Hotels near the Mississippi River in Dubuque Iowa
Here are some of the best accommodations in Dubuque, Iowa:

Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark
This hotel is located at 350 Bell Street Dubuque, IA 52001. It is a 3-star accommodation that starts at $136 per night. Each room at this hotel has a 27 inch TV, wireless Internet, mini refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave as well as a hair dryer, 2-line speaker phone with voice mail and data port. They also have irons with ironing boards, game consoles, pay-per-view movies, room service and a fitness center. Their accommodations include a King room, Double room, Junior King Suite, Junior Double Suite, Turret Suite, Harbor View Site, Captains Fireplace Suite, Single and Double rooms.

Holiday Inn Dubuque
This pet-friendly hotel is located at 450 Main Street Dubuque, IA 52001. Nightly rates start at $114. It is a 3-star accommodation with a total of 193 rooms in its 5 floors. They renovated last 2004.

Amenities and facilities include a business center, free parking, fitness center with new equipments like treadmills, stationary bikes, stair steppers, benches, dumbells and a scale. The hotel also feature room service, a swimming pool, spa with whirlpool, daily and weekly housekeeping as well as dry cleaning services, an indoor pool, news stand and game rooms. For business travelers, the hotel has a business center equipped with PCs, fax machines, printers, secretarial services and wireless Internet access.

Canfield Hotel
This hotel is located at 36 West 4th Street Dubuque, IA 52001. It is a budget-friendly hotel that offers guests with amenities like complimentary breakfast, parking, Internet access, telephone, alarm clock and comfortable beddings.

Julien Inn
This hotel is located at 200 Main Street Dubuque, IA 52001. The nightly rate at this hotel starts at $89. It is situated along downtown Dubuque by Second and Main streets.

Julien Inn has a total of 135 guest rooms. It also has a huge banquet area and an onsite restaurant, Alta Glocke. Other amenities and facilities include an alarm clock, Internet access, soft beddings, private bath, hair dryer and telephone among others.

The hotel also has a long and interesting history. Julien Inn was first known as Waples House. It is recognized for its extravagant furnishings and fine dining. When the hotel’s name was changed to Julien Inn, they enlarged and refurbished it.

Prominent figures that supposedly stayed in this hotel includes Abraham Lincoln, Al Capone (believed to be the owner of this hotel during his time) and Sylvester Stallone. After Al Capone, Louis Pfohl purchased and remodeled the hotel. Then, ownership changed and it is now Fisher Companies who owns the hotel.

Again, further renovation is on the way for Julien Inn, with the intention of bringing back the original appearance and renovating its exteriors. It is still ongoing but after this, it will now be called Hotel Hulien Dubuque.

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The art center offers a weekly film, dance and art activities such as discussions involving modern and classical paintings. Cookies and lemonade are also offered to everyone so the kids and those people who are young at heart have plenty to much on when they go to the art center. They also have the Wells Fargo Convention Center where local community and activist groups can book the building and carry out their festivities. The convention center holds a fair number of people as things such as geode conventions for people from all over the country have been held at the convention center. Rock groups such as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers along with the Black Crowes have played the Wells Fargo Center.

Des Moines also has a great university within its limits. Drake University is known for their high academic standards and their very cordial and helpful staff. Every once in a while a famous face will show up at Drake University to urge more civic engagement or just to have an honest, academically centered discussion with some of the students and community members. The actor Michael J. Fox drew a very large crowd when he came to Des Moines to discuss the issue of embryonic stem cell research. Drake University is also known for their competitive sports teams which give the people in the city another event to go to.

Other sporting events to go to the city include a game played by the Iowa Cubs. The Iowa Cubs are the Triple-A affiliate for the Chicago Cubs so you are bound to see some great baseball there given that it is just one short step away from the major leagues. The Iowa Cubs are owned partially by Michael Gertner who owns one of the two major newspapers in the city. The Cityview is well read by many citizens as is the Des Moines Register so there are plenty of quality news sources to go around.

There are plenty of venture capital and business development firms that are trying to develop more things on the riverfront for the city. Firms like Countryside Renewable Energy for example are planning projects in the city of Des Moines and throughout the state so Iowa can maintain their leadership role on renewable energy issues. There are plenty of good things going on in Des Moines as Iowa’s unemployment is at a very low four point six percent which is a very good percentage in these very difficult economic times.

