Flower Power in Iowa

I've lived in Iowa virtually my entire life and have been involved in Iowa's tourism industry for almost 15 years (gasp!), but I am still amazed by what the state offers. Every year I add to my wish list of places to visit.

For instance, did you know there was a place where someone plants and tends to flowers, but you can come pick them? How incredible is that? At Miss Effie's Country Garden and Garden Stuff in Donahue, you can take your pick of more than 8,000 annuals.The flowers change with the seasons, of course, so you'll want to go more than once. Love it!

Also on my list is the Loess Hills Lavender Farm near Missouri Valley. Yes, a lavender farm in Iowa. I'm enamored by the idea of smelling two acres of lavender fields.For centuries lavender has been used to dress wounds, as perfume, and used for a sense of calm and balance. A gift shop on site offers many lavender products made right there on the farm. I sense a girls outing in store this summer.

While I have been to Reiman Gardens in Ames before, it's on my list to visit this year because of its special LEGO exhibit. I have not one, but two, LEGOmaniacs in my house so this will be perfect. The 14-acre garden includes 27 sculptures made out of more than 500,000 LEGO bricks in 14 displays inspired by gardens and nature. They range in size from six inches to nearly eight feet. The largest sculpture, a mother bison, took 45,143 bricks to construct. Reiman Gardens is the first public garden in the country to display sculptures from LEGO bricks.The exhibit is titled "Nature Connects" and is designed to show how nature in interconnected, just like the LEGO bricks used to build it.  The exhibit runs through October 28.

Taken great shots of Iowa's flower power? We'd love to see them. Tag and share your #IowaSnapshots on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Want more suggestions on gardens to visit? Check out our Flower Power Pinterest board.

Jessica O'Riley, Iowa Tourism Office

Spring Into an Iowa Getaway

Pella's Tulip Time officially kicks off today, and, yes, my favorite flower did spring early this year, but don't let that stop you from visiting this fantastic three-day festival (May 3-5). 

You must visit the Historical Village and Vermeer Mill. The mill is the largest working windmill in the country. You can't miss it; it's enormous! Inside are many interesting treasures. My daughter still talks about the miniature village every time she hears "Pella." The twice daily parades are unmatched by any parades I've seen. Live music and street scrubbing are all part of the fun, but the unique floats really tell the story of this Dutch community.

I love food, so no visit to Pella is complete without a stop at one of their delicious bakeries. If you don't know what a Dutch letter is, it doesn't matter, you should try one. Or try any of the other sweet treats and traditional Dutch cuisine like vet bollen (deep fried dough with apple current and raisins); poffertjies (miniature Dutch pancakes); stroopwaffle; Pella bologna; Dutch letters (pastries with almond paste filling); Dutch Sinterklaas Koekjes (Santa Claus cookies); Dutch cocoa and much more.

As I write this, I can picture my little girl standing in gigantic wooden shoes on the town square and smiling big for the camera. Tulips or not, it's one festival that will always bring a smile to my face.

Want to see more in the area? Check out these nearby destinations:

• Cordova Park Observation Tower, Pella - Climb this 106-foot converted water tower for unparalleled views of the Des Moines River Valley and Lake Red Rock.
• Peace Tree Brewing, Knoxville - Enjoy handcrafted, full-flavored beers produced by passionate brewers.
• National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Knoxville - Visit the world's only museum dedicated to preserving the history of "big car" and sprint car racing.
• Tassel Ridge Winery, Leighton - Sample award-winning wines from dry to sweet at this family-owned winery.
• Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Prairie City - See wildlife, native flowers and grasses, buffalo and elk along auto tour and foot trails. (Read previous blog post.)

Colleen Murphy, Iowa Tourism Office

Seals and Sea Lions Make a Splash at Blank Park Zoo

It’s no secret, to those who know me, that I love the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. The intimate exhibits allow visitors to get an up close look at animals, help you learn about where they are from in the world, and are placed snuggly together so my children can bound from one to the next and stay in my sight.

We recently got a glimpse of Blank Park Zoo’s all new Seal and Sea Lion Pool. This is a fantastic exhibit! The new pool allows for visitors to see the seals and sea lions swimming in the crystal clear water from above and provides under water viewing which my kids couldn’t get enough of, and honestly neither could I.

It’s larger than it was before and offers a wide variety of places to enjoy the exhibit. Twice a day the Zoo has training demonstrations where they work with the seals and sea lions to do a variety of tasks while they “work” for their food. Although entertaining for visitors, this actually provides great assistance to veterinarians. Through training, these marine mammals can present a flipper for examination, open wide for a dental check and even hop on a scale.

Last summer the Zoo opened an Australian Adventure and work has already begun rebuilding and expanding their African experience. In the meantime, visitors can also enjoy a special Ice Age exhibit showcasing animals of a different era.

I’m looking forward to all the new things to come, but have to admit we love to hang out at the lion exhibit. What’s your favorite animal to see at the Zoo?

Colleen Murphy, Iowa Tourism Office

Goose bumps and chills in Villisca

I left the murder scene haunted. The days following my visit, images of the bedrooms, the covered mirrors, the attic and the gravesites kept surfacing in my mind. My perception of the mass murder vaulted from an Iowa legend to the grotesque reality of eight innocent victims that were bashed and slaughtered by an axe during the night, and according to some, left behind paranormal activity.

