Attractions:
Iowa City Literary Walk/Iowa City Public Art
From acclaimed poets and playwrights, to accomplished novelists and journalists, Iowa has been both host and home to literary genius. The Iowa Avenue Literary Walk, conceptualized by the Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee in 1999, celebrates works by 49 writers who have ties to Iowa. The Literary Walk is comprised of a series of bronze relief panels that feature authors' words as well as attribution. The panels are visually connected by a series of general quotations about books and writing stamped into the concrete sidewalk. All artwork, by Gregg LeFevre, is set in the pavement along both sides of Iowa Avenue from Clinton Street to Gilbert Street.
The Public Art Program was established by the Iowa City City Council in 1997. The Public Art Advisory Committee was also established to oversee the operations of the Public Art Program and advise the City Council on potential sites that can be enhanced by the addition of public art and also recommend various pieces of artwork. The Public Art Program focuses its attention on the downtown area, primarily on the pedestrian mall.
Iowa City Public Library
The Iowa City Public Library was established in 1896 and has served the community from a downtown location ever since. In 2004, the library opened its doors to a new, expanded and renovated space with 81,276 square feet of space. Collections are the core of the library's mission and we strive to provide materials to satisfy all ages and interests; books, videos, audio-cassettes, art prints, compact discs and interactive media. Five meeting rooms are available as well as an ICN facility. Over 1.3 million items were checked out, over 630,000 people visited, and over 1,000 meetings were held in the past year at the Library. Thirty-eight public computers provide Internet access and wireless Internet access is available through the entire building and much of the City Plaza area. ICPL serves the public's information needs through well-trained staff at the Reference, Fiction and Children's Desks. Visit the Library's website for more information.
123 South Linn Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
phone: (319) 356-5200
Johnson County Historical Society
The Johnson County Historical Society was organized in 1967 as the Mormon Trek Memorial Foundation. Its purpose was to commemorate the Mormon Handcart Expeditions, which departed Johnson County for Salt Lake City in 1856 and 1857. The Foundation identified the site of the Handcart Expedition Campground, created a park and monument and renamed a street (Mormon Trek Boulevard). The Foundation resolved to create a local history museum. To reflect this new purpose, the name was changed to the Johnson County Historical Society. The Historical Society found a permanent home when a lease was signed for the Old Coralville Public School, a badly deteriorated two-story brick schoolhouse built in 1876. Restoration of the building began in 1977 and on July 4, 1983 the building opened to the public as the Johnson County Heritage Museum.
860 Quarry Road
Coralville, IA 52241
phone: (319) 351-5738
Old Creamery Theatre
The Old Creamery Theatre Company is proud to be the oldest professional theatre company in the state of Iowa. Since 1983, the Company has operated in agreement with the Actors' Equity Association, which gives the theatre access to a vast pool of professional actors throughout the United States.
The Creamery performs seasonally on the Price Creek Stage and the Depot Studio Theatre. This theatre space, located outside the historic village of Amana, is just ten minutes north of Interstate 80, thirty minutes southwest of Cedar Rapids, and 30 minutes northwest of Iowa City. Built in 1988, the facility houses a 300-seat auditorium known for its spacious and comfortable seating.
Suds, August 4 – September 11, 2011
By Melinda Gibb, Steve Gunderson and Bryan Scott
Join Cindy, Marge, and Dee Dee as they sing their way through more than the spin cycle in this musical soap opera set in a Laundromat. Complete with broken washing machines, mood swings, guardian angels and lots and lots of rocking tunes from the 60's , Suds will have you laughing and singing all the way home. A hilarious spin on life - and you can leave your quarters at home. Featuring Molly Hammer!
Rated: THEATRE PG
39 38th Avenue
Amana, IA 52203
phone: (319) 622-6194
Old Capitol Museum
Explore Iowa heritage inside the state's first capitol and the University of Iowa's first building. Recently rejuvenated after a 2001 fire, Old Capitol enlivens Iowa history with tours through restored 1840s-1850s period rooms, two new changing exhibition galleries, and public programs occurring throughout the year. The renovation also features a self-guided tour and expanded gift shop.