For more information on Des Moines, Iowa visit [http://desmoinesmicroblog.com] and [http://iowamicroblog.com]

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Originally Des Moines was a fort created in 1843 by the military to look after the rights of the Sak and Fox tribal communities. It has changed tremendously since those beginnings and is now the largest city in Iowa and has gained a reputation for being the epicenter of the insurance industry. However, Des Moines has a lot more to offer visitors than just agriculture and insurance industries. If you decide to make Des Moines a vacation, stop then there are some places & things to do that may be of interest.

A first stop may be a visit to the Iowa State Capitol building. It was built in the late 1800’s, between 1871 and 1886, and architecturally showcases the best of 19th century design. Beautiful 23 karat gold leaf covers the magnificent dome and gives it a glow, especially when the sun is out. Daily tours are offered for this impressive structure so be sure to take advantage and add this to your travel itinerary.

Another popular attraction is the Des Moines Botanical Center. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly and is located by the Des Moines River. It’s a lovely place to visit, relax and discover nature’s beauty. Be sure to contact the Center to discover the perfect time for visiting and set aside enough time to stroll through these 14 acres.

Des Moines is also a place for animal lovers. The Blank Park Zoo has thousands of animal species to view and offers fun for children and adults alike. Their mission now includes conservation and education about animals and their habitats. The entire family can enjoy the animals and learn a little as well.

If your taste runs to outdoor activities then consider Walnut Woods State Park. It is a 260 acre land preserved forest that meets at the Racoon River in Des Moines. You can do any number of activities, from river rafting to hunting, hiking, camping, fishing, bird watching, horseback riding and all sorts of other outdoor fun. The enjoyment is limitless and the best part is the preserves are open all year long.

If you’re interested in history then the Jordan House is a must visit. This house was known as a stop on the famous Underground Railroad. The owner of the house, James Jordan, was an abolitionist who took this issue to heart by helping slaves escape to freedom. Today his house is a museum and a place to learn about America’s past.

Another historical house to visit is the Wallace House. It is the former home of agricultural secretary Henry Wallace. It is an historical landmark and does offer tours.

If you really have an interest in historical houses, you should add the Mathias Ham House to your itinerary. It is one of the oldest houses in the state and built by the architect for the state capitol, John F. Rague. It is located in Dubuque, Iowa, but its close enough to make a nice day trip. It does have a log cabin located next to the mansion that might be of particular interest.

If you have the time, take a walk through the Iowa State University campus. It has a reputation as a pristine campus and it is filled with numerous historical buildings. It might be an enjoyable way to spend part of your vacation.

Baseball is a great past time and Iowa does have a Minor league team that plays in the area. They’re called the Iowa Cubs and are actually affiliated with the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Stop by and see a game, you never know which one of these players will eventually be sent up to the major leagues. It’s a way to see baseball stars before they were stars, or a way to just have a good time at a game.

Finally, if you simply want to relax and play a good game of golf then take a look at Willow Creek Golf course. It has 36 holes and is considered to be one of the best golf courses in Des Moines. Go out to the driving range, swing a few clubs, and just enjoy vacationing in Iowa.

C.L. Hendricks has been a Jill-of-all-trades and become an expert in some. She has also traveled extensively and now writes about travel destinations around the world for Vacation Things to Do and How to Get a Passport

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Davenport has a population of 98,359 as of year 2000. Its current mayor is Bill Gluba. Palmer College of Chiropractic and Saint Ambrose University are its 2 main institutions, making it the “birthplace of the wellness technique and chiropractic”.

Davenport boasts of several popular music festivals such as The Mississippi Valley Fair, The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival (dedicated to Bix Beiderbecke) and The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. There is even the Bix 7, a 7-mile foot race that runs through one of the above-mentioned festivals.

When visiting Davenport, you can stay in any of their relaxing hotels like:

Clarion Hotel Conference Center
This hotel is located at 5202 Brady Street Davenport, IA 52806. It is conveniently situated near Interstate 80, a few miles from the Mississippi River. Popular activities in the region include rollerblading, walking and biking along their scenic trails.

This pet-friendly hotel lies in close proximity to attractions like the IMAX Theater, Figge Art Museum, and the Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science. Amenities and facilities of the hotel include 288 elegant guest rooms, free airport-hotel transfers, wireless high speed Internet, hot tubs, heated indoor pools, a game room, fitness center and secretarial services as well as banquet rooms, meeting spaces, fax and copy services.

