Area Attractions
There are literally hundreds of things to do and see in southwest Iowa. Space does not permit us to list them all, but here are a representative few. For more information, please see the numbers located at the bottom of the page or request the Iowa Travel Guide at www.traveliowa.com
Before we start, what's the weather like? 24-hour weather line: 402-392-1111 Summers are warm with highs ranging from the 70s to the 90s. Temperatures rise to about 90 degrees about 38 days a year. Winters are cold with temperatures falling below 32 degrees about 138 days a year. Precipitation: Annual rainfall about 30 inches; annual snowfall about 30 inches. |
Antiques
Antique City
Walnut, Iowa 712-784-2100
Turn-of-the-century brick streets, storefronts and streetlights prove a charming setting for the many antique and gift shops in Iowa's Antique City. In June, don't miss the Antique Walk. For more history, inquire locally about the Walnut Creek Historical Museum. The Welcome Center is located at 607 Highland Street (712-784-2100) Hours: 9-5 Mon-Sat, noon-5 Sun, year-round. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Easter. Wheelchair accessible. www.walnutiowa.com
Antique Junction Mall
I-29 Exit 35 712-622-3532
Fourteen minutes south of Council Bluffs. 57745 190th Street, Pacific Junction, Iowa.
Lake Manawa Antique Mall
101 W. South Omaha Bridge Rd, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-366-1562
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Seven days a week. 500 vendors selling antiques and collectibles.
Madison Ave. Antiques
1851 Madison Ave./I-80 Exit 5, Council Bluffs, IA 712-388-2192
Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily. Hundreds of antique dealers with a great selection to choose from. Close to motels, restaurants and shopping.
Family and Children
Children's Square, U.S.A.
North 6th Street and Avenue E 712-322-3700
Hours: Daily 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Since 1882, the Christian Home Association- Children's Square, U.S.A. has been serving the children and families of the Council Bluffs community. Historical memorabilia are on display in the Lemen Visitor Center. Children can play and parents can relax in Discovery Park. Self-guided tours are available; guided tours by appointment.
Historic Sites
August Beresheim House
621 3rd St., Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-2406
Hours: Tues-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 1 p.m.-5p.m. Closed Mondays, January and holidays. Built in 1899 for banker and state legislator A. Beresheim. This house is on the National Register and is where your tour of the General Dodge House begins.
Blockhouse Site
Pierce St./Union and Franklin Streets, Council Bluffs, Iowa
A marker stands on the site of the first building built in Kanesville. It was built in 1837 to stave off war among the local Indian tribes and became the center of the city.
Gold Rush Historic Site
Pioneer Trail At Dumfries Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa
A marker tells the story of those with Gold Rush Fever (1846) and other pioneers who followed the trails west.
General Dodge House
605 3rd St., Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-2406
Hours: Tues-Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, January and some holidays. The Dodge House, a 14-room lavish Victorian home is one of Iowa's premier historic homes. Built in 1869 by General Grenville M. Dodge, a Civil War general, dubbed "greatest railroad builder of all time." The mansion is historically authentic, complete with a majority of the original furnishings. Special events include an annual summer garden walk in July and a five-week Christmas celebration, where the house is decorated in Victorian elegance with more than 25 holiday trees. Ballroom and dining rooms available for rent. It was built in 1869 at a cost of $35,000, a lot of money for that time. Admission charged. Group rates available for 20 or more.
Hitchcock House
Hitchcock Park, Lewis, Iowa 712-769-2323
www.hitchcockhouse.org email: sahafair@netins.net Hours: 1-5 Tues-Sun, May-Sept. Restored station on the Underground Railroad, featuring special exhibits, country music events. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission charged.
Kinsman Memorial
308 Lafayette, Fairview Cemetery, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Hours: Daily 8 a.m. - Sundown. Granite obelisk built to honor Civil War Colonel William Kinsman and other Civil War veterans. Actual (disarmed) Civil War cannons are part of the display.
Lewis & Clark Monument & Scenic Overlook
29385 Monument Rd., Council Bluffs 712-328-4650
www.parksandrec.councilbluffs-ia.gov/historical.asp
This site, north of Big Lake Park, was dedicated in 1936, honoring the 1804 expedition of Lewis & Clark and their historic meeting with Otoe and Missouria tribesmen. The attraction, with its expansive view of the Missouri River valley, features a mountain bike trail, motor coach/tour bus parking, picnic area and restrooms.
