of Dorchester, IA.
Best place to see eagles and best view of Mississippi River:
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Location: Highway 76, 4 miles north of Marquette
Contact: Phyllis Ewing
Phone: 563.873.3491
Best Place to rent a cabin: (this place is absolutely beautiful!!)
The Natural Gait
1878 Old Mission Drive
Harpers Ferry, IA 52146
Phone: 877.776.2208 or 563.419.3938
Email: admin@thenaturalgait.com
Website: http://www.thenaturalgait.com
Most scenic drive:
IA 9 from Waukon to Lansing or County Roads X52 and A52 from Harpers Ferry to Waukon
Favorite Inn or Bed and Breakfast:
Well, this place isn’t a bed and breakfast but you can rent the entire house and not have to worry about anything!
Kelly’s Place Bed & Bath
209 West Street SW
Waukon, IA 52172
Contact: Dennis or Carn Murphy
Phone: 563.568.6448
We would love to have you visit our area and we are sure you will go home pleased. If you have any questions or need more information on any of these, please feel free to contact me or visit our websites below.
Hope this helps! Thanks!
***************************************
Diana Johnson
Allamakee County Economic Development
http://www.allamakeecounty.com
http://www.visitiowa.org
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Another email response, this one from Al Seabrooke of Elgin:
I hope you will truly enjoy NORTHEAST Iowa. I hope to give you some help.
I grew up in Cedar Rapids, graduated from Roosevelt High School in January of 1948. After a 45-month stint in the air force during the Korean War, and college at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, where I met my wife, I have spent the past 52 years in northeast Iowa. I still see things that are a wonder and joy to observe.
My wife and I retired in 1991 from 35 years of teaching at the Valley Community School District of Clermont, Elgin and Wadena. So these are the places you might want to consider—although it will be a long list and can’t be accomplished in a short time.
We live on the 320 acre farm where my wife grew up. It is three miles east of Elgin, a community that is working hard to sustain itself. We are active in community organizations and we hope to take advantage of the wonderful, and as yet not totally tapped into, recreational and tourism prospects available in the area. We offer great fishing–bass in the Turkey River and trout in the stocked creeks in the area. We have scenic areas for hiking and biking, and hope to further develop the potential that is here. Winter is a great place to snowmobile and cross country ski. This area has a very large population of deer, which is a boon and a problem all at once. They attract hunters who contribute a great deal to the local economy, but they do substantial damage to crops in the area, and are a hazard on the roads. You can check our website, http://www.elginiowa.org to learn more about our area.
This June Elgin will celebrate its once-every-five-years homecoming. That will be five days in June, the 25th thru the 29th, with a variety of events for all of the family. You could check the website periodically as we finalize the dates and event schedule. Lots of good things.
For a small town eating establishment visit the Irish Shanti in rural Gunder, Iowa. This crossroads bar and grill is widely known for its food prepared on the site and its healthy portions. You can find more at http://www.thegunderburger.com. They have a full menu and a wonderful selection of crafted, imported, and domestic beer.
You’ve traveled US Highway 52 to Guttenberg. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. There are many, many spectacular drives in this corner of the state. I have invited several of my former classmates from Roosevelt to visit. They are truly amazed at what they see. I was, and continue to be. This area is called the “driftless area”. I understand the last of the glaciers that passed over this part of the country did not cross northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, or parts of western Wisconsin. The great hills and deep river and creek valleys were untouched.
So here are some suggestions of area roads to travel. From Strawberry Point to Elkader on Iowa Highway 13 is one of the special places. County road X21 and X3C that winds from Iowa 3 west of Edgewood thru Littleport to the junction with Iowa 13 is another beauty. Littleport was wiped out two or three years ago by the flooding Volga River and a local creek. Try Iowa 76 from Waukon to Marquette, and travel from Waukon to Lansing on Iowa 9. Visit Mount Hosmer in Lansing for a great view of The River. (We call the Mississippi “The River” in these part.)
You traveled on US 52 to Guttenberg. County road X56 follows The River from Guttenberg to the junction with Iowa 340 atop the hills overlooking The River. Along that route you would see a county road that drops down to The River and the little town of Clayton. Clayton has two reasonably good eating establishments right on the river. We go there several times during the summer. Clayton reminds me of “Natchez Under The Hill” in Mississippi. You can almost feel the shady characters that might have established this notch in the river bluffs.