21 Old Capitol
Iowa City, IA 52242
phone: (319) 335-0548
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
Located in Macbride Hall, next door to the Old Capitol Museum, in the center of the University of Iowa campus. Take a journey through the natural history of the state of Iowa. Exhibits include Iowa Hall, which allows you to explore the state's geology, ecology and native cultures. Take Flight, which is one of the nation's largest collections of North American birds. And, Mammal Hall, where every order of mammals is on display.
Antique Car Museum of Iowa
There is something to appeal to all ages and the Antique Car Museum of Iowa is ideal for a family outing. We feature approximately 65 cars at any one time, dating from the 1890's to the 1990's. The collection showcases car technology, designs, and models as they have changed over the years
860 Quarry Road
Coralville, IA 52241
phone: (319) 354-3310
Coralville Lake and the Devonian Fossil Gorge
The Devonian Fossil Gorge is our star attraction. It was created by the Flood of 1993 and expanded by the Flood of 2008 when water topped the emergency spillway. The overflow washed away tons of soil, huge trees, and part of our road. When the waters receded the 375-million-year-old fossilized Devonian ocean floor was revealed. Visitors start their stroll back in time at the Entry Plaza, making their way down into the gorge to find thousands of fossils laid out at their feet!
2850 Prairie Du Chien Road NE
Iowa City, IA 52240
phone: (319) 338-3543
Englert Civic Theatre, Inc.
The mission of the Englert Civic Theatre, Inc. is to own, maintain and operate the Englert Theatre as a community arts center and performance space, enhancing the vitality of Iowa City's historic downtown by preserving its last historic theater. The Englert Civic Theatre, Inc. provides diverse programming, educational opportunities, and exposure to the performing and visual arts. Our focus is to highlight the talents of local performers, artists, and ensembles.
221 East Washington
Iowa City, IA 52240
phone: (319) 688-2653
fax: (319) 688-3494
Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum
Experience the extraordinary life of Iowa's only president and see changing exhibits at the Hoover Museum - one of 13 presidential library-museums in the nation. Visit the large gift shop featuring souvenirs on the life and times of Herbert Hoover, the U.S. presidency and the State of Iowa.
210 Parkside Drive
West Branch, IA 52358
phone: (319) 643-5301
Iowa Children's Museum
The Mission of The Iowa Children's Museum is to provide an informal learning environment that promotes active learning through play to children, their families, educators, and caregivers based on the educational theory of how kids learn. The ICM located at the South entrance of Coral Ridge Mall has five galleries for the child in all of us.
1451 Coral Ridge Avenue
Coralville, IA 52241
phone: (319) 625-6255
Riverside Theatre
Riverside Theatre is the only resident, professional, non-profit theatre company within a 30-mile radius of Iowa City. It produces an indoor season of mostly contemporary works (September – April) and an outdoor Shakespeare Festival in Lower City Park each summer.
213 North Gilbert Street
Iowa City, IA 52245
phone: (319) 338-7672
Iowa City Summer of the Arts
The City of Iowa City's Summer of the Arts is an umbrella organization for four local events and festivals: Toyota-Scion of Iowa City Jazz Festival, Iowa Arts Festival, Saturday Night Free Movie Series and Friday Night Concert Series. We welcome the entire community to our free, family friendly, fun events.
Sept. 2 – Euforquestra
Sept. 3 - Samuel Locke-Ward + Kerosene Circuit
University of Athletics Hall of Fame
Since it opened its doors in September 2002, the Roy G. Karro Athletics Hall of Fame and Visitors Center has served as a stop for Hawkeye fans on their way to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Fans can browse through the history of every competitive sport that the University of Iowa has to offer. Exhibits of all 22 sports adorn the Hall of Fame walls. Fans can see everything from the men's and women's 2001 Big Ten Tournament trophies to a scorecard from the lowest round shot by a Hawkeye golfer. Fans of Hawkeye athletics can view old baseball uniforms and every national championship trophy won by the Iowa wrestling program.
