Did you know there there is a fossil park nearby? You don’t have to wander out to Colorado’s dinosaur park to see fossils, they are right in Iowa at the Devonian Fossil Gorge. This gorge was created by flooding in 1993 and was expanded by the floods of 2008. The flooding washed away soil, trees and roads to reveal a 375 million year old fossilized ocean floor. You can start at the park entrance and walk around with thousands of fossils at your feet.

For another great nature setting visit the Gazebo on the Green. Iowa City is lucky to have such a large botanical garden outside of a large metropolitan area. There are fifteen formal themed gardens with a 22 acre prairie. The variety of gardens are Crabapple Alee Garden, Grove Garden, English Perennial with a gazebo, French Allee, Moon Garden with all white flowers, Arbor Garden with a sixty five foot arbor, Water Garden, Rose Garden, Perennial Cutting Garden, Southern Courtyard Garden, Herb Garden, Grass Garden, Cottage Garden with charming English country cottage and the Le Grande Finale Garden. Take a break for tea time with three different teas at morning, lunch and candlelight. A beautiful location for wedding, portrait and nature shots.

Another great nature photography location is Coralville Lake with bald eagles spending their winters by the lake. January and February are the best months to go with lots of eagles roosting in trees. Last year 30 bald eagles were counted just below the dam at Coralville Lake. The best way to see or captures the eagles on film is to sit in your car below the dam with field glasses, binoculars or a good zoom lens. The eagles will generally just sit in the trees but every once in a while one will swoop down to the water with talons extended and catch a fish. That is a sight well worth the wait. Other great eagle watching locations nearby are River Junction Access and by the Iowa River Power restaurant in Coralville.

Take a look at the bald eagles in a warm car from Billion Auto. They are the Iowa City Honda dealer for the Eastern Iowa region.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_M._Breen

Here is some more information about the area:

- Some of the major companies headquartered in Cedar Rapids include McLeodUSA and Rockwell Collins.

- The main airport serving Cedar Rapids is The Eastern Iowa Airport.

- The main professional sports team in Cedar Rapids is the baseball team, the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

- Cedar Rapids is only one of a handful of cities in the world with its municipal buildings located on island in the river. In the case of Cedar Rapids, city hall and the county courthouse are located on Mays Island, an island in the middle of the Cedar River.

- Cedar Rapids is sometimes known as the “City of Five Seasons” – these are supposed to be the traditional four seasons as well as fifth season as a time to enjoy the other four. This nickname is commemorated by a sculpture in the downtown area (known as the “Five Seasons” sculpture), as well as in various local jokes such as the “city of five smells”, referring to the smells from factories around the city.

- According to the manufacturers’ information, the fictional character, WindChill (a GI Joe action-figure toy) is supposedly from Cedar Rapids.

By S. Tanna. First published at http://www.vacation2usa.com/p1_state_iowa_cities_cedar_rapids.php – Visit this link for more details, pictures, attractions, towns and cities and more!

Discover all 50 states at http://www.vacation2usa.com

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I was lucky. My father paid my college tuition, which was quite expensive the year I went out of state to the University of Delaware. I didn’t think about money at that time; my parents had just always paid for all the big things–school, car, rent, clothing. I paid for some things, but I never took my education seriously until I went to graduate school and paid for it myself. It was during the planning phase for graduate school that I realized life was going to become a heck of a lot more expensive and that I was going to have to borrow more money than I had ever earned in one year. So, rather than choose a college based on its reputation or alleged high quality of education, I chose a college that I could get into quickly, where I could learn what I needed to know, and where the overall cost wasn’t going to keep me in deep, dark debt forever. I went to Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Luckily I found low prices and excellent teachers who taught me what I needed to know.

Logan lies on the Wasatch Front, a 120-mile urban area on the west side of the Wasatch Range of Utah that is almost totally connected by a continuous development of suburbs and downtown districts. The largest downtown district is Salt Lake City, which is two hours south of Logan. The average cost of living along the Front Range is at or below the national average, and average home prices are typically lower than average, unless you live near any of the numerous ski resorts in the area. Average home prices in Salt Lake City run just under $200,000 and are $10,000 to $20,000 lower in nearby Ogden, which is just north of Salt Lake. Logan’s prices run about the same, although for me, as with the majority of students, that wasn’t such a concern because I was renting. Rental rates currently average just $500 in Logan, although I don’t remember finding any two-bedroom apartments for that price. Still, sharing an apartment, I never paid more than $500 all together for rent and bills. Food prices, health care, recreation, and entertainment also cost very little. Compared to my friends who live and go to school in Boulder, Colorado, this is an excellent bargain.