Also on this route, just off of Iowa 340, is Pikes Peak State Park. This has the most spectacular view of The River. There is a great overlook that offers a huge panorama of the confluence of the Wisconsin River and the Mississippi. There is a short description of the travel to this area of the first white men to view The River—the expedition of Marquette and Jolliet. McGregor and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin are interesting places to visit. McGregor has done a really nice job of restoration. One more wonderful drive goes from Monona to Rossville on county road X26.
Farther west the village of Spillville has perhaps the neatest museum in the region. It is a collection or handmade clocks made by a couple of Czech brothers who lived there. The Bily Brothers Clock Museum. This is also the place where Antonin Dvorak wrote his “New World Symphony”. Then Decorah has a wonderful Norwegian museum, the Vesterheim. In Clermont you could visit the “maintained” home of former Iowa Governor William Larrabee. It is located high on the hill overlooking Clermont—great view of the Turkey River valley.
During the winter months you can find large numbers of eagles most anywhere in this area. Last winter as we drove near Gunder, which is three miles from our home, we counted over 70 eagles gathered where a farmer had dumped a number of carcasses of dead piglets. That is a fairly common sight in the area. Of course, along the rivers you can usually spot them in trees, as long as there is open water.
Canoeing the Turkey River is popular around here. The stretch from Eldorado, on Iowa highway 150 north of West Union, to Clermont is very popular, and the stretch from Clermont downstream thru Elgin to Elkader offers great scenery too.
You might want to stop at Wadena and ask some of the older residents about their recollection of the Rock Fest that occurred in the hills above the Volga River in the early 70’s. The highway patrol estimated the attendance in the neighborhood of 60,000. It was chaotic—drugs, skinny dipping, sex—the whole scene.
Lastly, we love to entertain. We live on a farm overlooking the Turkey River between Elgin and Gunder on Agate Road. At 5:00 p.m. on most summer evenings it is “Miller Time” on the porch at our place. Only we tend to favor the crafted beer from smaller breweries over the popular domestic variety. You are welcome. We have extra sleeping areas in our old farmhouse—original construction C. 1853—including log walls. We do have modern conveniences too.
Hope this give you a sense of the beauty available for consumption in northeast Iowa.
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Best view? Mt. Hosmer in Lansing in October.
Eagles? Pool 9 around Lansing from sprint til fall. A pontoon ride that takes you right underneath many different active nests. Queue the Eagles and the eaglets.
Scenic Road? Old Oak Road near Wexford in fall. Proceed at your own risk – but back to nature you will go. Or any drive through Yellow River Forest will do.
Does anything get “quirkier” than Horsfal’s Variety in Lansing?
Canoeing? How about Yellow River? Best rapids in Iowa. Adventure! As for Lakes? Who needs lakes when you can put in on the Upper Iowa near New Albin and paddle through the Mississippi backwaters all the eay down to Lansing! Tranquility. And bring a fishing pole for the best smallmouth fishing in the upper midwest.
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William A. Wermers of Spillville sent the following email response:
Spillville, located In NE Iowa has many wonderful items to see and observe.
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Chris Galligan of Cedar Rapids sent the following email suggestions:
I have a suggestion for a small town restaurant you should visit – Odie’s in Maquoketa. A friend recommended their tacos and formed a group to trek up to check them out. I went with low expectations and was very pleasantly surprised with how good they are. Odie’s is nothing fancy, but they do a big business due to their good food and in particular their tacos. Definitely worth checking out!
And you can visit other worthwhile sites while you are in that area
• Tabor Winery at Baldwin, 10-12 miles west of Maquoketa, has some very nice wines to satisfy a wide array of tastes, a very cute gift shop and a nice view. They also host parties and entertainment outside in the summer.
• Maquoketa Caves which my grandchildren loved when their parents visited there last summer
• Bellevue is a cute little river town
• St. Donatus is known as a Luxembourger city. It has an inn called Gehlen Inn, the Kalmes Restaurant (they make their own sausage as well as seasoning that you can buy). The Catholic Church has a museum and is especially known for its Stations of the Cross that are depicted going up a bluff. The view from the chapel at the top of the hill is really lovely.
I hope you add these destinations to your must-see list. Enjoy discovering Iowa. We have a lot of hidden treasures!
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I’m from near Elkader.
You need to check out the town. It is smack dab in the middle of Clayton County, Iowa which borders the Mississippi River. The best place for a view is in Balltown. You can see for miles and see the Mississippi river valey. It is amazing. Iowa’s oldest family owned restaurant called “Breitbach’s” is also lcated in Balltown. It burned down twice this past year but they are rebuilding.
