10 Things To Do In Iowa When You Just Have To Get Out Of Town

Living History Farms is an educational and interactive outdoor museum that's covers over 500 acres. There's more than enough to entertain and delight visitors of all ages.

The Surf Ballroom was designed to resemble an ocean beach club. With murals that look like pounding surf and swaying palm trees, this giant building has a capacity of 2,100 and is a total of 30,000 square feet of entertainment area, including a 6,300 square foot dance floor. See an amazing performance right here in this historical building.

The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs: 2016 World Champions. Principal Park is a great place to experience minor league baseball. It's situated at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers and offers incredible views of downtown Des Moines and the Iowa State Capital.

Tour the rescued Hausbarn from the 1600's, see the historic and perfectly preserved German homestead farm, and experience the Manning Heritage Park in all its glory. The town of Manning is a tribute to German traditions and a beautiful place to spend the day.

There are six giant aquariums here and you can get close to alligators, giant catfish, sturgeon, and many Mississippi River creatures. There are three main galleries, a 4D theater, River's Edge Cafe, and a massive gift shop.

Travel in a real steam-powered train from Boone to the ancient coal mining town of Fraser in 1920's era coach cars. Choose an open-air car or a climate controlled one.

This riverfront park has something for every skill level. Tube, canoe, or kayak the day away. Rentals are available from area businesses. This park is open 24/7.

Various community events, like the BBQ Roundup, performances by the Five Seasons Ski Team, and the Freedom Festival Parade are part of this giant celebration in Eastern Iowa. It all leads up to one of the biggest fireworks shows in the state on July 4. You can find a great fireworks show near you, here.