Plenty of other reasonably priced areas can be found in the Midwest and away from popular mountain and coastal areas. Avoid high cost areas such as the heart of the Northeast, Southern California, and Northwest coastal regions. However, if you don’t mind compromising a bit, you’ll find a few sweet spots not far away from the hotspots. For example, Syracuse, New York, hosts a university with the same name as well as a variety of other colleges; average home prices are almost half the national average there. Bellingham hosts Western Washington State University; home prices there are at the national average and the overall cost of living is just slightly above. And, California sports Eureka in Humboldt County, which is home to the College of the Redwoods and is by the coast. Eureka’s home prices and rental rates are only slightly higher than the national average (about $320,000), and the cost of living falls well below the cost of living found elsewhere in California.

The following selection of college towns are some of FindYourSpot.com’s finest and most popular among members. These towns boast reasonable home prices, relatively low rental rates, and low overall costs of living. They also all have colleges, most have low or very low crime rates, and all have quality health care facilities.

Abilene, Texas, home to Abilene Christian University and McMurry University, has rental rates that run just under $500 per month; the average home price is about $120,000; and the cost of living is 15-25% below the national average.

Home of Indiana University and Ivy Technical College, Bloomington, Indiana, boast monthly rental rates of $600 per month; homes cost an average of $170,000; and the overall cost of living is 3% below the national average.

Lynchburg, Virginia, hosts Lynchburg College, Randolph Macon Women’s College, and Liberty University. Rental rates are just under $500 per month; average home prices run about $172,000; and the cost of living is 10-15% below the national average.

Athens, Georgia, which is consistently ranked as one of America’s Top College Towns, hosts the University of Georgia. Average monthly rental rates are about $520; average home prices are $175,000; and the cost of living runs between 1-5% below the national average.

Iowa City, Iowa, home to the University of Iowa, boasts monthly rental rates of $600; average home prices run about $220,000; and the overall cost of living is approximately equal to the national average.

Burlington, Vermont, is home to a college of the same name, the University of Vermont, and St. Michael’s College. Average monthly rental rates are just a touch higher than $600; the average single family home costs about $230,000; and the overall cost of living falls 1-10% below the national average.

Fort Collins, Colorado, home to Colorado State University, is another city that consistently ranks among America’s Best Places to live. Average rental rates here are around $800 according to a variety of sources I checked. However, I have a friend who rents a beautiful three-bedroom home for $775 that’s just 10 minutes from the university. Average home prices in the city run close to $250,000; and the overall cost of living is just a touch above the national average.

Eugene, Oregon, home to the University of Oregon, boasts monthly rental rates that are just a touch above $600; the average price for a single family home is $275,000; and the overall cost of living is about 6% above the national average.

Chico, California, home to California State University, has relatively low monthly rental rates of less than $600. Home prices are just slightly higher than average, running about $350,000; and the overall cost of living is just 10-20% above the national average, making Chico another of California’s sweet spots.

Hilo, Hawaii, home to the University of Hawaii, boasts fairly low monthly rental rates of about $550 per month; average home prices are especially low for Hawaii, running about $355,000; and the overall cost of living is 20-25% above the national average.

Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona, are home to numerous universities. This sprawling area has the full gamut of rental rates, although the average is between $500 and $600 per month. Home prices also range widely, although the average home price is on par with the national average of just under $300,000. The overall cost of living here is just slightly higher than the national average.

Lizzy Scully Managing Editor http://www.FindYourSpot.com, the Internet’s best source of relocation information [http://www.findyourspotrelocationwebsite.blogspot.com] [http://www.retasblog.blogspot.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lizzy_Scully

Iowa is beautiful in the fall, especially along the Mississippi River. Take a trip on the Great River Road, which runs along the Mississippi River. You will have a wonderful view of the bluffs, the fall foliage, and the Mississippi River. If you do go on this trip, be sure to stop in Dubuque, Iowa, and visit the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. This museum is wonderful, and if you have children, they will enjoy it. There are a lot of hands-on things for children to do.

While you are on your trip, you can stay at one of the many bed and breakfasts that are available in that area. You will have a wonderful experience, and you will be served an incredible breakfast, usually including eggs, waffles or pancakes, toast, bacon or sausage and many other choices. You will get to eat your breakfast with other people who have stayed there, and this is a great way to get acquainted and see where everyone is from.

I grew up on a farm in northeast Iowa, so I have lived here all of my life. Our farm included 200 acres. We raised pigs, guernsey cows, and chickens. In addition, we had a lot of cats and a dog. We had a big woods on our land, so the deer and other animals would occasionally come close to the barn. Sometimes the deer would drink water with our cows early in the morning. I would not have traded that time in my life for anything. I believe I learned a lot of values from living on the farm.