Historical Landmark- Elkader Opera House. This was buit in 1903. It has been restored in recent years. During the Iowa caucuses, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton gave speeches there. The news wasn’t about them, it was about the beautiful opera house. Someone said it was a mini Ford’s Theater.
Bed and Breakfast- “The Jailhouse Inn”–This B&B is actually an old jailhouse that was built in the mid 1800s. This jailhouse was used by Clayton County until a couple of years ago. Some people transformed it into a beautful place. It rests on top of a hill overlooking Elkader which is surrounded by bluffs.
Best Place to Rent a Canoe– BACKBONE STATE PARK near Strawberry Point.
Best Stretch of road—Try the Iowa Scenic Byway. You should take HWY 13 from Strawberry Point to Elkader, then, back up 13 for 2 miles until you hit Grandview Rd (Country Road XC3), head to Garber, then to Guttenberg. Amazing view. Before Garber, you can keep going straight and then take a right right past the town of Elkport and head to Edgewood where there is a lot of Amish families. Nice views too.
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Another email response, this one from Katie Karsten:
Steve,
First, I would like to welcome you to our corner of the state…it really is a beautiful place to live and play that is packed with friendly people! In one of your articles earlier this week you asked for various types of favorite locations in NE Iowa. Having been born and bred here in NE Iowa I have had the opportunity to discover a few unique and interesting places that I believe you (and your readers) may enjoy.
One of my favorite sites that meets several of your favorite criteria, (historical landmark, museum, and the best view of the Wapsipinicon River, OK its not quite the Mississippi but still beautiful.) is a State Park near Quasqueton and Independence called Cedar Rock. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home that is now open to the public. I believe it’s one of Iowa’s hidden jewels. The house has glass walls that offer a gorgeous view of the Wapsipinicon River as it meanders past, and really bring the outdoors inside. It’s also interesting to learn about Wright’s modern and innovative building styles of the 1950’s and how some of those green ideas are being incorporated into today’s architecture. The house is beautiful and best of all touring it makes for a cheap date-they only request a $3.00 donation for adults. I strongly recommend taking the time to visit this site-if done on a weekend you could also take time to visit the Buchanan County Amish settlement who have several shops with hand crafted items and baked goods or spend the afternoon seeing some of the attractions in Independence, the Mill, the Agribition Center, the downtown shops…the list could go on and on.
I will mention just two other locations that I believe are very worthwhile…Backbone State Park located near Lamont and Dundee which is one of Iowa’s oldest State Parks. There are rustic original CCC structures sprinkled throughout the grounds and a museum. It’s a great place to unwind from a week in the city or event the country…with areas for camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, photography, etc…
The last one is a restaurant in NE Iowa which can be tricky to get into as the fall foliage begins to turn. The Shanti is a small home-town restaurant in Gunder, Iowa. Famous as the home of the ‘Gunder Burger’, a mammoth sized hamburger that is worth sharing with a friend or gobbling up yourself-if you have the appetite and desire too. This restaurant is truly worth the stop-if you can find it.
Well I hope you can find the time to visit some of the locations your readers mention-NE Iowa has several places that can quickly become favorites:)
Welcome home!
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Steve,
You’ve got the nut pretty well covered.
I could take you to places in the QC for the best of the best and out of the way places, because I lived there for thirty years.
My Saturday (Apr. 4) will include the following:
Independent Film Fest in CR
Lunch
A “road trip” to Davenport”
That’s where I’ll see many old friends, the Village of East Davenport (Historical Regester Stuff), relatives and everything normal.
Then, we’ll go to see a band called the “Fry Daddies” At the newly remodeled 11th St. Precinct in the village.
They are our age, playing together since high school, so good that both of them are funnier at finishing each other’s sentences.
AND, the MUSIC is GREAT!
Sleep? somewhere?
Blizzard Sunday?
It’s all good because that’s where many of the good people are.
I’ll probably stay at my friend Sonny’s Hovel
It’s upstairs, above one of the best Saloons in town..
Built in 1903, solid as a rock.
It was once a “Meat Market” in the true sense of the word.
And it’s still called that.
“The Meat Market Saloon and Deli,” after thirty years of the most interesting character on the planet, still active and owning it.
My Good Friend, “Duffy”
Active just may be a figure of speech.
Be Brave!