Squirrel Cage Jail
226 Pearl St., Council Bluffs 712-323-2509
Hours: April 1 - October 31, Wed through Sat - 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Sun 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Closed Monday, Tuesday and all holidays. Admission fee. One of the three remaining examples of the rotary cell jails, this three-story brick structure was completed in 1885 and used until1969. It features a cage that rotated to allow jailers a view of all cells from a single vantage point. See items from early 1900s along with law enforcement memorabilia. The jail was investigated for paranormal activity in 2005 - come learn the results! Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Western Historic Trails Center/Lied Historic Building
Official Iowa Welcome Center3434 Richard Downing Ave, I-80/29, Exit 1B 712-366-4900
www.parksandrec.councilbluffs-ia/gov/historical.asp
Hours: Oct 1 - Apr 30, daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; May 1 - Sep 30, daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Donations accepted. Two hundred plus sculptures by artist Timothy Woodman interpret the Lewis & Clark, Mormon Pioneer, California and Oregon trails. Hiking/biking trails wind through 400 acres of prairie along the Missouri River. Join us for "Jam and Bread," a music jam session for musicians/listeners, Thurs. 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Free samples of homemade bread. History comes alive with reenactments, music/lectures and Native American food and dance during "White Catfish Camp Living History Weekend," held the fourth weekend in July. "Holidays on the Trail," the first weekend in December, offers free sleigh rides, refreshments, hliday shopping, and holiday movies/presenters in the theater. An expansive gift shop awaits you. The Center hosts new events throughout the year, so call ahead to see what's happening.
Miscellaneous Attractions
Farmer's Market
N. Main & Kanesville Blvd., Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-545-3680
Hours: Sat. 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., June - Sept.; Wed. July - Sept. A variety of farm fresh produce and preserves as well as crafts by local gardners and artisans. Located at the northwest corner of the Omni Centre's loading dock area.
Glenn Miller Birthplace Home
601 S. Glenn Miller Dr (16th St.), Clarinda, Iowa 712-542-2461
www.glennmiller.org email: gmbs@clarinda.heartland.net Hours: 1-5 Tues-Sun, May-Oct. Big Band leader Glenn Miller's Birthplace Home is restored to reflect the time around 1904 when Glenn was born. Highlights include period furnishings, unique features of the home and family photographs.
Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center
3-1/2 miles north of Missouri Valley, Iowa on Hwy. 30 712-642-2114
Hours: 9-5 Mon-Sat, noon-5 Sun, mid-Apr to mid-Nov. Welcome Center: year-round. Two-story log building houses county museum and Iowa Welcome Center. Historical Village features original log cabin and schoolhouse, along with two additional display buildings. Iowa-products stores on premises features crafts, food and beverages. Information available on Loess Hills Scenic Byway, Lewis & Clark Trail, Lincoln Highway and Iowa tourism attractions. Admission charged. Wheelchair accessible.
Mount Crescent Ski Area
17034 Snow Hill Ln., Crescent, Iowa 712-545-3850
Hours: 11-9 Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. Double chair lift, quad chair lift, complete ski school program offered. Equipment rentals, snow-making equipment, ski lodge with lounge and restaurants.
Mormon Sites
Fairview Cemetery
308 Lafayette Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Hours: Daily 8 a.m. - Sundown The east end of the cemetery is predominantly Mormon pioneer graves. Also the location of the Kinsman Memorial and the grave site of Amelia Bloomer.
Grand Encampment
Iowa School for the Deaf, Council Bluffs, Iowa 1600 S. Hwy. 275
Marker stands where this large 1846 encampment stretched east nine miles to Treynor. Approximately 7,000 Mormon pioneers lived in Council Bluffs, then known as Kanesville.
Hyde Park
Hyde Farm Site, approximately 11200 Dumfries Ave., - south on Hwy 275 from Iowa School for the Deaf to Hwy G66 (Pioneer Trail), then east to Dumfries Ave., right on Dumfries Ave., 2 miles to marker.
Hours: Daylight. Marker stands where Orson Hyde's farm site and a Mormon encampment stood. This is the site where Brigham Young was elected, by a quorum of twelve, president of the LDS Church. Hyde was one of the original leaders of the Mormon Church. He also established the "Frontier Guardian" newspaper in Council Bluffs (Kanesville).
Kanesville Tabernacle and Visitor Center
222 E. Broadway, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-0500
Hours: Mar. 1 - Sep. 30, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 - Feb. 28, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Near the site where Brigham Young was made president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1847. Authentically reconstructed version of the log tabernacle which played a key role in the westward migration of members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. Admission Free. Wheelchair accessible.
