Iowa features historical buildings, museums and natural areas. Visitors find caves, geological formations, historical mills and botanical gardens. The state houses railway museums, Norwegian cultural sites and several parks with sandstone cliffs.
West Bend, Iowa, USA
This religious complex consists of nine separate grottos constructed with minerals, precious stones and rocks from around the world.
Madrid, Iowa, USA
This 130-foot-high pedestrian bridge spans the Des Moines River with 43 steel frames and blue LED lights.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
The 1886 Queen Anne mansion contains 26 rooms and sits on a 26-acre estate with formal gardens.
Burlington, Iowa, USA
This street contains five half-circle curves winding up the hill over a length of 275 feet.
Boone County, Iowa, USA
The park contains 15 miles of trails through sandstone formations and canyons along the Des Moines River.
Davenport, Iowa, USA
The museum displays over 4000 artworks including paintings, sculptures and photographs by American artists.
Delaware County, Iowa, USA
The 2,270-acre park offers rock climbing, fishing and 21 miles of marked trails.
Gladbrook, Iowa, USA
Museum displaying architectural and mechanical replicas constructed from standard wooden matchsticks. Collection includes scale models of ships, buildings, and machines.
Spillville, Iowa, USA
Collection of wooden clocks created by Frank and Joseph Bily between 1913 and 1958. Each timepiece features detailed wood carvings of historical events and figures.
Walcott, Iowa, USA
Collection of vintage trucks, engines and transport memorabilia documenting the evolution of American road freight. Features over 100 historical vehicles and industry artifacts.
Winterset, Iowa, USA
Wooden covered bridge built in 1883 across Middle River. This 107-foot structure appears in the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County.
Dubuque, Iowa, USA
A mechanical incline elevator with the steepest grade of any funicular system worldwide and a length of only 90 meters.
Ames, Iowa, USA
The 17-acre botanical garden includes a butterfly center and themed gardens, making it the largest public garden in Iowa.
Davenport, Iowa, USA
Opened in 1885, the park features seasonal flower beds, a fountain, a conservatory and a collection of old trees.
Prairie City, Iowa, USA
The 8,000-acre reserve protects native prairie landscape with bison, elk and indigenous plants.
Honey Creek, Iowa, USA
The center features an observation tower, hiking trails and a museum about the geological formation of the Loess Hills.
Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
The Victorian mansion contains the original furnishings and personal items of the Dodge family. Visitors can explore 14 restored rooms.
Elkader, Iowa, USA
A six-floor limestone industrial complex on Turkey River. The site includes several historic outbuildings with regular guided tours.
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
A Second Empire style mansion that serves as governor's residence. The interior contains furniture and decorations from the 19th century.
Dubuque, Iowa, USA
A riverside area with local history museums, gaming casinos and walking paths along the Mississippi River.
Strawberry Point, Iowa, USA
A 15-foot red metal statue erected as a symbol of local agriculture.
Greenfield, Iowa, USA
A collection of historical aircraft, aviation equipment, and documents about Iowa's flight history.
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
A 1920s manor house containing art collections, antique furniture, and formal gardens.
Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
A museum in a 1903 building displaying locomotives, railroad cars, and documents about Union Pacific history.
Elk Horn, Iowa, USA
This mill, originally built in Denmark in 1848, was brought to Iowa and reconstructed using original components.
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
The botanical garden spans 7 acres with greenhouses, display gardens and a collection of tropical plants.
Decorah, Iowa, USA
The museum displays 33000 artifacts about Norwegian immigration to America, distributed across 16 historical buildings.
West Bend, Iowa
This religious site contains nine caves decorated with minerals, gems and petrified materials. Father Paul Dobberstein built this structure over 42 years to show Biblical scenes.
Maquoketa, Iowa
This state park features limestone caves, natural bridges and hiking trails across 370 acres. Visitors can explore more than 13 caves through marked paths.
Winterset, Iowa
Six wooden covered bridges remain in Madison County, built between 1870 and 1884. These structures gained national attention through the novel and film The Bridges of Madison County.