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Looking for Iowa Vacation Ideas

ClonesFTW said:
Honey Creek Resort near Lake Rathbun. The cabins down there provide an off the grid feel while being within walking distance of the lake to rent boat/jet skis and the golf course.
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This is what I was going to say. The place is awesome for the price. It’s nice knowing basically all amenities are included like the kayaks, paddle boards, etc. They even gave us the stuff for s’mores when we asked them to light the fire pit out back. We had a blast with the kids. The only things that aren’t free are the rentals with motors.
 
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CyCoug said:
Not to be confused with Okeechobee. I always mix those two up. They are a little different.
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nb06 said:
Do a vacation with two other couples every summer. Wed-Sun. Usually rent a VRBO/AirBnb. Pretty laid back, like to center around a lake or a cool area that has lots to do.

We were in Galena (I know, not Iowa) this year, have done Clear Lake, Lake Cornelia, Harpers Ferry, in the past.

It’s our turn to book for 2024. Looking for some suggestions if anyone has any. Usually shoot for within 3 to 4 hrs of DM.
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Decorah/Marquette/McGregor.
 
exCYtable said:
This is the truth. Iowa is an amazing place to live and raise a family but holy crap is it boring to vacation in.
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Depending on what you're wanting from a vacation and conversely would depend on what someone would want their kids/family to experience.

When I visit the farm I grew up on, it's far more relaxing than many other vacations I've taken part in. Super easy 3ish hour drive due to general lack of traffic, and lots of space to do things I enjoy like fishing.

I can get the same things out of it as a more intensive trip, with way less hassle.
 
Some old places — Jamaica, Madrid, Lisbon, Luxemburg. Some new places — New London, New Vienna, New Virginia, New Providence. Lots of exotic and historic places to vacation in Iowa.
 
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Lake Rathbun
Places to stay:
Honey Creek Resort - on the lake, restaurant, indoor waterpark for the kids, golf course
Foxtail Cabins - not on the lake, but they have a fishing pond
If you look on AirBNB, there are cabins east of the lake across from the marina. Not sure what the name of the place is, but here's a link to one of the cabins: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/923914231879219831 They have a 6 acre lake with a swimming beach, kayaks, etc.
Things to do:
Centerville - downtown area has some shops
Davis County (Bloomfield area) - Amish (Davis County has the largest Amish population west of the Mississippi). If you've been to the Amana colonies - don't expect it to be like that. More info and directory: https://www.visitdaviscounty.com/amish-community
American Gothic Museum (1 hr 15 min drive from Rathbun) - most people don't realize the American Gothic house is in Eldon, Iowa. The house is privately owned. The museum is located across the street. There's an area you can stand for pictures and the museum also has clothing you can put on so it looks more like the painting.


Hannibal, MO
Not located in Iowa, but less than a 4 hour drive from Des Moines.
Mark Twain Lake is located SW of Hannibal - about 45 minute drive. Hannibal is the home town of Mark Twain and Molly Brown (Titanic survivor). There are a lot of sites related to the Tom Sawyer books - the fence they paint, the cave Tom & Becky are in. Other things - a light house, riverboat cruises, etc.
 
If you're OK with barely leaving the State, Lanesboro MN area is awesome.
 
JP4CY said:
If you're OK with barely leaving the State, Lanesboro MN area is awesome.
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Lanesboro is so close to Decorah you can easily make it the same trip. They have a lot in common and some similar overlap, but you could do an actual 4-6 day vacation in the Driftless Area (and catch all 3 states if you wanted) and never run out of stuff to do.

I live 30 minutes from Lanesboro and keep it in my regular loop. The only downside is it really shuts down in the winter, and this results in high turnover amongst the businesses. But as a local, I love going up in winter and skiing on the Root River Trail and then having the bars or restaurants that are open to yourself.
 
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Lanesboro near Decorah seems like a hidden gem in the Driftless Area. I can totally see how you could stretch a 4-6 day vacation and explore the beauty of the region. The fact that you can cover three states in one trip is just icing on the cake!

I really appreciate your local perspective, especially the winter skiing tip. It's always great to have insider insights. And for those looking for more vacation ideas, you might want to check out costaricafocus.com for some additional travel inspiration.
 
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