Mormon Battalion Marker
1600 S Hwy 275 (Iowa School for the Deaf)
The "mustering" in site of 500 Mormon pioneers who enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1846 to fight in the war against Mexico. These "Saints" marched more than 2,000 miles (longest recorded infantry march in U. S. history) fromt he Missouri river to San Diego, CA.
Mormon Trail Historic Site
Pioneer Trail & 240th Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-0500
Two markers describing the arrival in 1846 and the 80 farming communities started by the Latter-day Saints in southwest Iowa.
Museums
Archer Engines of Yesteryear
202 Riordon, Crescent, Iowa 712-545-3791
Hours: 10-4:30 Mon-Sat, May-Oct 1 and by appt. Lawn mowers: reel, 1890 and up, reels with gas engine, old rider-walk-behind tractors, old engines, old chain saws and much more, over 200 items. Also, antique shop with primitives and collectibles: glass, pictures and more. Admission charged. Wheelchair accessible.
Carroll County Historical Museum
123 E. 6th, Carroll, Iowa 712-792-3933
Hours: 1-4 daily, May-October, other times by appointment. Visit former Carnegie Library, which houses historical items from each town in Carroll County. Also see the Log Cabin and Little Red Schoolhouse in Graham Park.
Cass County Historical Society Museum
412 Main St., Griswold, Iowa 712-778-2700 or 712-778-4182
Hours: 1:30-4:30 Sun, Memorial Day-late October Antiques and historical memorabilia from Cass County, displayed in a bank from the 1800s listed on the registry of historical sites. Wheelchair accessible.
Confederate Air Force Museum
Council Bluffs Airport, Old Highway 6 712-322-2435
Hours: Reservations requested. The museum houses four World War II planes and other period artifacts. Admission: Donations accepted.
The Danish Immigrant Museum
2212 Washington St, Elk Horn, Iowa 800-759-9192
www.dkmuseum.org email: dkmus@netins.net Hours: 9-6 Mon-Fri, 10-6 Sat, noon-6 Sun, May 15-Sep 14. Closes one hour earlier Sep 15-May 14. A journey "Across Oceans, Across Time" with self-guided exhibits tracing the immigration of the Danes to America. Explore the arts and culture; trace your roots in the Family History and Genealogy Center; visit the visual storage area. Enjoy Tivoli Fest on Memorial Day weekend and Julefest the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Admission charged. Wheelchair accessible.
Greater Shenandoah Historical Museum
405 S. Sheridan, Shenandoah, Iowa 712-246-1669
Hours: 1:30-4:30 Wed, Fri, Sur or by appointment. Artifacts, displays and videos of early KMA/Earl May, KFNF/Henry Field and their nurseries. Relive life in the 1850s in the nearly Mormon settlement of Manti. Old Wabash Depot and Morning Star country school are located in Sportsman Park. While in Shenandoah, visit the restored Burlington Northern Depot. Wheelchair accessible.
Mills County Historical Museum, Earth Lodge, Davies Amphitheatre
Glenwood Lake Park, Hwy 34 E, Glenwood, Iowa 712-527-5038
Museum: 1:30-4 weekends, Memorial Day-Labor Day. Earth Lodge tours by appointment. This American Indian Earth Lodge showcases a collection of artifacts from the Earth Lodge people, who lived in the area between 800 and 1200 A.D. Museum also features a hall of antique agricultural equipment, one-room country school, restored century barn, military display and two-cell brick jail. Glenwood Lake Park features the Davies Outdoor Amphitheater, with family entertainment offered June through August. Admission charged. Wheelchair accessible.
Museum of Religious Arts
2697 Niagra Trail, Logan, Iowa 712-644-3888
www.mrarts.org Hours: 9-5 Mon-Fri, 9-4 Sat, noon-5 Sun Religious artifacts from all denominations, original chapel, life-size wax figures from the life of Christ, library. Admission charged. Wheelchair accessible.
Nishna Heritage Museum
118-123 N. Main St., Oakland, Iowa 712-482-6802 or 712-482-3075
Hours: 9-4 Mon-Sat, 1-4 Sun, year-round, weather permitting. Shows all phases of life in southwest Iowa, beginning with southwest prehistoric animals. Collection of dolls, tools, wrenches and prehistorical rocks. Wheelchair accessible.