In addition to rural living, Iowa has three state universities. We have the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa State University in Ames, and the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Our state has a lot of basketball and football fans, and we are very proud of our athletic teams. In addition, all of our state universities are nationally-known.

We are a very friendly state, and the crime rate is low compared to many places in the nation. Our schools are always ranked high in the national rankings. Iowa is a great place to raise a family.

The winters here are cold, and we get quite a lot of snow sometimes. It gets below zero sometimes in December, January, and February. The summers are sometimes hot with temperatures in the 90’s, but this is usually just in July and August. Our spring and fall seasons are very comfortable with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s.

I hope you will visit us sometime.

C. Macon
july081996@yahoo.com
http://cmacon.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Macon

The Hawkeye State, Iowa, holds much more beauty than a lot of travelers give it credit for. There are ten different travel areas for tourists to explore when they come to this state, from the Northwest area (where you can follow the path of historic explorers Louis and Clark) to the Southeast area that boasts of containing the world’s “crookedest” street. Lovers will also find much to do here, such as solitary hiking and just holing up in a room and enjoying each other’s company – romantic destinations in Iowa are enjoyable for everyone!

Pines on the Prairie Bed and Breakfast is located in Wilton, Iowa, just 30 or so minutes from Davenport and Iowa City, Iowa. This bed and breakfast offers all of the hospitality of a Midwest inn, with the Mississippi River just a small ways outside your door! Located in eastern Iowa, the Pines on the Prairie Bed and Breakfast is convenient to both the Wildcat Den and Palisades Kepler State Parks, which makes it an ideal spot to stay for your outdoor themed trip. This 1910 home, decorated in the “Arts and Crafts” style, is great for seclusion – you are never forced to spend time around other guests unless you want to.

This b & b has just two rooms, which means you will get a level of service that you might not find in larger inns or hotels. The Prairie Room is perfect for couples, with a comfortable queen size bed and its own shower. The Pine Loft is larger (it can accommodate up to six people), but it also includes a claw foot tub as well as other amenities that complete this spacious room. Lovely green plants and a library’s worth of books make this nook of a room one of the most perfect places for romantic destinations in Iowa.

Potter’s Mill bed and breakfast is lodged in Iowa’s oldest grist mill (from 1843). This beautiful inn and restaurant is also a great place to have your next romantic retreat. Located in Bellvue, Iowa, Potter’s Mill offers guests five rooms to choose from, with different themes and motifs in each. Gourmet breakfasts are also included. The atmosphere in this inn is like no other, with the mill theme including exposed beams and other subtle hints to the building’s original purpose. The Potter’s Mill’s restaurant is also open for lunch and dinner.

Spending some quality time with the one you love in picturesque Iowa can be just the thing for any special occasion. Whether you are celebrating a birthday or an anniversary, you can be sure romantic destinations in Iowa will be just the thing.

Richard Rspad is with Resort Spa Destinations – reviews and articles on romantic getaways.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Rspad

There are over 28,000 students enrolled at the University of Iowa. The makeup of students is diverse. 64% of students enrolled at the University of Iowa are residents of Iowa. Another 21% of students come from the adjoining states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. 8% of students come from other states in the U.S. There are also students from 106 countries around the world represented at the University Of Iowa. This provides for a population that is extremely diverse and interesting.

The University of Iowa consists of eleven colleges, or fields of study. Many of them are considered to be some of the very best programs west of the Mississippi. They are:

-Liberal Arts and Sciences

-Business

-Dentistry

-Engineering

-Education

-Law

-Medicine

-Nursing

-Pharmacy

-Public Health

-Graduate

The life for a student at the University of Iowa is filled with things to do. The University provides many types of financial aid to both in state and out of state students. There are also resources for on-campus and off-campus housing. The University boasts excellent student health and safety resources, and the variety of campus activities and clubs make sure that any student can find something to suit their individual needs and interests. Most students feel very comfortable with the amenities offered by the University and enjoy campus life and activities. Some students find participating in student government to be an excellent way to get involved in campus life at the University Of Iowa.

The University Of Iowa has an excellent sports program. The Iowa Hawkeyes are the students participating in various sports. The faculty and the students support the Iowa Hawkeyes, and events are well attended.

Many of the students who graduate from the University of Iowa have excellent job prospects, both in state and in other parts of the U.S.

http://iowahq.com Facts about Iowa from tourism to buying and selling real estate.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Francis