Don’t ask me about Dubuque and SW Wisconsin….I could be your tour guide and we’d never get back!
“Paul’s Big Game” on Locust St.
The “Shot Tower”
In Fennimore, Wisconsin, the “Eagle Creek” that used to be the “Silent Woman”
When it was the “Silent Woman” their logo was a headless woman, with a drink on a tray.
Beautiful Place, great food, twelve rooms upstairs, better than any B&B, Fountains still run through the dining area.
Bill Wundram (QC TIMES) covered it in a few stories, along with “Igor” the mouse that somehow ‘disappeared, ‘ at the cheese factory.
When all that was happening, we knew where Igor was, and Now he’s back!
There is also THe only “Blatz Beer” outdoor Street sign that I know is still in front of an Open Joint.
It adorns the entrance to the “Hilltop” in Fennimore, Wisconsin..
A block away from the Railroad Museum, a davenport built steam engine, and another watering hole, “Boxcar Wilkie’s”
And you cant forget the drive down Highway 18, on to Mineral Point, Dodgeville and the “House On THe Rock”
John
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Eagles….I 280 bridge, Credit Island area Davenport.
Early in the morning, when it’s real, real, cold.
Robert Redford was there.
Hope I didn’t miss anything…
Your list is full..
Enjoy,
John
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Yet another email response, this one from Linda Henkes of McGregor:
If you are looking for a great place to visit in Iowa, come to our
beautiful area in northern Clayton county encompassing McGregor and
Marquette.
Best place to eat: Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery in the
historic Diamond Joe Building in McGregor. Great food and they brew
their own beer. For a taste of fine wine, try Eagles Landing Winery
in Marquette. Both places offer tours on request.
Best place to stay: Grumpster’s Getaway Cabins. Not on a lake, but
in a delightful, secluded, wooded area.
Best historical sight: Effigy Mounds National Monument, 6 miles
north of Marquette. Enjoy a guided tour on trails past magnificent
Indian burial sites in the form of bears, birds, etc. The hardy
hiker can continue on to a spectacular lookout over the Mississippi
River.
Best place to view the Mississippi: Pikes Peak State Park, 2 miles
south of McGregor with a panoramic view of the confluence of the
Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. You might even catch a glimpse of
an Eagle soaring over the river valley.
Please give us a try. You won’t be sorry!
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[…] note: Thanks to all who responded to last week’s column. If you’d like to read some thoughtful advice on places to visit in Eastern Iowa, check out […]
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In December and January, eagles aplenty on Rocky Shore Drive in Iowa City, along the Iowa River. Don’t miss the Mississpii River Museum in Dubuque–really fun. Solon has Beef Days, and the ride from Iowa City to Solon reminds you of Grant Wood landscapes. Iowa City has some of the best food in Iowa, all kinds of it. It’s also home to Prairie Lights Books, which is a must-see. Try antiquing in Marion–good stuff. See prairie restoration under way at Indian Creek Nature Center. Fairfield’s Maharishi University and related neighborhoods are worth the drive. And on and on…
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[…] a couple weekend day trips, following the suggestions of readers answering my request for advice on places to enjoy in Eastern Iowa. We have visited Backbone State Park, enjoyed tacos at Obie’s in Maquoketa and sampled and bought […]
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[…] and support for my nephew Patrick, whose battle against leukemia I wrote about in February and again in March after his bone-marrow […]
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I grew up in the Quad Cities and went to school at the University of Iowa, so I can discuss those two areas. I’m surprised that nobody mentioned the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival in Davenport during the last week of July. The best ice cream to be found anywhere is Whitey’s ( I live in Ohio and have to have it whenever I return home). I’m biased, but I think Iowa City is the best place in Iowa to live, so anything you do there would be fun. Finally, Clear Lake has its annual tribute to Buddy Holly (his last concert was there). I hope this helps.
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I agree with Deena. Check out Quiet Walker Lodge in Durango, Iowa. It is very near Heritage Trail for hiking and close to Dubuque.
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[…] popular post I wrote that doesn’t fit one of the categories already discussed: My plea to Help me explore and enjoy Eastern Iowa, my 5th-most-read post of the year. I received lots of helpful answers (and I presume the […]
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The restaurants in Manchester are not to be missed, I always make sure I stop for a bite somewhere whenever I’m passing through.
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[…] enjoyed day and weekend trips to the Field of Dreams and other locations around Eastern Iowa; Chincoteague Island, Shenandoah National Park, Monticello and other locations around Washington […]
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