Shelby County Historical Museum
1805 Morse Ave, at the corner of Morse & Pine Sts, Harlan, Iowa
712-755-2437
www.schmuseum.org/prairietrails.asp Hours: 2-4 Sun, June-August or by appointment. See old fire-fighting equipment, furniture, clothing, two-headed calf, farmstead furnishing and two 100-year-old log cabins. Wheelchair accessible.
Sweet Vale of Avoca Heritage Museum
504 N. Elm, Avoca, Iowa 712-343-2477
Hours: 1-4 p.m. Daily, May-September 15. Large taxidermy collection of animals from all over the world. Historical displays, collection of 1899-1990 Danish plates. Wheelchair accessible.
Union Pacific Railroad Museum
200 Pearl Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-329-8307
Hours: Tues - Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Closed railroad holidays. Free admission. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum is Council Bluffs' newest historical treasure. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln created Union Pacific Railroad and directed Union Pacific and Central Pacific to build America's first transcontinental railroad from Council Bluffs to Sacramento, California. Completion of the route forever changed the landscape, the geography and the very fabric of our nation. Visitors travel through 140 years of American history - from the origins of the railroad and the settling of the West to the advanced technology that defines railroading today. Interactive displays include a simulated locomotive cab and railroad videos enthrall children of all ages. www.up.com
Parks & Nature Areas
Arrowhead Park
I-80 Exit 23, Neola, Iowa 712-485-2295
This 147-acre park contains a 17-acre lake and offers camping, picnicking, fishing, a playground, lodge rentals, overlook shelter, volleyball and nature trails. The lake has a fishing dock, paddleboat and canoe rentals.
Botna Bend Park
I-80 Exit 40, Hancock, Iowa 712-741-5465
You can canoe the Nishnabotna River at Botna Bend Park. Full or 1/2 day trips are available. Canoe, paddles and life jackets are provided. The lake also offers fishing, camping (both modern and primitive), a playground, fishing and picnicking. It also features live bison and elk herds, a prairie exhibit and historical attractions.
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
Hwy. 30 app. 5 miles west of the Missouri River 712-642-4121
Open daily, daylight hours. Visitor center, open day, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., closed Federal holidays. Admission fee. This site includes a wildlife viewing area, nature trails, visitor center, steamboat exhibit and fishing. The museum/visitor center holds the remains of the steamboat "Bertrand," which was stuck and sank April 1, 1865. Buried in mud for over 100 years, the cargo was excavated and is now on display. There are over 200,000 items; this unique treasure trove offers a glimpse of frontier life at the end of the Civil War.
Dream Playground
Laka Manawa State Park, I-80/29 Exit 3,
South Shore, adjacent to swimming beach
Camping, trails, boating, picnicking. Built in 1993 by thousands of volunteers in one week. Designed by children - reflecting their vision of the ultimate playground.
Flower Bed Displays
Assorted locations
Approximately 15,000 square feet of beautifully landscaped flower beds can be found at these locations: Fairmount Park, Lincoln Monument, Lewis and Clark Monument, Sternhill, Fairview Cemetery, City Hall, First and Broadway, Vine Street Parking, the Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial and Roberts Park.
Hitchcock Nature Area
I-80 Exit 61A, Honey Creek, Iowa 712-545-3283
This 806-acre parks in the Loess Hills features unique land forms, abundant wildlife, native prairie, wildflowers, primitive camping and hiking trails. Also available are an equal-access boardwalk trail and picnicking. A large lodge is available for holding meetings, retreats and other events.
Lake Manawa State Park
I-80 Lake Manawa Exit South, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-366-4802
Lake Manawa was created by the flood of 1881 and offers boating, fishing, water and jet-skiing. The park was walking and bike trails, picnic areas and shelters, a swimming/beach area and the Dream Playground are on the south shore. Also offered are 35w modern campsites as well as 33 primitive campsites. Fishing licenses may be purchased at several stores in the Lake Manawa area. For more information on licensing, please call 712-366-0220 or 712-366-1175.
Loess Hills Scenic Byway/Visitors Center
119 Oak St., Moorhead, Iowa 800-886-5441
www.loesshillstours.com email: loesshil@netins.net Hours: Byway - year-round, weather permitting. Visitor Center: 9-4:30 Mon-Sat, 1-4:30 Sun, Apr-Nov; 10-4 Mon-Sat, 1-4 Sun, Dec-Mar. Explore the rare natural landscape of the Loess Hills, with unique flora and wildlife atop rugged and windblown hills. Scenic byway signs guide you through scenic areas, farms and villages. Visitor Center provides information and features handcrafted items. Step-on guides available by appointment. Wheelchair accessible.
