Latest Travel News Across Iowa - October 2024
Briggs Woods Park, Webster City [Photo by OHP Marketing Services]
With Google Searches for ‘fall vacation ideas’ up 61% over the past month, consumers are craving fall vibes and views. Iowa is the perfect off-the-radar destination to find them! And while the leaves are just starting to change, travelers historically begin searching for winter activities and destinations in early October.
FALL FUN & FOLIAGE
Autumn is the perfect time to hit the road! Google searches for ‘fall road trip’ are up 8% year over year as travelers seek out shoulder season experiences with affordability in mind. Perhaps the most unexpected region in Iowa, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway traverses the western border and showcases some of the tallest loess formations in the world. Notable stops include railroad museums, the squirrel cage jail and a 45-foot-tall observation tower at Hitchcock Nature Center.
For a shorter ride in northwest Iowa, travelers can cruise the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway for 36 miles of spectacular views of rolling hills, golden forested valleys and the Little Sioux River. As the name implies, glaciers carved the picturesque landscapes of this unique route. Use the fall colors map as a guide to plan around the season’s best colors.
Fall weekends are perfect for family fun and trips to pumpkin patches, corn mazes and apple orchards. Southeast Iowa is a one-stop destination for farm fun with destinations like Harvestville Farm offering more than 40 acres of pumpkins, a corn maze, wagon rides, delicious homemade treats and farm-to-table dinners. Appleberry Orchard is a pick-your-own apple orchard featuring a petting farm, pumpkin painting, and a bakery with homemade pies and other scrumptious baked goods. The nearby FunCity Resort Hotel features a casino, spa, arcade, go-karts and more, making this a prime destination for adults and kids alike!
To embrace the Halloween season, travelers can toast to Iowa’s spooky side with itineraries that combine the flavors of locally distilled spirits with haunted destinations. The bravest of visitors can take a self-guided tour of the Villisca Ax Murder House or stay overnight for an extra-spooky experience. Visitors have also reported eerie sounds, cryptic voices and paranormal activity at Edinburgh Manor, open for daytime tours or overnight stays.
WINTER VACATION PLANNING
Any day can be a snow day in Iowa! Sioux City is home to Cone Park, which features a 700-foot-long tubing hill, ice skating rink, outdoor firepit and day lodge. Visitors can also warm up at indoor attractions like Long Lines, which boasts 20 routes covering more than 5,000 feet of rock-climbing surfaces or explore eye-catching exhibits at the Sioux City Art Center. Iowa also offers an affordable alternative to traditional ski resort destinations for winter sport enthusiasts. Seven Oaks, located just north of Des Moines in Boone, offers skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing across 11 slope runs and four tube chutes.
If the winter chill isn’t enough, Iowa’s dazzling lights displays are sure to encourage the holiday spirit. Ottumwa's Holiday Nights 'N Lights is a mile-long drive-through display of millions of lights, or visitors can walk through lighted sculptures, whimsical inflatables and thousands of shimmering lights at Christmas Acres in Le Mars. Painting with Lights is the first-of-its-kind display in Iowa, transforming Oskaloosa’s town square into a brilliant illumination with over 200,000 lights.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Mark your calendars for these events and activities you won’t want to miss.
Scenic Drive Festival, Villages of Van Buren, October 11-13
Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, Winterset, October 12-13
Craft Carnival, Clarinda, October 19
Julefest, Elk Horn, November 29-30
Painting with Lights Display, Oskaloosa, Mid-November – Early-January
Christkindlmarket, Des Moines, December 5-8
University of Okoboji Winter Games, Okoboji, January 23-26THE NEWSSTAND
AARP: Family-Oriented, Classic Amusement Parks to Visit for Any Age, 7/26
AFAR: 52 Unexpected Places to Go in the USA, 8/2
Des Moines Register: Off Hours, 8/8
Thrillist: Let's All Stop Underestimating Iowa, 10/4
Forbes: Here's Where to See Fall Foliage Across the United States, 10/7