A Day Trip To Iowa's Historic Colonies Will Take You Back In Time
dpaulson
Author
The Amana Colonies, one of the best day trips near me in Iowa, is a unique and quaint Midwest destination that will definitely charm you with shops, restaurants, wineries, and a wide array of fun activities. It’s a great place to escape the stresses of the daily grind and ease you into an escape of a simpler time in one of Iowa’s historic colonies. This magical place is comprised of seven villages in Iowa County including Amana, East Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana, South Amana, West Amana, and Homestead. They were built and settled by German Pietists seeking isolated surroundings and a communal, uncomplicated life away from modern society. Amana Colonies will captivate your imagination igniting wonder about what life might have been like way back then. Below you’ll find all the information you’ll need for planning your trip — including unique things to do and the best time to visit the Amana Colonies.
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In addition to self-guided tours of Amana Colonies, another choice for visitors is the two-hour guided Village Voyage Van Tour of key historic sites in Iowa’s historic colonies. Make a reservation and secure a comfortable seat on the 14-passenger van for education about the colonies’ unique heritage and journey from Germany to Iowa. Learn about the communal life before 1932. Have you been to the Amanas? What was your experience like? Looking for other awesome day trips in Iowa? Try one of these absolute must-do Iowa excursions and write about it in the comments below.
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Day Trips Near Me In Iowa
Where is another one of Iowa's historic colonies?
The Kalona Historical Village is another one of Iowa's historic colonies, offering an exploration of the first people in the Kalona, Iowa area through artifacts, writings, and pictures.
Learn about the arrival of the first settlers and the establishment of Frytown, Joetown, Richmond, Sharon Center, and Middleburg; Iowa becoming a state; the Civil War; the motivational story of William Louden; and the railroad wall, which is a map of the railroad line mural timeline, complete with a push-button train whistle. In addition, check out when the next Fall Festival takes place, usually sometime in September.
Where is another one of the best day trips near me in Iowa?
One of the best day trips to take in Iowa is Arnolds Park.
Arnolds Park, in Arnolds Park Iowa, is home to a variety of extreme water sports on Lake Okoboji. Parasail, paddleboard, canoe, pedal boat, kayak, and then some — the choice is yours for whatever adventure suits you. You will definitely get your exercise for a day of fun for kids of all ages and adventure levels. Several great accessories are rented along with the boats, such as tubes, wakeboards, water skis, and the new addition of Chill Rafts. Go to Arnolds Park and cool off for the day.
What is another unique thing to do outside in Iowa?
The John and Mary 4.4-acre Pappajohn Sculpture Park showcases artwork from more than two dozen of the most celebrated artists in the world. Located in downtown Des Moines, The Pappajohns’ contribution of more than two dozen works for the park is the most significant donation of artwork ever made to the Des Moines Art Center. The exhibitions change, with some permant collections you can always count on including paintings, sculptures, and drawings by some world-class artists. This amazing space is open during city park hours — sunrise to midnight, with plenty of metered street parking surrounding the park.