51 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Iowa - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Iowa

High Trestle Trail Bridge

Half a mile long and 13 stories high, the bridge over the Des Moines River Valley lights up the wide night vista.

Villisca Axe Murder House

A number of gruesome unsolved murders have turned this simple home into a morbid tourist trap.

Elwood, the World's Tallest Concrete Gnome

Beating out all other concrete competitors, this massive garden feature's pointy hat has earned it a world record.

Columbus Junction, Iowa

Lover's Leap Swinging Bridge

A warning to the weak-kneed: This narrow bridge does its swinging eight stories high.

Des Moines, Iowa

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab

This zombie-themed restaurant stands out in the heart of corn country.

Clear Lake, Iowa

The Day The Music Died Memorial

A giant pair of thick black glasses mark the tragic demise of a trio of rock and roll legends.

West Bend, Iowa

Father Paul Dobberstein's Grotto of the Redemption

A four story, football field-sized, nine-grotto creation made of shells, minerals, and rare stones.

Riverside, Iowa

Captain James T. Kirk Future Birthplace

A place of great reverence for Trekkies everywhere, a hero's future birthplace.

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Unique Food & Drink in Iowa

Blue Moon Ice Cream

This cosmic-colored flavor is a Midwestern mystery.

Snickers Salad

Made of candy and Cool Whip, this “salad” is a mainstay at Midwestern potlucks.

Green River Soda

After thriving during Prohibition, this soda fountain staple was immortalized in a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Klub

This stick-to-your-ribs Scandinavian dumpling is a favorite at Midwestern fundraisers.

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Enchanted Highway Sculptures	5 September 12, 2019	5146	September 12, 2019
Beaver Dam Pepper	3 July 3, 2019	2238	July 3, 2019
Hudson-Meng Bison Kill	4 May 19, 2019	1691	May 19, 2019
Windmill Island Gardens	2 August 7, 2019	2238	August 7, 2019
World's Largest Ball of Stamps	1 July 9, 2019	1611	July 9, 2019

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Stories About Iowa

This windmill was shipped in pieces from Nørre Snede, Denmark, and reassembled in 1976 by over 300 volunteers.

Iowa's 'Denmark on the Prairie' Creates Hygge Away From Home

The tiny town has imported a 19th-century windmill and starred in two Danish TV shows.

by Stacy Brooks

February 19, 2020

A man in the Muscatine shell-soaking room, about 1915.

A Sift Through the Remnants of Iowa's Forgotten Fashion Scene

For decades, the Mississippi River town of Muscatine was the pearl-button capital of the world.

by Harrison Cook

September 11, 2019

A bronze cast of the Army-owned Wankel's T. Rex, affectionately nicknamed "Big Mike," guards the Museum of the Rockies.

Why Does the U.S. Army Own So Many Fossils?

Turns out massive flood control projects are a great way to find dinosaurs.

by Sabrina Imbler

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