Each room is equipped with hair dryers, coffee makers, video game consoles, irons with iron boards and even whirlpool bathtubs as well as refrigerators, balconies and microwaves. You can even opt for handicap accessible and non-smoking rooms. Check in time is at 3PM while check out time is at 12NN.

La Quinta Inn Davenport
This 3-star pet-friendly hotel is located at 3330 East Kimberly Road Davenport, IA 52807. Enjoy elegant accommodations and closeness to everything that Davenport can offer. It is merely 8 miles to the Quad Cities International Airport and downtown Davenport. It is also in close proximity to shopping areas, restaurants and John Deere. You can also find the Mississippi River and Casinos as well as the largest golf course in the region.

The hotel provides a lot of amenities and facilities like an onsite fitness center, year round indoor heated pool, free breakfast and newspaper along with meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 3,000 guests, plus high speed Internet access and laundry facilities.

It has a total of 129 rooms in its 2 floors. Each room is guaranteed with color TVs, dataports, iron with boards, coffee makers and touchtone phones. They also provide free local calls, newspaper, hairdryers and alarm clocks. Nearby restaurants include Applebee’s, Red Lobster, Bennigan’s and Village Inn among others. The hotel accepts all major credit cards and coupons as well as certificates, traveler’s checks and vouchers.

Fairfield Inn Davenport
This smoke-free hotel is located at 3206 East Kimberly Road Davenport, IA 52807. It is very close to the North Park Mall which has JC Penney, Dillards, Younkers and Sears. Alcoa, John Deere, Rhythm City, Jumera as well as the Isle of Capri Casinos are just nearby.

They have a total of 62 rooms that are provided with complimentary Continental deluxe breakfasts, alarm clocks, air conditioners, hairdryers, Cable TVs and pay-per-view movies as well as refrigerators, microwave ovens and complimentary wireless high speed Internet. These guest rooms were renovated last Spring of 2004. Cribs and rollaway beds can also be requested.

For more information on Davenport Hotels and Davenport Attractions [http://www.davenport-hotels.net/davenport-attractions.php] please visit our website.

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Iowa State Capitol
Originally constructed during the late 1800s, this building represents the very best of the early 1900s architectural designs. The steel and brick dome is coated with a thick layer of gold leaf that really makes it stand out on a bright and sunny day. The city offers free daily and guided tours of this amazing capitol building. Make sure that you don’t miss this structure when you travel to Des Moines.

Des Moines Botanical Center
One of the coolest botanical centers in the country, this awesome fourteen acre center sits adjacent to the Des Moines River and is one of the most popular of all attractions that can be found in this city. It annually sees hundreds of thousands of visitors and can be very packed during certain times of the year. Make sure that you call ahead when you are here so that you can find out the best time to visit this must-see destination. Also make sure that you set aside plenty of time to really take in all of the sights that are here; it is recommended that you set aside at least half a day.

Blank Park Zoo
The mission statement for this zoo reads as follows, “To inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education and recreation.” This is exactly how you will feel and what you will find when you visit this not-to-be-missed, world class zoo in Des Moines. Take a gander at over a hundred different species of animals and nearly 1,500 different specimens as you browse through this awesome, must-see attraction.

Walnut Woods State Park
This preserved state park is awesome. Its 260 acres of preserved land meet at the Raccoon River in West Des Moines. This park is open 365 days per year and hosts many different activities that vary by season including, but not limited to: cross country skiing, backpacking, hiking, hunting, camping, horseback riding, fishing, bird watching, waterside activities such as rafting and boating, and many more.

Jordan House
This house is the historically preserved house of the original founder of Valley Junction, James Jordan; one of the coolest, perhaps, historical mansions that you can visit when you travel to Des Moines. The gothic and Victorian architecture is literally awe-inspiring. There is a rich history attached to this mansion, which is best known for being a part of the intricate Underground Railroad that helped to free southern slaves to the north during the 1800s and the Civil War. Today it is a museum where you can enjoy a guided tour, and it is also one of the oldest houses in the state.