Narrows River Park
I-29, 25th Street Exit, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-328-5638
Park features access to the Missouri River (including a boat launch), picnicking, an observation deck, and playground. Also available are bank fishing, primitive camping and shelter rental.
Performing Arts
TheArts Center
2700 College Rd, I-80 Exit 8 712-388-7140
www.artscenter.iwcc.edu 800-432-5852, ext 7140
Located on the campus of Iowa Western Community College, this state-of-the-art facility houses performances in theater, dance and music, along with other cultural events. The main theater seats 660, at stage level and two balconies. A separate flexible theater called the "Black Box" accommodates 135 people - ideal for dinner theater and other smaller venues. The main stage has hosted such performers as Robert Klein, Gregory Hines, Debby Boone and more.
Chanticleer Community Theatre
830 Franklin Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-9751
Five seasonal performances in September, November, December, March and May. See the Calendar of Events.
The Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts
Broadway and Main Streets, Denison, Iowa 800-336-4692
www.donnareed.org email: info@donnareed.org Hours: 9-5 Mon-Fri and by appointment. Houses Donna Reed Foundation Headquarters, restored 1914 Germania Opera House with both film and theatrical productions, turn-of-the-century soda fountain, gift shop, photos, personal and movie memorabilia from Donna Reed's life. See a miniature model of Bedford Falls, the town from It's a Wonderful Life. Wheelchair accessible.
Mid-America Center
1 Arena Way, I-80/I-29 Exit 1B 712-323-0536
Box Office 7-12-326-2295 Ticketmaster 402-233-1212
Free parking. A premier entertainment and convention center, the Mid-America Center, proud home of the USHL Lancers and APFL Blackhawks, features the ultimate in live entertainment and sporting events. From hockey and bull riding to concerts and family shows, the arena is committed to top quality events year round. The Convention Center includes more than 64,000 square feet of exhibition/meeting space. With a contemporary style, it's ideal for association and corporate conventions, fund-raisers, social events and trade shows.
Stir Outdoor Concert Cove
1 Harrah's Blvd, I-29 Exit 53A 712-329-6000
Tickets: 888-512-SHOW www.stircove.com
This seasonal live entertainment area easily holds 2,5000 concertgoers on its grassy knoll outside of Stir, the area's hottest Vegas-style party bar at Harrah's Casino & Hotel. National recording artists such as Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and Black Crowes have graced the stage at the Cove.
Westfair Amphitheatre
1-80 Exit 8/Hwy 6, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-322-3400
Concerts throughout the summer by national recording artists. Located on the West Pottawattamie County Fairgrounds, the theatre has 2,500 seats and the bowl-shaped grassy area holds another 12,000.
Public Arts and Culture
Bayliss Park & Veterans Plaza
1st Ave & Pearl St
Bayliss Park has been a focal point of the downtown area since the mid-1800s. Samuel S. Bayliss donated the 2.15 acres in 1853. The park received a facelift in 2006 - and was rededicated in spring 2007. The park includes monuments honoring those who have served and sacrificed their lives for our country from the Civil War to those who serve today from Pottawattamie County; the fountain and surrounding area was designed by sculptor Brower Hatcher and landscaped by Dolores Silkworth. You can view the park day or night at www.iowawest.oxblue.com/bayliss/ Veterans Plaza was dedicated July 4, 2003. The monument depicts three sculpted figures, by famed artist John Lajba, depicting an elderly woman, middle-aged man and young boy holding a folded American Flag, standing in front of a low wall with a reflection pond. The wall lists those who died or are missing in action from the Civil War through Desert Freedom.
Broadway Fountain & Streetscape Project
Broadway & Pearl St
The restored cast iron fountain was built in New York in 1890 and was once the centerpiece of Bayliss Park, the city's oldest park. In 1962, plans developed to build a larger, lighted fountain. The old, seasoned beauty was dismantled and placed in storage. In May 2000, a dedication ceremony was held for the completely refurbished "Old Rusty" (as it had affectionately come to be known). An old-fashioned looking clock tower, cottage blue lampposts and flowerbeds have since joined the fountain area. Take a walking tour through the Bayliss Park area and view 16 picturesque mosaic inset sidewalk tiles illustrating historical scenes of our city, such as Abraham Lincoln's 1859 visit with local railroad construction engineer, Grenville M. Dodge.
