Germany colonies, covered bridges, college towns and some of the nation's most productive farms – this is Iowa. Attractions here are diverse, everything from movie sites and trucking museums to burial mounds and scenic drives along the Mighty Mississippi.
Our readers have been voting for their favorites for the past four weeks, and the results are in! The top 10 winners in the category Best Iowa Attraction are as follows:
- Maquoketa Caves State Park - Maquoketa
- Surf Ballroom & Museum - Clear Lake
- Iowa 80 Trucking Museum - Walcott
- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium - Dubuque
- Grotto of the Redemption - West Bend
- Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad & Museum - Boone
- Pikes Peak State Park - McGregor
- National Czech and Slovak Museum - Cedar Rapids
- Field of Dreams Movie Site - Dyersville
- Amana Colonies
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Garrett Cornelison (@reallykindofamazing) and Lori Erickson were chosen based on their knowledge and experience of travel in Iowa.
Congratulations to all these winning attractions!
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The Experts
Garrett Cornelison
Photographer Garrett Cornelison was born into a... Read More
Photographer Garrett Cornelison was born into a family of artists – his mother a children’s book illustrator and his father a jazz musician. He grew up in a town, outside of a town, outside of a town not far from the middle of the USA in Iowa. His family fully cultivated his creative endeavors and gifted him his first camera in high school. Garrett recently finished a year-long 50-state journey across the country while on a documentary project and book tour. He lives for making images and telling stories and believes that every piece of trash has a story to tell. Follow him on Instagram @reallykindofamazing.
Garrett Cornelison
Photographer Garrett Cornelison was born into a family of artists – his mother a children’s book illustrator and his father a jazz musician. He grew up in a town, outside of a town, outside of a town not far from the middle of the USA in Iowa. His family fully cultivated his creative endeavors and gifted him his first camera in high school. Garrett recently finished a year-long 50-state journey across the country while on a documentary project and book tour. He lives for making images and telling stories and believes that every piece of trash has a story to tell. Follow him on Instagram @reallykindofamazing.
Lori Erickson
Lori Erickson of Iowa City is the author of Iowa:... Read More
Lori Erickson of Iowa City is the author of Iowa: Off the Beaten Path (10th Edition, 2017) and Holy Rover: Journeys in Search of Mystery, Miracles, & God (2017). She's been writing about her home state for more than 30 years for regional and national publications.
Lori Erickson
Lori Erickson of Iowa City is the author of Iowa: Off the Beaten Path (10th Edition, 2017) and Holy Rover: Journeys in Search of Mystery, Miracles, & God (2017). She's been writing about her home state for more than 30 years for regional and national publications.