2425 Prairie Meadow Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
phone: (319) 384-1031
Amana Colonies
The Amana Colonies are a group of settlements of German Pietists in Iowa, comprising seven villages. Calling themselves the Ebenezer Society or the Community of True Inspiration, die Gemeinde der wahren Inspiration, they first settled in New York state near Buffalo in what is now the Town of West Seneca. However, in order to live out their beliefs in more isolated surroundings they moved west to the rich soil of east-central Iowa (near present-day Iowa City) in 1855. They lived a communal life until the mid 1930s. A striking feature of the Amana Colonies is that for eighty years they maintained an almost completely self-sufficient local economy, importing very little from the wider, industrializing U.S. economy. The Amanians were able to achieve this independence and life style by adhering to the specialized handcrafts and farming occupations which they had brought with them from Germany. Today, Amana is a major tourist attraction known mainly for its restaurants and craft shops. Included in the shops are woodworking shops, wine shops, and even a brewery called Millstream. The colonies as a whole have been listed as a National Historic Landmark since 1965. Located just minutes from I-80, the seven villages of the Amana Colonies offers visitors the opportunity to step back from today's busy pace, to relish in the comfort of locally crafted foods, furniture, art and more. The Colonies offer a unique history and culture found nowhere else in the world.
5 Turner Alley/Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Grant Wood's home and studio was located at 5 Turner Alley from 1924 to 1935. Near downtown Cedar Rapids the studio is owned and operated by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, which houses the world's largest collection of works by Grant Wood. Grant Wood (1891-1942) was a prominent member of the Regionalist movement. His most famous painting, American Gothic, was painted in this studio in 1930.
Golf
Amana Colonies Golf Course
Amana Colonies Golf Course opened for play in 1989, and has been masterfully designed to preserve the natural features of the land. Our 18-hole championship golf course winds through 300 acres of stately white oak trees and forests. The golf course features meandering streams, shining ponds, and striking scenery that add to the aesthetic beauty and enjoyment of the game. The golf course also features lush, watered bentgrass fairways, tees and greens, and strategically placed sand bunkers which come into play on many holes. The golf course offers 5 sets of tees, ranging from 5,228 to 6,824 yards, designed to accommodate players of all skill levels. Many of our guests describe the course as "beautiful, breathtaking, charming, enjoyable, playable, tough, and intimidating."
451 27th Avenue
Amana, IA 52203
phone: (319) 622-6222
Finkbine Golf Course
Finkbine Golf Course is the University of Iowa Department of Athletics championship golf course. Named for W.O. Finkbine, who donated the land to The University of Iowa, the course is located approximately one mile west of the main campus at the intersection of Melrose Ave. and Emerald St. Finkbine is now bent grass from tee to green! This scenic golf course, from the championship tee, stretches over 7000 yards of rolling Iowa terrain, and plays to a par 72 with a USGA course rating of 74.1 and slope rating of 132. Large undulating greens, contoured fairways, strategically located bunkers, hundreds of new trees, and newly added tees add to the difficulty of this very demanding golf course. In addition, a six-acre lake and watering system takes care of all the greens, tees, fairways and practice areas to make Finkbine one of the most beautiful collegiate golf courses in the country. Finkbine has been the home to numerous NCAA tournaments.
Melrose Avenue and Emerald Street
Iowa City, IA 52242
phone: (319) 335-9556
Brown Deer Golf Course
Voted for the third year in a row by Iowa City Press Citizen & Corridor Business Journal readers as the best golf course in the corridor. Brown Deer is an 18-hole public course with driving range and practice facility. We also offer a full service pro shop and banquet facilities. Our 60 acre course offers some of the most picturesque and challenging golf in the Midwest. Surrounded by the extraordinary landscaping and natural beauty of the countryside, players experience countless risks and rewards from the tee to the well-groomed green.
1900 Country Club Drive
Coralville, IA 52241
phone: (319) 248-9300
Pleasant Valley Golf Course
Pleasant Valley is an 18-hole, public, Florida-style golf course and driving range. We also offer banquet facilities for up to 150 people. Golf equipment, lessons and rentals are available. Two minutes south of the Iowa City city limits.
