Top 10 Places

(Pictures and places in bold are places I have been to.)

10. Burlington

9. American Gothic

- - American Gothic House (Dibble House) in Eldon
  - American Gothic Barn in Mount Vernon
  - American Gothic (1930 painting by Grant Wood) in Chicago at the The Art Institute of Chicago

8. Pella

- - Historical Village and Vermeer Windmill
  - Scholte House Museum & Gardens
  - Klokkenspel, Opera House, and Pella Canal
  - Central Park and Pella Sundial
  - Ironside Axe Club

7. The bridges of Madison County

- - Roseman Covered Bridge
  - Hogback Covered Bridge
  - Cedar Covered Bridge
  - Holliwell Covered Bridge
  - Imes Covered Bridge

6. Iowa City

- - University of Iowa: Old Capitol Museum, Museum of Natural History, and Stanley Museum of Art
  - Englert Theatre
  - Devonian Fossil Gorge
  - Black’s Gaslight Village
  - Mormon Handcart Park

5. Barn Quilts

- - Barn Quilts of Black Hawk County
  - Barn Quilts of Clayton County
  - Barn Quilts of Grundy County (part of Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area)
  - Barn Quilts of Sac County
  - Barn Quilts of Washington County “The barn quilt capital of Iowa”

4. Dubuque

- - National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and William M. Black steamboat
  - Downtown Dubuque: Dubuque Town Clock, Dubuque Museum of Art, and The Grand Opera House
  - Mines of Spain Recreation Area: Julien Dubuque Monument, Americas State Tree Woodland Walk, and Catfish Creek Foot Trail
  - Fenelon Place Elevator Company & Kellys Bluff
  - Great River Road National Scenic Byway

- - Iowa State Fairgrounds
  - Downtown Farmers Market in front of the Polk County Courthouse
  - State Capitol
  - Terrace Hill – Historic Governor’s mansion
  - John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

2. Effigy Mounds National Monument

- - Little Bear and Great Bear Mound Group to Twin Views and Eagle Rock Loop (2.8 miles)
  - Hanging Rock Trail (includes Little Bear, Great Bear, Twin Views, and Eagle Rock) (5.5 miles)
  - Yellow River Bridge Trail (0.8 miles)
  - Marching Bear Group and Founder’s Pond Overlook (4.8 miles)
  - Founders Pond and Nezekaw Point Overlook (2.0 miles)

1. Amana Colonies

State Info

A) State Nicknames

- - The Hawkeye State
  - The Corn State
  - Land of the Rolling Prairie
  - Foundation in Education

B) State Symbols

- - Motto: “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”
  - Flower: Wild Rose (e.g., Rosa arkansana)
  - Bird: American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
  - Tree: Oak
  - Rock: Geode

C) Major Metros

D) Just for Fun

- - Riverside (Future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk!) 🙂
  - Field of Dreams
  - Roller Coaster Road in Allamakee County

E) Historic Sites

F) Iconic Foods

- - Sweet Corn on the Cob
  - Stuffed Pork Chops
  - Original Maid-Rite Sandwich
  - Steak de Burgo
  - Blue Bunny Ice Cream

G) Top State Parks

- - Pikes Peak State Park (Bridal Veil to Weeping Rock Trail: 1.7 miles)
  - Maquoketa Caves State Park (Maquoketa Caves Loop: 1.7 miles)
  - Preparation Canyon State Park (Trail: 4.4 miles)
  - Loess Hills Scenic Overlook (Trail: 1.2 miles)
  - Loess Hills State Forest (Sarah’s Trail: 3.2 mile)

H) Famous People

- - Captain James T. Kirk
  - Laura Ingalls Wilder
  - Wyatt Earp
  - Grant Wood
  - John Wayne