7 Iowa Cities Make the List of the 100 Best Midwest Small Town Getaways

You don't have to travel very far for a fun weekend getaway! This spring, Midwest Living put out a list of the '100 Best Midwest Small Town Getaways,' and SEVEN Iowa small towns got a shout out! Here are the places you may want to plan a trip to this summer:

Amana Colonies

Consisting of seven small villages in Iowa County, the Amana Colonies date all the way back to the 1850s. According to Wikipedia, "the villages were built and settled by German Radical Pietists, who were persecuted in their homeland by the German state government and the Lutheran Church." Today, the Amana Colonies are a popular place to visit for various annual festivals, wineries, unique shops, antiquing, traditional German food, and more.

• Amana Highlights
  • Ackerman Winery - Iowa's oldest winery
  • Amana Colonies Bakery & Cafe
  • Amana Colonies Golf Club
  • Amana General Store/International Christmas Room
  • Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse
  • Amana RV Park & Event Center
  • Amana Woolen Mill - Iowa’s only remaining textile mill
  • Die Heimat Country Inn - B&B built in 1856
  • Hotel Millwright
  • The Kolonieweg - 3.1-mile nature trail connecting Amana and Middle Amana
  • Maifest (May)
  • Millstream Brewing Co.
  • Oktoberfest (September/October)
  • Ox Yoke Inn - Restaurant open since 1940 that's known for family-style meals
  • Renaissance Festival (May/June & October)
  • Ronneburg Restaurant - Opened in 1950
  • Tannenbaum Forest (November/December)
  • White Cross Cellars
  • Winterfest (January)

Decorah

Part of Northeast Iowa's Driftless Region, Decorah is a small town known for its beautiful, natural scenery. The Visit Decorah website says that the area is "part of the country the glaciers missed, leaving hills, rivers and limestone bluffs that draw outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds." In addition to outdoor recreation, the town is also home to events & festivals, restaurants, breweries, and more.

• Decorah Highlights
  • Decorah Farmers Market (Wednesday afternoons & Saturday mornings from May through October)
  • Decorah Fish Hatchery - Raises around 130,000 rainbow trout each year, open for tours daily from sunrise to sunset
  • Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve - Nature preserve with one of the largest ice caves in the Midwest
  • Dunning's Spring Park - Local park with paved trails and a 200-foot waterfall
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum - Childhood home of author Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • Luna Valley Farm - Local farm that hosts seasonal Pizza Nights
  • Mabe's Pizza - Popular restaurant open since 1953
  • Malanaphy Springs State Preserve - 64-acre area located along the Upper Iowa River with forests and a waterfall
  • Nordic Fest (July)
  • Pulpit Rock Brewing Co.
  • Rubaiyat Restaurant
  • Sugar Bowl - 1950s-style ice cream parlor
  • Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.
  • Trout Run Trail - Picturesque 11-mile trail that loops around Decorah
  • Twin Springs Supper Club
  • Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
  • Winneshiek Wildberry Winery

Dyersville

When Iowans hear Dyersville, they think of one thing: the Field of Dreams. You can visit the iconic movie site and take a tour of the farm house during your visit, but don't forget about some of the other notable businesses and museums, like the National Farm Toy Museum and Textile Brewing Co.

• Dyersville Highlights
  • 7 Hills Brewing Company West
  • Basilica of St. Francis Xavier - One of only two basilicas in the entire state
  • Chad’s Pizza & Restaurant
  • Dyer-Botsford Historical House and Doll Museum - A historic Victorian mansion with over 2,000 dolls, antique furniture, vintage wedding dresses, and more
  • Dyersville Annual 3rd of July Celebration & Fireworks
  • Dyersville Downtown Markets (last Saturday in May, June, July, and August)
  • Dyersville Golf & Country Club
  • Field of Dreams Movie Site
  • Millwork Creamery
  • National Farm Toy Museum
  • O So Good Winery
  • Plaza Antique Mall - Eastern Iowa's largest antique, collectible, and farm toy shop
  • Rolling Knolls Golf Course
  • National Farm Toy Show/Summer Farm Toy Show (November & June)
  • Textile Brewing Co.

Mount Vernon

Just a short drive from Cedar Rapids, Mount Vernon is best known as the home of Cornell College and Palisades-Kepler State Park. They have a cute downtown area with shops and restaurants, and also host a number of annual festivals, including Mount Vernon Heritage Days and Chalk the Walk.