For more free information on Des Moines travel, and for a complete top ten list of things to see and do please visit: [http://www.Des-MoinesVacationTravelsGuidi.com]

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Fun Valley offers outstanding group rates for groups of ten or more. Birthday packages are also fun, exciting and wonderful for that special day for kids, and their friends and family, ages twelve and under. Every Wednesday and Thursday night the ski resort offers a student night with greatly reduced rates. Buddy Pass Friday’s are also popular – bring your friends and you will all save on lift tickets. Coca-Cola sponsors Sprite Saturday’s at Fun Valley, where you can participate in three activities for one flat affordable fee. Sundays are Family Four Pack Day. There is no doubt about it, today when family values are questionable, going skiing is a way for everyone to have fun with each other and also, by doing something different.

The top elevation at Fun Valley is 1,201 feet, with a vertical drop of 200 feet. There are six lifts, including three chair lifts and three surface lifts. The new learning Adventure Centre is something to see – and experience if you are a beginner. All students are allowed to develop their skills at their own pace, with seven stations providing a fun evironement for the development of mobility and balance, stopping, direction change, linked controlled turns, green stripe evaluation in a Slalom Course, introduction to chairlifts, and rhythmical turns on a green slope. Between the Ski Adventure Centre and the Snowboard Ride Centre, there is no reasons why teaching cannot be fun!

Check out http://www.winter-sportz.com/ for more articles on lake tahoe ski resorts and snow ski vacations.

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If you are thinking to enjoy in the fresh air, toasting dishes over a crackling fire and staring up at a sky full of stars then camping would be the best option for you. Iowa is a famous place for camping. It offers excellent camping opportunities throughout the state. There are many RV parks and campgrounds both public and private in this state. Some of them are listed as under:

1. Ambrose A. Call State Park
Ambrose A. Call State Park is located in the east fork of the Des Moines River. It was established in the year 1928.It is a 138 acre oasis of rugged hills which are heavily wooded with virgin timber. There is a log cabin style lodge which provides excellent facility to the travelers. There are 16 camp sites in this park. Out of these 16 campsites, there are 13 full hookup campsites. These campsites have excellent electricity and clean drinking water supply. You need to register for getting camping permission. This park offers 2 miles of trails throughout the forest. Kossuth County is located near to this hotel.

2. Clear Lake State Park
Clear Lake State Park is located in South Lakeview Drive. It is a popular campground which was established in the year 1924. This park has more than 10 acres of picnic grounds. They provide shady and relaxing picnic area to the travelers. The lodge located in this park is highly spacious and well equipped with stove, refrigerator, microwave, and rustic fireplace. It is a great place for holidays or short breaks. This lodge is near to the beach. I assure you that, you will have an excellent camping experience over here. Modern restrooms, shower, cabins, and full hook up sites are provided to all the guests. You should make an advance camping reservation over here because this park is in great demand all round the year. This park is near to the Town of Clear Lake.

These are some of the fantastic RV parks and campground over here.

Read more about Camping & RV Parks. Going to Iowa? Know all Iowa RV Park

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Like many other states in the US, Iowa is packed full of the “world’s biggest” things, yet after looking a little further we found some more treasures that are sure to delight all those eager to come across something wacky.

So come along for the ride and discover what is so weird and wacky about Iowa.

1. Albert the Bull

The best (and biggest) place to start is no doubt at the statue of Albert the Bull; the town of Audubon’s claim to fame. Albert is the world’s biggest bull, standing 30 feet tall and 33 feet long, with horns that span for an impressive 15 feet.

Albert’s proudest feature is undoubtedly his giant gonads, which are made from solid concrete. These features are the only part of Albert that gets painted frequently, mostly the colors of football rivals, bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase “blue balls”.

2. Grotto of the Redemption: West Bend, Iowa

What many states have tried to do, and failed, Iowa has successfully mastered. The Grotto of the Redemption in the small town of West End is a true display of the lengths one man will go to in order to demonstrate his commitment to his faith.

This masterpiece is essentially a well structured heap of rocks, stones, cement and precious minerals; but it can’t help but inspire awe. Although the upkeep hasn’t been carried out as frequently as it should have, the grotto is still a spectacle to look at and is definitely not one to miss.

3. World’s Largest Strawberry: Point Strawberry, Iowa

While many American towns claim to be the “Strawberry Capital of the World”, if statues are anything to go by, Iowa’s Point Strawberry is sure to take the cake.

