What to do near Marquette, IA??
- Thread starter nb06
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Pikes Peak State Park.
Fly fishing at Yellow River State Forest.
Fly fishing at Yellow River State Forest.
River boat casino is fun. A few years ago I put $20 into a video craps machine, never having played craps in my life. I have no idea what I was clicking on but five mins later I had $250. I’ve since learned how to actually play craps and have yet to win money after learning
Might be a little early, but Gays Mills, WI has some solid apples/orchards from my experience duck hunting on the Mississippi in November.
Effigy Mounds National Monument is just north of Marquette a few miles. Great trails overlooking the river. Restaurants in Prairie du Chien just across the river - Mulligans, Eddies Irish Pub, Blackhawk.
What do you like to fish for? Bluegill are going pretty good in the backwaters right now. Talked to a guy from Harpers that went out both days last weekend and had his limit within half an hour on some lay downs. Guys are catching largemouth pretty good, most of the ones I talked to were having good luck frogging the vegetation. Smallmouth are normally pretty good on rock banks and wing dams this time of year. Hard to beat a white popper or walking bait for smallies right about now.
If you're looking for food spots, the Black Angus in Prairie is pretty good, although a little pricier. Eddie's Irish Pub has good food and a nice laid back bar atmosphere. Don't forget to stop by the Pete's Burger stand in downtown Prairie. They can get quite the line at times during the summer though.
If you're looking for food spots, the Black Angus in Prairie is pretty good, although a little pricier. Eddie's Irish Pub has good food and a nice laid back bar atmosphere. Don't forget to stop by the Pete's Burger stand in downtown Prairie. They can get quite the line at times during the summer though.
-Hike at Yellow River Forest. That's a quick drive. Bluff Trail starts right by the main crossing of Paint Creek and is a steep, brutal climb but it takes you to a hell of an overlook. If you go to YRF, keep going to Waukon after your hike to get fresh curds from WW Homestead.
-Effigy Mounds is also a great hiking spot, and you get some cool area history.
-Pikes Peak State Park has iconic views of the river from the Iowa side and some cool waterfalls, and Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side offers the same as well.
-McGregor and Prairie Du Chien are fun towns to bar hop in. In McGregor I'd hit Old Man River, Jade's, and the Pocket City Pub (It's sort of a KSU bar, so you were warned on that front). In PDC I like the Sawmill and Jim's for Bloody Marys, and the Black Hawk and Muddy Waters tend to have good live music on the weekend.
-There are fun road trip options along the river. On the Iowa side you can head down to Bill's in Clayton for a really good lunch/drinks spot or continue on to Guttenberg, which is a pretty town. There's a neat watefall on the north side of town I'd recommend checking out. On the Wisconsin side, I like to go north of Prairie and stop for drinks in Ferryville or supper at the Spring Lake Inn.
-Effigy Mounds is also a great hiking spot, and you get some cool area history.
-Pikes Peak State Park has iconic views of the river from the Iowa side and some cool waterfalls, and Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side offers the same as well.
-McGregor and Prairie Du Chien are fun towns to bar hop in. In McGregor I'd hit Old Man River, Jade's, and the Pocket City Pub (It's sort of a KSU bar, so you were warned on that front). In PDC I like the Sawmill and Jim's for Bloody Marys, and the Black Hawk and Muddy Waters tend to have good live music on the weekend.
-There are fun road trip options along the river. On the Iowa side you can head down to Bill's in Clayton for a really good lunch/drinks spot or continue on to Guttenberg, which is a pretty town. There's a neat watefall on the north side of town I'd recommend checking out. On the Wisconsin side, I like to go north of Prairie and stop for drinks in Ferryville or supper at the Spring Lake Inn.
Also, if you go to Prairie, you have to hit Stark's. It's non-negotiable.
Bop down to Elkader for lunch at Schera's Algerian American Restaurant, 25-minute drive from Marquette.
Elkader was named for an Algerian hero who made headlines resisting French colonialism at the time the town was founded. There is (or used to be) a display in his honor at the restaurant.
I see their menu now features a camelburger. I definitely would go have one if it was a shorter drive from my place.
There used to be a great antique joint across the street, and don't miss the Keystone Bridge made out of quarried limestone in 1889, the longest bridge of its type west of the Mississippi, also right there in town.
Elkader was named for an Algerian hero who made headlines resisting French colonialism at the time the town was founded. There is (or used to be) a display in his honor at the restaurant.
I see their menu now features a camelburger. I definitely would go have one if it was a shorter drive from my place.
There used to be a great antique joint across the street, and don't miss the Keystone Bridge made out of quarried limestone in 1889, the longest bridge of its type west of the Mississippi, also right there in town.
Stark's is classic Wisconsin. When you walk in the front door the are 3 shelves of hard liquor and a row of deer rifles above them. They carry guns, lots of cheap alcohol, fishing tackle, cheese curds, and beef jerky. I've always told my family if there's a zombie apocalypse to meet me at Starks. Oh yeah, you can also buy a boat there.
Usually get those in East Dubuque on way to Starks since recreational is still illegal in WI.
Do they still sell motorcycles? My first motorcycle, a Honda 50, was bought there over 50 years ago.
I haven't been to Effigy Mounds in decades, but I would second that recommendation too. Nice easy hike with some pre-colonization history thrown in there.