1301 South Gilbert Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
phone: (319) 337-2622
Blue Top Ridge at Riverside
The golf course at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort™ will make any golfer feel like a champion. After all, it was designed by Rees Jones, a designer of championship golf courses. Jones adds this outstanding 18-hole course to his list of more than 100 courses, including seven U.S. Open venues, five PGA courses and three Ryder Cup sites. Spanning over 7,400 yards, Riverside's world-class golf course offers players breathtaking vistas overlooking two rivers, man made lakes and diverse terrain. It all adds up to a one-of-a-kind golfing experience for beginners and pros alike.
Riverside Casino and Golf Resort
3184 Highway 22
Riverside, IA 52327
(319) 648-1234
Parks and Recreation
Iowa City Parks & Recreation (Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center)
Come out and play! 40 parks, playgrounds and open spaces total approximately 1,200 acres. Indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, ball fields, trails, picnic shelters, skate park and outdoor theater.
The Robert A. Lee recreation studio contains a number of activities for varying interest. The center includes a full gym, indoor swimming pool, pool tables, ping pong tables, and foosball. The center also includes a fully equipped art studio, including a potters studio with six wheels and two kilns. Practice space is available for coral groups and a number of other activities. Board games are also available for check out.
Coralville Parks and Recreation
Coralville Parks and Recreation offers diverse opportunities to meet your leisure needs. Our facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, shelters, fishing ponds, recreation center, playgrounds and tennis courts. Hike or bike the trails in North Ridge Park or stop in the Rec Center at S.T. Morrison Park and work out in the weight room, shoot hoops, gather for a family event, or play a game of racquetball.
Coralville Community Aquatic Center
The Coralville Community Aquatic Center features an 25-meter L-shaped pool that has a zero depth entry, diving boards, two water slides, and a splash deck full of fountains and play structures for the little ones to enjoy. The water slides feature an open flume body slide, and a space bowl body slide which circles you round 2-4 times before dropping you into an 8 foot pool of water. An on-deck shaded seating area allows patrons to escape from the sun. And The Patio, a full service concession stand, offers something to meet everyone's tastes. Plan to celebrate your next special event on the Party Deck at the Coralville Community Aquatic Center.
Mercer Park Aquatic Center/Scanlon Gymnasium
The Mercer Park Aquatic Center is divided into three separate sections. The deep section is on the east end of the pool. This section is 25 yards long; depth ranges from 4'6" to 12' and contains two (2) one-meter diving boards. The middle section is 25 yards long; depth ranges from 4'2" to 4'6". The shallow section is on the west end of the pool. It is approximately 2'6" to 4'. There is an outside wading pool area which requires children to have adult supervision. The Mercer Park Aquatic Center is equipped with a 12 person spa. Use of the spa is restricted to adults (16 years or older) and children who are directly supervised by a responsible adult (someone 16 years or older). Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, pregnant women, young children, and others with health concerns should consult a physician before using the spa. To insure proper function of the spa, the pool manager reserves the right to restrict use by children (15 years and younger) during times of peak use. The spa is not open for use during times reserved for swimming lessons.
F.W. Kent Park-Johnson County Conservation
This picturesque 1,082-acre park is located 3 miles west of Tiffin on Highway 6. A 27-acre lake, which contains catfish, large mouth bass, bluegill, walleye and crappie, provides the angler with many fine hours of fishing enjoyment. Come and explore the prairies, forests and wetlands, camp or enjoy a swim after an afternoon of fishing, hiking or participating in any of the other activities at F.W. Kent Park.
The Conservation Education Center is utilized year-round for educational programs and workshops. Current programs include prairie hikes, fishing clinics, programs on specific outdoor skills, day camps, weekend workshops, and much more. Youth and adult groups can work with the J.C.C.B naturalist to schedule conservation-related programs in this building. Many educational materials are available for checkout by group leaders. Insect nets, aquatic study equipment, binoculars and other materials are available. For further details contact the naturalist at (319) 645-1011.
One half of the building is a hands-on learning center featuring interactive displays, dioramas, a wildlife viewing area and many other interesting features. Nine and one-half miles of hiking trails featuring grassed and crushed rock surfaces run through Kent Park's many native communities. The crushed rock trail around the lake provides anglers with access to the entire shoreline. In the winter, some of the trails are groomed for cross country skiing.
Seven historic country road bridges have been relocated to Kent Park and utilized on the trail around the 27-acre lake.