SE Iowa Activities ~ There is such a wide variety of activities and events in the northwest Iowa area -- way too many to list all. We have listed the most popular attractions below and will add new ones as they grow in popularity.
Cedar Bluffs Natural Area and State Preserve near Oskalossa, IA -- The Lacey Memorial Nature Trail takes you across prairie and oak-savanna restoration areas, down into a box canyon, along a 100-foot-high bluff overlooking Cedar Creek.
Nelson Pioneer Farm Museum -- The Nelson Pioneer Farm is the first museum in Iowa to honor the pioneer farmer. The heart of this fifteen-building complex is the Nelson Homestead. Open from May through October, the highlight of the year is the annual Pioneer Farm Festival on the third Saturday in September, when over 30 pioneer skills are demonstrated.
Southern Iowa Fair-- In July the fairgrounds is the gathering place for one of the largest County Fairs in Iowa. During the Fair, the 4-H and FFA livestock shows and exhibits are exceptional. Here you will also find the largest antique farm machinery display in Iowa. For more information, call the Fair office. (641) 673-7004.
Nightlife in Iowa City. Visit the Definitive Iowa City Entertainment Guide online.
The annual Iowa Arts Festival features the state's best visual art, music, and food. Iowa City is also home to several community theaters, including Riverside Theatre's Shakespearean stage.
University of Iowa is recognized as one of the nation's top public universities, offering more than 100 areas of study for its 29,000 students. The institution's Writers' Workshop is internationally acclaimed, having fostered the creative talents of Ray Bradbury, Flannery O'Connor, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge - 8000 acres of tallgrass prairie and oak savanna, the native plant and animal communities. Located near Prairie City, Iowa on Highway 163 in Jasper County.
Fun Valley Ski area
-- Fun Valley is Located 2 1/2 miles
southwest of Montezuma just off Hwy.63. They are within 60 miles of Des
Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa, and Marshalltown.
Fourteen trails on 35 skiable acres are serviced by one triple chair,
two double chairs and one rope tow. Snowmaking covers 100 percent of the
terrain.
Fun Valley is a great place to learn to ski, with the majority of its trails
rated beginner or intermediate. Snowboarders will enjoy the half-pipe, and
lessons and rentals are available.
The Iowa Speedway, developed by the U.S. MotorSport Entertainment Corporation, is located on a 226 acre piece of land lying south of S. 24th Ave. E., immediately east of and adjoining the Newton Airport. Iowa Speedway is a 7/8 mile long paved oval motor racing track approximately 30 miles east of Des Moines.