• Mount Vernon Highlights
  • Abbe Creek School Museum - One of Iowa’s oldest still-standing, one-room brick school buildings that's open for tours June through August
  • Anderson Geology Museum (at Cornell College)
  • Bass Family Farms - Open spring through fall for farm activities, festivals, and events, also has an on-site farm store and ice cream
  • Big's BBQ and Brew Pub
  • Chalk the Walk Festival (May)
  • The Bijou - A small, 70-seat movie theatre
  • Fuel Art and Espresso - A coffee shop that also sells art and antiques
  • Heritage Days Festival (July)
  • Hilltop Plants & Records - A locally-owned plant and record store
  • Kernoustie Golf Club
  • Kroul Farms - Open mid-April through mid-December for farm activities and shopping, but mainly popular in the fall
  • Lincoln Highway Nitty Gritty - An annual antique/vintage vendor event held each July
  • Lincoln Wine Bar - Highly-rated restaurant known for its wood-fired pizzas
  • The Local/Glyn Mawr Winery - A modern day general store that serves wine and has a spacious outdoor patio
  • Mount Vernon Nature Park - Home of hiking trails, a disc-golf course, and a dog park
  • Palisades-Kepler State Park - A beautiful 840-acre park overlooking the Cedar River
  • White Tree Bakery

Okoboji/Spirit Lake

While Okoboji and Spirit Lake are technically cities, I think this pick would be considered more of a region. The cities of Dickinson County surround an area referred to as the "Iowa Great Lakes," which consists of eight different lakes, but the main three are Big Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake. As you can imagine, the area draws in TONS of Iowans during the summers months, thanks to all sorts of outdoorsy activities, like boating, swimming, concerts, and an amusement park!

• Okoboji Highlights
  • Arnolds Park Amusement Park
  • Arnolds Park Preservation Plaza - An outdoor venue with a summer concert series
  • The Barefoot Bar (Parks Marina)
  • Bracco World Cafe & Island Bar
  • Bridges Bay Resort/Boji Splash Waterpark
  • Brooks Golf
  • Dickinson County Nature Center - A free nature center with live animals, an indoor beehive, interactive exhibits, a nature playscape, and more
  • Emerald Hills Golf Club
  • Gull Point State Park & Beach
  • Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum
  • Maxwell’s Beach Cafe
  • The Nutty Bar Stand
  • Okoboji Blue Water Festival (August)
  • Okoboji Brewing Company
  • Okoboji Classic Cars (museum)
  • Okoboji View Golf Course
  • Pikes Point State Park
  • Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf
  • The Queen II - An historic excursion boat on West Lake Okoboji
  • Superior 71 Drive In Theater
  • Terrace Park Beach
  • The Throwing Post (axe throwing bar)
  • Treasure Village Mini Golf
  • University of Okoboji Oktoberfest (September)
  • University of Okoboji Winter Games (January)

Pella

Also known as 'America’s Dutch Treasure,' Pella was founded in 1847 and was once home to over 800 immigrants from the Netherlands. The beautiful town features all sorts of unique and historical experiences, shops, food, museums, and events/festivals, including their annual Tulip Time Festival in May.

• Pella Highlights
  • The Cellar Peanut Pub - Features 50 craft beers on tap
  • Cordova Park - Home to the tallest observation tower in a Midwest public park
  • de Kelder Speakeasy
  • Frisian Farms Cheese House
  • In't Veld's Meat Market - Deli known for its bologna and award-winning beef jerky
  • Jaarsma Bakery - Serves traditional Dutch pastries
  • Kerstmarkt Dutch Christmas Market (December)
  • Klokkenspel - Mechanical figures that perform to music daily at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 9 p.m.
  • Lake Red Rock - Iowa’s largest lake, popular for boating, hiking, camping, and fishing
  • Molengracht Plaza - Replicates an authentic Dutch canal
  • Pella Golf & Country Club
  • Pella Historical Museums/Vermeer Windmill - Features a log cabin, general store, Dutch costumes, the Wyatt Earp Experience, and one of the tallest working windmills in North America
  • Pella Opera House - Historic theatre built in 1900 that's open for free, self-guided tours
  • Scholte House Museum & Gardens - Home built in 1847 that's open for free tours, also features Maria's Tea Room
  • Tassel Ridge Winery
  • Tulip Time Festival (May)
  • Thunder Creek Winery
  • Van Veen Chocolates

Winterset

When people hear 'Madison County,' many of them think of the iconic novel and movie The Bridges of Madison County. Several of those bridges are located in the small town of Winterset! While you're there, you can also check out a number of boutiques & shops, wineries & cideries, restaurants, and historic sites, like the birthplace of John Wayne.

• Winterset Highlights
  • Big Rack Brew Haus
  • Cedar Lake - Popular for hiking, fishing, and paddling
  • City Park/Clark Tower - A 76-acre park that's on the National Register of Historic Places, features include a hedge maze, a campground, a nature area, Bennett Cabin, and the 25-foot high limestone monument Clark Tower
  • Covered Bridges Winery
  • The Iowa Quilt Museum
  • The Iowa Theater - A non-profit movie theater and performance space with Throwback Thursday movies
  • John Wayne Birthplace & Museum
  • Lakeview Country Club
  • Madison County Conservation Center - Features family-friendly, interactive natural resource exhibits
  • Madison County Covered Bridge Festival (October)
  • Madison County Fair (July)
  • Madison County Farmers Market (Saturday mornings May through October)
  • Petite Cafe
  • Rusty Stars Alpacas - A 20-acre farm where visitors can feed/pet more than 30 alpacas, also hosts events like hikes and yoga
  • The Speakeasy
  • Urban on the Square (Restaurant)
  • Winterset Cidery
  • Winterset Festival of Lights (November)