Iowa holidays

Welcome to America’s heartland, home to endless cornfields and amber waves of grain. This Midwestern state offers plenty of wholesome visitor experiences too. The best holidays to Iowa will surprise you, from farm visits and sophisticated art museums to one of the best state fairs in the country. Our guide to the ‘Hawkeye State’ uncovers both its old-fashioned and modern-day charms.

Top destinations in Iowa

Cedar Rapids

Whether you want to bike along the Cedar River, hunt down craft breweries or stroll around charming markets, this up-and-coming Iowan city is worth adding to your list.

Des Moines

The Midwest’s fastest-growing city, Des Moines is brimming with life, from dynamic restaurants to bustling farmers markets and blooming botanical gardens.

Sioux City

Sioux City dazzles with its stunning nature trails, unique art galleries and diverse dining scene. Lively music festivals and sporting events keep the fun going year-round.

Iowa: fast facts

Language

English

Currency

United States dollar ($)

Time zone

Des Moines - UTC−6 (CST) and UTC−5 (CDT)

High season

May – September

Low season

December – February

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Iowa holiday highlights

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Visit the farms

Exploring the state’s farms is one of the best things to do in Iowa. Stop by a public dairy to see how the region’s legendary cheese curds are made, tour a buffalo ranch and pick your own berries. Or learn about agricultural life at the Iowa State Fair, where lambs and award-winning pigs are as popular as the carnival rides and corn dogs.

Take a bike ride

More than 2,900 kilometres of biking trails crisscross the state. Don’t miss the High Trestle Trail or the Raccoon River Valley Trail, a former railway route through farmland and wildflower meadows. Serious cyclists join the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa in the summer, an eight-day event that’s one of the oldest and longest organised rides in the world.

See a roadside attraction

You’ll find quirky roadside attractions all over the state. There are a number of statues claiming to be the ‘world’s largest’, including the massive strawberry in Strawberry Point and an 8.5-metre-tall bull in Audubon. At the Iowa 80 Truck Stop (the ‘biggest on the planet’), you can pick up a kitschy souvenir, tour galleries of antique trucks and even watch a movie.

Things to do in Iowa

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Top attractions

The ‘Field of Dreams’ movie site in Dyersville enchants visitors with its baseball diamond set among cornfields. The 19th-century covered bridges of Madison County, made famous by the movie of the same name, offer pastoral views aplenty. In Dubuque, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium lets you climb aboard a steamboat or even feed a stingray.

Beaches

Iowa’s lakeside beaches offer plenty of things to do. In the northwest, the Iowa Great Lakes (collectively known as Okoboji) have some of the most popular beaches for swimming and boating, surrounded by more than 4,800 hectares of hikeable scenery. Many beaches are within easy reach of the major cities, like Saylorville Lake outside Des Moines and Coralville Lake near Iowa City.

Nature

Ledges State Park defies Iowa’s largely flat landscape with dramatic sandstone cliffs and canyons. Dunning Springs Park rewards hikers with a 60-metre-tall waterfall. The forest of Maquoketa Caves State Park has caves of all sizes to explore (bring a torch). And the vast prairies of the Kuehn Conservation Area is one of the best pockets to view native wildflowers, birds and butterflies.

Cuisine

The local cuisine will never leave you hungry. Restaurants in Iowa often feature some take on pork, whether it’s a fried tenderloin sandwich or a thick, bone-in cut known as the Iowa Chop. Craft beer made from locally grown grains is also a big deal here. And stopping at a roadside stand for Iowa’s famous sweet corn is a much-loved summer tradition.

Culture and museums

Iowa’s museums reflect a dedication to the arts. The Sioux City Art Center stands out for its exhibits of Midwestern talents. The Des Moines Art Center has an impeccably curated collection of American art in modern spaces designed by legendary architects like IM Pei and others. And the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses one of the US’ most iconic paintings — Grant Wood’s ‘American Gothic’.

Nightlife

For the best nightlife in Iowa, head to the cities. Downtown Des Moines offers everything from cocktail bars to hip-hop clubs, while Cedar Rapids is known for live music. College towns like Iowa City and Ames buzz with student-friendly bars. Across the state, microbreweries and German-style beer gardens keep the taps flowing.

Find the best time to visit Iowa

Weather in Iowa through the year

March – May: Mild and sunny days make spring one of the best times to visit Iowa. Rain can pass through this time of year, and tornado season peaks in late spring and early summer.

June – August: Iowa summers are hot and humid, even in the evenings. A phenomenon known as ‘corn sweat’, in which water evaporates off the state’s main crop, can make the humidity feel even more intense.

September – November: Crisp, dry days are perfect for sightseeing in Iowa. And the changing foliage lights up the countryside.

