Any time of year is a great time to get away for a while. Whether you want to kick your feet up and relax, or you just want to see something new, you don’t have to travel far in the state of Iowa for a unique vacation from the ordinary. Bed and breakfasts abound, as well scenic spots to set up a tent, no matter the type of travel you are looking for a good place to start searching are these 14 perfect getaways in the state of Iowa.
Including state parks, bountiful boutiques and top attractions like the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque has a lot of things to do to keep your weekend getaway busy. To top of the nights and evenings of your Dubuque getaway, it’s well worth your interest to check out and into the historic Four Mounds Inn. Included on the Register of Historic Places, besides hiking trails and ropes courses, the Four Mounds Inn also includes a bed and breakfast in one of three historically renovated homes, all providing a scenic view of the Mississippi and a relaxing moment away from the stresses of everyday life.
Whether you live in Des Moines or are just traveling to the area, the Inn at Summerset Winery offers the perfect escape into an atmosphere that breathes tranquility. Located only a short drive from downtown Des Moines, the inn is adjacent to the Summerset Winery itself, providing many options on how you want to spend your evenings. During the day, you can enjoy the rustic landscape or tour the winery, maybe even sleep in to the backdrop of the country silence, whatever you do, it won’t be hard to kick your feet up at the Inn at Summerset Winery.
Just five minutes away from Adventureland Amusement Park and Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Victoria’s Vineyard Bed and Breakfast offers a nice slice of silence despite its proximity to rollercoasters and slot machines. Located just outside of Des Moines, Victoria’s Vineyard is the perfect escape from the city life, including full accommodations and plenty of space to sleep, plus 80-acres of farm and woodland to explore all season long, making Victoria’s Vineyard a perfect B&B to catch up on some R&R.
If you’re looking to treat yourself on your next getaway, Riverside Casino and Golf Resort has everything you need for a pampered vacation away from home. Besides their luxurious hotel rooms and vibrant, Vegas-inspired casino floors, Riverside also offers a first-class golfing experience that has players teeing up and overlooking the Iowa River. If that doesn’t pique your interest, Riverside Casino and Golf Resort also provides unique shopping opportunities, spa treatments and a constantly revolving venue of live shows and performances that can really top off your next getaway.
If you’re looking to make an escape from the civilized world, or at least touch back in with the natural one, there are many state parks in Iowa worth checking out, and none more so than Backbone State Park of Northeastern Iowa. Featuring access to hiking and biking trails, fishing spots and swimming holes, plus rock climbing routes and plenty of geocaches, the real highlight of a Backbone State Park getaway is one of the 16 cabins they have for rent, including heating or air conditioning and all the amenities you need to stay well fed and having a good time.
Situated on the shores of Rathbun Lake in south-central Iowa, Honey Creek Resort is a state-owned vacation facility stacked with enough activities to keep you busy for weekends to come. Besides the overnight accommodations ranging from queen hotel rooms to luxury suites, and modern cabins for up to four people, Honey Creek Resort State Park also offers a golf course, an indoor waterpark, a lakeshore grille and all sorts of fun things to do on Rathbun Lake. Whether it’s your first time or a yearly tradition, the fun doesn’t stop with each visit to Honey Creek Resort State Park.
It’s not just the aesthetic historical village that makes Pella the perfect getaway destination, though the Vermeer Mill is quite the sight to see, but it’s the entire Dutch-inspired town that warrants a visit. After you take the time to visit the Historical Village and surrounding museums, you can add to your time in Pella by eating at one of the Dutch-inspired bakeries in the downtown district, and for overnight accommodations, there is a plentiful supply of unique hotels, quaint bed and breakfasts and plenty of affordable vacation rentals that lend access to all that Pella has to offer.
If you are looking to explore Iowa’s capital city for a weekend getaway, then the lavish rooms and suites at the Des Lux Hotel in downtown is the perfect place to spend your nights. The only problem might come from not wanting to leave the world-class accommodations provided by this historic hotel including stunning architecture and design, spacious living arrangements and a touch of class around every corner.
Between the many overnight accommodation, eating establishments and things to do in Sioux City, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is just one of many must-visit itineraries for your getaway to Sioux City, thought it should be on top of your list. This 20,000-square-foot cultural complex not only sheds some light on the unique frontiersmen and women that traveled through this country, but also serves as a vibrant reminder of the community and cultures that still make up Western Iowa in present times, bringing some much-needed perspective on the life that you are temporarily getting away from.
It’s not just the spacious campsites overlooking the Upper Iowa River, or the three variously-sized cabins available to rent, and it’s not even the rentable kayaks and canoes you can push off from shore that makes the Hutchinson Family Farm Campground the perfect getaway. It’s the entire town of Decorah that really adds to your visit. With outdoor activities for every season, and local eateries to match your appetite, Decorah itself is a worthy getaway destination, and the Hutchinson Family Farm is the perfect location to facilitate it all.
To transport yourself to a slice of Iowa’s past on your next getaway, then the historic Hotel Pattee can take you there. Featuring architecture and uniquely-themed rooms that are reminiscent of Iowa’s past, the Hotel Pattee takes a modern look at olden times, featuring a historic design and all the amenities you’d expect at a world-class hotel. Centrally located in downtown Perry, the Hotel Pattee lends quick access to the different storefronts and restaurants that can add something more to your visit, and with the Raccoon River Valley Trail right at the backdoor, as well as the High Trestle Bridge only a short ride away, you’ll quickly discover what it means to get away from it all when visiting the Hotel Pattee in Perry.
The Amana Colonies of east-central Iowa are a National Historic Landmark comprised of seven villages, comprising a picture of a communal community that for much of its life lived outside of the larger world. The Amana Colonies first started in the 1850s, not as a tourist destination but a group of settlements for German Pietists. These communities flourished in the rich Iowa soil and were self-sufficient for much of their existence. It wasn’t until 1965 when the colonies became a Historic Landmark and tourism began to appear on the streets. These days, much of that simpler, farming-inspired living still radiates alongside the Amana Colonies, touching everything from the bakeries to the bed and breakfasts, ensuring that your visit to the Amana Colonies will include a moment to catch your breath amidst the fast-paced rigors of the modern world.
No other location in Iowa is quite set up for the perfect getaway like Okoboji and the coinciding Great Lakes of Iowa. Crescent Beach Family Resort is situated on the shores of West Lake Okoboji, and these sea-side accommodations lend perfect access to all the activities the lake provides. Whether you are looking to build sand castles or jet ski in the waters, there’s even more to decide between when you consider all the shopping, restaurants and golf course close by to the Crescent Beach Lodge, making the most difficult part about your getaway to West Lake Okoboji is fitting everything into your itinerary.
The Mason House Inn, located on the banks of the Des Moines River in southeastern Iowa, is unique for many reasons. Not only is the historic Inn built upon amazing a 170-year old history as a steamboat hotel, hospital and stop on the underground railroad, but each uniquely-themed rooms all share the same aspect of a lack of technology (including radio and television). Even more unique, guests can opt to stay in the Caboose Cottage at the Mason House Inn, which as the name alludes to, is a fully-furnished train caboose that sets the mood for a comfy and cozy weekend getaway.