Grant Wood Painting
Iowa Western Community College/Continuing Education Center
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Grant Wood, an Iowa native and painter of the famous American Gothic, painted The Early Days of Kanesville which is on display in the main lobby.
Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial
Lafayette and North 2nd Street, Concil Bluffs, Iowa 712-328-4992
www.parksandrec.councilbluffs-ia.gov/historical.asp
Known locally as the "Black Angel," this solid bronze statue was inspired by three visions experienced by Mrs. Dodge in the fall of 1916, before her death. The prominent Council Bluffs resident was the wife of Gen. Grenville M. Dodge, chief construction engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad. Mrs. Dodge's daughters commissioned Daniel Chester French to sculpt a likeness of the angel in their mother's vision. French, who created the seated statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, subsequently said he felt the "Angel" was his best work. The monument was dedicated in 1920 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Railroads
C. B. & Q. Restored Depot
116 W. Adams, Creston, Iowa 641-782-5217
Hours: 8-5 Mon-Fri. View the restored railroad depot with displays of railroad artifacts. Wheelchair accessible.
Golden Spike Monument
South 21st Street and 9th Avenue, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Erected in 1939, this 56-foot golden concrete spike was built in conjunction with the premier of the film Union Pacific. It commemmorates the 1869 completion of the Transcontinental Railway at Promontory Point, Utah.
Lincoln Monument
Lafayette Avenue, Council Bluffs. Iowa
This granite memorial was erected in 1911 at the site where President Abraham Lincoln stood in 1859 and selected Omaha/Council Bluffs as the eastern terminus of the Transcontinental Railway.
RailsWest Railroad Museum and HO Model Display
16th Avenue and South Main Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-323-5182
April 1, 2005 - October 31, 2005. Wed through Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Closed Monday, Tuesday and all holidays. Admission: Adults $7.00, Ages 6 throu 12 $5.00, Under 6, free. Call for group rates. This restored 1899 Rock Island Line Depot houses railroad memorabilia and operates an HO model railroad. Also includes an outdoor railcar display of equipment dating from 1901 to 1969.
To learn more about Council Bluffs and the railroads, click here.
Scenic Drives
Lincoln Highway
Hwy 183 and Hwy 6, Iowa
The first coast-to-coast highway in America, the Lincoln Highway passed through Council Bluffs and in two years' time, cut a trip that had taken 90 days down to only 6 by 1915.
Loess Hills Scenic Byway
www.goldenhillsrcd.org 712-482-3029
Rated among the best in the nation. The 220 miles of paved highway in seven counties along the Missouri River valley offers views of the steep, sharply-ridged hills, which support a number of rare plants and animals only found in the Loess (pronounced 'luss') Hills. Automobile tours offer ridge-top views, woodlands, prairies and landmarks. The Byway is clearly marked - just follow the special blue and white signs along the trail.
Loess Hills Lodge Exhibit Gallery
Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, Ia
www.pottcoconservation.com 712-545-3283
The exhibit gallery is an excellent place to begin your exploration of the Loess Hills, learn how they were formed, and what vegetation grows in the native prairie.
Loess Hills Visitor Center
119 Oak St., Moorhead, Iowa 51558 800-886-5441
The Loess Hills Hospitality Association provides visitors with maps and information about unique viewing points. Gift shop features arts and crafts by local artisans. A step-on guide is available by appointment.
Trails
ISD Nature Center Trail
Hwy. 92 and Hwy. 275, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-366-3267
Five acres of natural Iowa tall grass prairie features a one-mile paved trail that connects to the Wabash Trace Nature Trail. Included are a working antique windmill, a USNRCS windbreak demonstration and the Iowa School for the Deaf museum.
Wabash Trace Nature Trail
Hwy. 275, 1 mi. south of Hwy. 92, Council Bluffs, Iowa 712-328-6836
This converted former railroad right-of-way runs more than 60 miles through the Iowa countryside, including the Loess Hills. The crushed limestone surface is used by bikers and hikers. A 10-mile horse trail parallels the trail from Council Bluffs to Mineola. Admission charged.
For more information, please contact:
Convention and Visitors Bureau 800-228-6878
Chamber of Commerce 712-325-1000
Iowa Welcome Center 712-366-4900
Iowa Road Conditions (24 hour) 515-288-1047
Weather Metro Area (24 hour) 402-392-1111
For more information about the Council Bluffs area, please visit:
www.councilbluffsiowa.com
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