December – February: Iowa’s winters are snowy and cold. Temperatures generally don’t get higher than −1°C during the day, and wind can make it feel even chillier.

Events in Iowa

Tulip Time (May): The small town of Pella turns into a tulip-filled village during this three-day celebration of Dutch food, music and parades.

National Balloon Classic (July and August): All eyes turn to the sky during this festival of competitive hot-air balloon flying and kite displays. To take a balloon ride yourself, book in advance.

Iowa State Fair (August): The biggest event in Iowa, the multi-day state fair is as American as apple pie — fried and on a stick, in this case. Expect a massive selection of carnival rides, concerts and food vendors.

Anamosa Pumpkin Fest (October): In the state’s pumpkin capital, Anamosa, this one-day festival celebrates gourds through a parade, carving displays and kid-friendly activities. The giant pumpkin weigh-off is legendary.

Know before you go

Budget

Having a cheap holiday in Iowa is easy, as the state is generally more affordable than those on the coasts. In a city like Des Moines, expect an inexpensive meal to cost around 17 US dollars ($) and a short taxi ride to be around $6. Prices in rural areas are generally lower, and you’ll certainly find hotel deals in the shoulder seasons.

Health and safety

Iowa has an alert system for extreme weather, but hazards can strike suddenly. If a tornado is spotted, head to a designated shelter such as a basement or storm cellar. During snow or thunderstorms, avoid driving if possible. If you must travel, reduce your speed and use extra caution on icy or flooded roads.

Free things to do

Admission is always free at the Des Moines Art Center, where you’ll find a remarkable collection of contemporary works. Outside, its sculpture park features more than two dozen large-scale pieces. Nature is also on display for free at Maquoketa Caves State Park and along the trails and river overlooks of Pikes Peak State Park.

Family friendly

Come autumn, get lost in one of Iowa’s famous corn mazes. The state is also full of museums geared towards kids and adults alike, including the arts and science–focused Family Museum in Bettendorf and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs. And the whole family is welcome at stargazing and solar parties hosted by the Science Center of Des Moines.

Getting around Iowa

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Public transport

Buses: Many cities in Iowa have their own bus systems, including DART in Des Moines and Iowa City Transit in Iowa City. Burlington Trailways links various parts of the state, and Greyhound is the leading provider of interstate rides.

Trains: Amtrak runs the state’s passenger trains, with lines connecting Iowa to cities from Chicago to Los Angeles. The state’s sole tourist train line, the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, winds through some 24 scenic kilometres of the Des Moines River valley.

Boats: There’s just one ferry that operates in the state. Popular among tourists, the Cassville Car Ferry provides a scenic ride across the Mississippi River between the small towns of Cassville, Wisconsin, and Millville, Iowa.

Domestic flights

Des Moines International Airport is the largest airport in the state. It’s modestly sized and easy to navigate by most standards. Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Sioux City and Waterloo all have smaller regional airports as well.

Find domestic flights

Driving and car hire

A network of well-maintained highways and flat terrain makes driving in Iowa a breeze. Two of the main routes are the I-29, which runs north–south, and the I-80, which runs through the centre of the state. Even around the major cities, traffic is rarely a problem.

Check car hire

FAQs about Iowa holidays

For an urban experience with lots of day trip options, base yourself in Des Moines, Iowa City or Cedar Rapids. If you want to steep yourself in small-town life, head to Decorah or Mount Vernon. On the Mississippi River, the historic town of Dubuque offers quick access to nature.
You can get a good feel for a small section of the state in two or three days. But for the full Iowa experience, with farm visits, afternoons by the lakes and trips to the museums, carve out a full week.
The best time to visit Iowa is from spring to early summer, as the weather is mild and the flowers are blooming. Autumn is also great for its low humidity and changing foliage. Mid to late summer can be very hot, though it is worth a visit for the Iowa State Fair in August. Winter weather is frigid, with frequent snowfall and a chance of blizzards.
Iowa is safe, with lower crime rates than many other American states. But it’s always a good idea to keep your belongings close and lock your doors, especially in the cities. Avoid driving on icy roads during frigid days, and heed tornado warnings, which are more common in early summer.
English is the official language in Iowa. You may notice a few Midwesternisms during your travels. Instead of ‘soda’, carbonated beverages are called ‘pop’. A ‘creek’ is often pronounced ‘crick’. And if an Iowan accidentally bumps into you, they may declare ‘ope!’ by way of apology.
Iowa uses the US dollar ($). Most businesses accept credit cards, but it’s a good idea to withdraw some cash at the airport or one of the state’s many ATMs for small purchases. It’s customary to tip 20% on meals, plus a few dollars for services like hotel cleaning and valet.

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