The 15-foot tall sculpture of a strawberry was constructed entirely from fiberglass and in comparison to all the others speckled across the country, is by far the most realistic.

4. Castles of Ida Grove: Ida Grove, Iowa

In the words of Ida Grove locals, “Orlando has Disneyworld and we have Byron”. While this comment is a slight exaggeration, Ida Grove is most definitely starting to resemble something at least out of a Disney film.

Byron LeRoy Godbersen is Ida Grove’s local millionaire and has made his love of castles pretty well known across town. Visit the local shopping mall, newspaper office and skating rink to embark on a journey back to medieval times, or simply to discover out-of-place architecture that sticks out like a sore thumb.

5. Pinky the Elephant: Marquette, Iowa

While the idea of a pink elephant may not sound so appealing to many, Pinky is a much loved civic symbol that simply cannot be missed. She currently stands out the front of the Isle of Capri Casino, and looks as bleary-eyed and unsteady as some of the drunkards that stumble out of the casino’s doors.

Chrissy Barton is a blogger and content writer for Jurnii Car Rentals, America’s new travel focused online rental car company. She writes frequently for the Jurnii Car Rentals Blog, and enjoys travel in the U.S and abroad.

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The ball field was built on the Lansing farm in three days during the spring of 1988. The film was shot that summer. There are information panels on the site that talk about the filming, such as how they picked that particular farm. The stories of how they got a field of tall green corn in the middle of a drought and setup the final scene with all the cars lined up are particularly interesting.

The Lansing family has owned the 193 acre farm for over a century. They are still there, working the land. The movie premiered on April 21, 1989 and visitors started arriving shortly thereafter. The Lansings realized they had something special and have preserved the site as it was in the movie. Admission is free although donations are appreciated. The souvenir stand is manned by volunteers, some of whom have been there for 20 years.

Ironically, the Lansings don’t make much money from souvenir sales. They have to pay royalties to Universal Studios for the right to market “Field of Dreams.” There is no commercialization and no organized activities are permitted. It has retained its charm as a throwback to a simpler time and place.

Sadly, the farm was recently put up for sale. The asking price is $5.4 million dollars. This place is an American treasure. Let’s hope some shyster doesn’t take over and turn it into a circus.

All in all, this area makes for a great geocaching destination.

Dan Lawson has more information about this topic and many others (including great pictures) on his website at http://www.offthebeatenpath.ws. Comments, suggestions and questions are welcomed and can be submitted through site links to his email and guest book.

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Directly outside of DeMoines there is a living history farm and town. Three working farms show life in the 1700, 1800s, and early 1900s. The 1700 farm shows how the Ioway people lived and what crops they grew. Their wigwams were covered with layers of thatch, keeping the interior temperatures at a comfortable 50º F even during the coldest winter night. The 1800 farm demonstrated the pioneers who settled Iowa. They had planned to live in their log cabin houses for only a few years, but many extended their stay.

The 1900 farm showed life in the mechanized world.

The town featured a blacksmith, millinery shop, broom maker, cabinet maker (mortician), general store, school house, church, printer, lawyer, doctor, vet, apothecary and a couple of homes; one modest and the other quite elegant. Docents were at most of the shops demonstrating the different trades and life in a Midwestern village. We spent the entire day at this living history museum. This is a must see attraction. We did not go to the next county Southwest of DeMoines. The bridges of Madison County and John Wayne’s birthplace will be there at a later date.

We did call the capital to inquire about the tour times on Sunday. The capital is closed on Sundays, but open on Saturday. We hurried over to the capital, where there is ample free parking. The tours were self-guided. But docents were in the Law library and the dome. If you remember our visit to Harrisburg, PA and its capital, you might recall that the same architect was building both capitals simultaneously. The semi-naked ladies adorning the grand staircase were rejected by Harrisburg, but are in place at DeMoines. The two ladies are quite lovely, with minor differences in the two statues. The dome is quite unique. The dome itself is painted like a partly-cloudy sky. Suspended on guy wires underneath lies the emblem of the Grand Army of the Republic. It is quite an appealing view.

While I was climbing the many stairs Maggie spent her time admiring the French influenced law library with its four tiered circular wrought-iron staircases leading to the different shelves. She was engaged in a discussion with the docent, who is an theater director and actor in DeMoines. His wife is a well published playwright.

John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a full-time RVer, who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music., A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures, links, and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org.

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