greenwald
New member
I've previously posted about my worthwhile visits to the "Field of Dreams" in Dyersville, as well as the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, but here's a few other unique locations within the great state of Iowa that you could make day trips to or catch in and out of the Des Moines MOA Rally:
Winterset (40 mi. SW of Des Moines) - birthplace of John Wayne.
Madison County (SW of Des Monies) - 6 covered bridges featured in "The Bridges of Madison County."
Dubuque - Eagles Point, where eagles congregate, and you overlook barges and locks on the mighty Mississippi River.
Ledges State Park / Dolliver Memorial State Park (NW of Des Moines) - canyons and the river town of Lehigh.
Boone (NW of Des Moines) - birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower, and the Boone & Valley Scenic Railroad, where you can have dinner on a train ride.
Pella (45 mi. SE of Des Moines) - Dutch bakeries, town square and a working 1850's windmill within an historical village.
Le Mars - "Ice Cream Capital of America" and home to Blue Bunny ice cream (tours).
Mason City - 40,000 sq ft. replica of the town square, where some of "The Music Man" was filmed.
Amana Colonies (100 mi. E of Des Moines, just N of I-80) - Handmade furniture, art stores, antiques and quaint restaurants, within 7 small German 'villages.'
*My thanks to Terry Goepferich, a fellow GWRRA member and resident of Des Moines, who provided portions of this information!
Winterset (40 mi. SW of Des Moines) - birthplace of John Wayne.
Madison County (SW of Des Monies) - 6 covered bridges featured in "The Bridges of Madison County."
Dubuque - Eagles Point, where eagles congregate, and you overlook barges and locks on the mighty Mississippi River.
Ledges State Park / Dolliver Memorial State Park (NW of Des Moines) - canyons and the river town of Lehigh.
Boone (NW of Des Moines) - birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower, and the Boone & Valley Scenic Railroad, where you can have dinner on a train ride.
Pella (45 mi. SE of Des Moines) - Dutch bakeries, town square and a working 1850's windmill within an historical village.
Le Mars - "Ice Cream Capital of America" and home to Blue Bunny ice cream (tours).
Mason City - 40,000 sq ft. replica of the town square, where some of "The Music Man" was filmed.
Amana Colonies (100 mi. E of Des Moines, just N of I-80) - Handmade furniture, art stores, antiques and quaint restaurants, within 7 small German 'villages.'
*My thanks to Terry Goepferich, a fellow GWRRA member and resident of Des Moines, who provided portions of this information!