Best of Iowa

The Best of Iowa from Adel and Albia to Winterset and Winterset. There are many things to see in Iowa, but Des Moines Botanical Garden, an attraction in Des Moines, has the highest ranking. Iowa's next best include Historic General Dodge House a museum in Council Bluffs, Adventureland an attraction in Des Moines, Iowa State Fairgrounds an attraction in Des Moines, Lost Island Theme Park an attraction in Waterloo and Des Moines Art Center an attraction in Des Moines.To find the best things to do in Iowa’s cities, see the Iowa city list below including Des Moines, Dubuque, Ames, Ankeny and Bettendorf.


Best Things To Do in Iowa


Amusement Parks Museums
Attractions Nightlife
Bars Parks
Bed and Breakfast Inns Resorts
Camping Restaurants
Hotels Shopping
Microbreweries Zoos

Top 10 Iowa

  1. Des Moines Botanical Garden • Attraction
    909 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines, Iowa 50316      • 515-323-6290

  2. Historic General Dodge House • Museum
    605 Third St., Council Bluffs, IA 51503-6614      • 1-(712)-322-2406

  3. Adventureland • Attraction
    Des Moines, IA      • 800-532-1286

  4. Iowa State Fairgrounds • Attraction
    3000 E. Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317-2465      • 515-262-3111-/-+1-800-545-FAI

  5. Lost Island Theme Park • Attraction
    2225 East Shaulis Road, Waterloo, IA 50701      • 319-233-8414

  6. Des Moines Art Center • Attraction
    4700 GRAND AVE. DES MOINES, IA 50312-2099      • 515-277-4405

  7. Sundown Mountain • Attraction
    Dubuque, IA,      • 563-556-6676

  8. Baby Boomers • Attraction
    313 E Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309      • 515-244-9107

  9. Family Museum of Arts and Science • Attraction
    2900 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf, Iowa 52722      • 319-344-4106

  10. Surf Ballroom • Attraction
    460 North Shore Drive, Clear Lake, IA 50428-1373      • 641-357-6151

Iowa Honorable Mentions

  • National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium • Attraction
    350 East 3rd Street, Port Of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa 52001      • 800-226-3369

  • Gortz Haus Gallery Floral • Attraction
    408 1ST St, Grimes, IA 50111-2170      • 515-986-3340

  • Octagon Center for the Arts • Attraction
    427 Douglas Ave., Ames, IA 50010-6213      • 515-232-5331

  • Blank Park Zoo • Attraction
    7401 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50315      • 515-285-4722

  • Noodle Zoo • Attraction
    6750 Westown Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266-7715      • 515-440-0411

Best Cities in Iowa


Adel (2) Fayette (1) Norwalk (2)
Albia (2) Forest City (2) Oelwein (1)
Algona (1) Fort Dodge (3) Oelwein (2)
Algona (2) Fort Madison (3) Ogden (2)
Altoona (3) Garner (2) Okoboji (1)
Ames (4) Glenwood (2) Okoboji (2)
Anamosa (2) Grimes (3) Onawa (2)
Ankeny (4) Grinnell (3) Orange City (1)
Arnolds Park (1) Griswold (2) Orange City (2)
Arnolds Park (2) Grundy Center (1) Osage (1)
Atlantic (3) Guthrie Center (2) Osage (2)
Avoca (2) Guttenberg (2) Osceola (3)
Bedford (2) Hampton (1) Oskaloosa (1)
Bellevue (1) Hampton (2) Oskaloosa (2)
Bellevue (2) Harlan (1) Ottumwa (3)
Belmond (2) Harlan (2) Panora (2)
Bettendorf (4) Hawarden (2) Pella (3)
Bloomfield (2) Hiawatha (2) Perry (1)
Bonaparte (2) Holstein (2) Perry (2)
Boone (1) Humboldt (1) Pleasant Hill (2)
Boone (2) Humboldt (2) Polk City (2)
Burlington (3) Ida Grove (2) Postville (2)
Carlisle (2) Independence (1) Red Oak (2)
Carroll (2) Independence (2) Reinbeck (2)
Carter Lake (1) Indianola (2) Remsen (2)
Cascade (2) Iowa City (3) Sac City (1)
Cedar Falls (3) Iowa Falls (2) Sac City (2)
Cedar Rapids (3) Jefferson (2) Sergeant Bluff (2)
Center Point (2) Johnston (2) Sheldon (3)
Centerville (1) Kalona (1) Shenandoah (2)
Centerville (2) Kalona (2) Sibley (1)
Chariton (2) Keokuk (3) Sibley (2)
Charles City (2) Keosauqua (2) Sioux Center (1)
Cherokee (1) Knoxville (2) Sioux Center (2)
Cherokee (2) La Porte City (2) Sioux City (3)
Clarinda (2) Lake City (2) Solon (2)
Clarion (2) Lake Mills (2) Spencer (3)
Clear Lake (4) Lake View (2) Spirit Lake (1)
Clinton (3) Lamoni (1) Spirit Lake (2)
Clive (3) Lamoni (2) Storm Lake (3)
Colfax (1) Lansing (1) Story City (1)
Columbus Junction (2) Le Claire (1) Story City (2)
Coralville (3) Le Claire (2) Stuart (1)
Corning (2) Le Mars (1) Stuart (2)
Council Bluffs (4) Le Mars (2) Sutherland (2)
Cresco (1) Logan (2) Tipton (2)
Cresco (2) Manchester (1) Traer (2)
Creston (1) Manchester (2) Urbandale (2)
Creston (2) Maquoketa (1) Ventura (2)
Davenport (4) Maquoketa (2) Vinton (1)
De Witt (1) Marion (1) Vinton (2)
De Witt (2) Marion (2) Walcott (3)
Decorah (3) Marshalltown (1) Walnut (3)
Denison (2) Marshalltown (2) Waterloo (4)
Des Moines (8) Mason City (1) Waukee (2)
Dubuque (5) Mason City (2) Waukon (1)
Durant (2) Milford (1) Waukon (2)
Dyersville (1) Milford (2) Waverly (1)
Dyersville (2) Missouri Valley (3) Waverly (2)
Dysart (2) Montezuma (2) Webster City (1)
Eagle Grove (2) Monticello (2) Webster City (2)
Eldora (2) Mount Pleasant (1) West Branch (2)
Eldridge (1) Mount Pleasant (2) West Burlington (2)
Eldridge (2) Mount Vernon (2) West Des Moines (4)
Elk Horn (1) Muscatine (3) West Liberty (2)
Elkader (2) Nevada (2) West Union (2)
Emmetsburg (1) New Hampton (2) Williamsburg (3)
Emmetsburg (2) New London (2) Wilton (2)
Estherville (1) Newton (3) Windsor Heights (4)
Estherville (2) Northwood (1) Winterset (1)
Evansdale (2) Northwood (2) Winterset (2)