The scene is the quiet little town of Villisca in the southwest corner of Iowa. The story has been featured on at least two television shows Ghost Adventures (Travel Channel) and Ghost Lab (Discovery Channel). It was because of these shows that my daughter, home on college spring break, wanted to experience The Villisca Ax Murder House first hand. I was game for a daytime visit – only daytime. That is how our adventure began.

But a bit of history first. Nearly one hundred years ago, June 10, 1912, the Josiah & Sarah Moore family, along with two neighbor girls were killed by an ax murderer during the night. The evening prior, while the family and neighbor children attended church activities, young Katherine Moore invited her friends Ina and Lena to spend the night. The next morning Mary Peckham a neighbor, noticed that the curtains were drawn and there was no activity at the house. She found the house locked so she contacted Josiah Moore’s brother. He was able to enter the home and discovered the massacre. Word spread quickly through the town and, before officials could secure the crime scene, dozens of town folks had walked through the house contaminating any clues to solve the crime. The mystery is still unsolved, though many speculations remain.

During the guided tour we drove past the victim’s church, where they had spent the evening prior to the murders, then to the cemetery and visited the grave sites. Our docent, Kristi Peamer, led us to the Stillinger’s first, where Ina (8) and Lena (11) were put to rest. Their mother Edith, pregnant at the time of their murders, was so overcome by grief she lost her pregnancy, a baby boy, a few weeks later; he is buried beside his sisters. Just a few steps away, the Moore family was buried. Laying there were Josiah (43) and Sarah Moore (39), and their four children, Katherine (10), Herman (11), Boyd (7) and Paul (5).

Back at the house, our tour guide, John Houser, was waiting and ready to share stories about the murder and subsequent paranormal activity. Emotionally, I was doing okay, still fairly skeptical when he starting sharing stories in the third person, stories about other people’s experiences in the house. But when he started sharing his own experiences in the house, the voices he has heard and seeing doors that had been slammed shut , John’s first hand stories gave me the goose bumps and triggered the chills down my spine.


Pausing on his stories, John encouraged us to explore the house on our own. Walking through the rooms was a time warp back to 1912. The mirrors were covered and the kerosene lamp chimneys were missing, just how they were found after the murders. While the bodies were long gone, the blood stains scoured clean and gouges from the axe handle hitting the ceiling were covered, I felt like I was back in time, like a family member could walk in at anytime, almost. Thankfully, the other tourists dressed in modern attire kept me tethered to 2012. I don’t think you’ll see me wandering through the house all by myself even in broad daylight.

The curators placed framed documentation about the victims in each room, which causes one to stop and reflect. This is real, very real. Eight people died here, may they rest in peace.


If you believe in the paranormal or not, a visit to The Villisca Axe Murder House is one you will remember and will probably haunt you for days to come. It did me.
 
LuAnn Reinders, Iowa Tourism Office

Alfresco RV Adventure: A Fresh Look at Des Moines

Though the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Tournament has Iowa hitting headlines as of late, you don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate this Midwest state’s winning character. Many travelers elect to head to the capital city for its liberal outdoor offerings, from estate gardens and wineries to campgrounds and arboretums. So if you're looking for a fresh place to give your family a bit of alfresco adventure, consider Des Moines. Here are some of the hot spots that help this cool city -- which sits at the heart of the state where Interstates 80 and 35 intersect -- win the vote for one of the country's best RV vacation destinations.

Camping: RV parks and campgrounds are well represented throughout the Des Moines area, so choosing your favorite shouldn't be difficult. The wooded sites at Polk County Conservation's Yellow Banks Park, overlooking the Des Moines River from a high bluff, are top contenders if you want a rural feeling close to the city. For those in need of some family fun, Adventureland Amusement Park (just outside the capital in Altoona) also provides full-service hookups, recreational areas, and swimming seasonally.


Photo courtesy of the Greater Des Moines
Convention and Visitors Bureau.


Arts: Held on the State Capitol steps since 1947, Music Under the Stars has been instrumental in bringing classical, jazz, and chamber music to the masses. Or raise the tempo on Friday nights with hot local bands at Rendezvous on Riverview. Both series are free, family-friendly, and fabulous.

A couple miles west of the Capitol on Grand Avenue, you'll find the John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, filled with contemporary works by some of the world's most revered artists. This 4.4-acre urban green space is an ideal space to stretch your legs after a long drive.

Nature: You won't find elephants or donkeys at the Blank Park Zoo, but you will find nearly 104 other types of animals, including red pandas, snow leopards, Magellan penguins, and hissing cockroaches. In the warmer months, you'll also discover plenty of demonstrations and even have the chance to ride a camel and feed the giraffes.

Prefer flora to fauna? Head to the Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center to dig into 15,000 exotic plants, an interactive display greenhouse, a tropical conservatory, and formal outdoor gardens.

Sports: The nearby city of Indianola hosts the annual National Balloon Classic at the end of each July. This colorful festival is filled with rides, competitions, and plenty of high-flying entertainment.

Looking to go a bit faster than the wind can carry you? Step on the gas and head east on I-80 to Newton, home to the Rusty Wallace-designed Iowa Speedway. (You can also witness live horse racing just outside the capital at Prairie Meadows Racetrack.)

Food: Eating well can be just the ticket to a fulfilling getaway, so be sure to stop into the Downtown Farmers Market, which has a generous platform of fresh fruit, veggies, herbs, flowers, meats, and cheeses from local purveyors. (Ostrich, anyone?)

Then drink in the lush hills and rich flavors of St. Charles, situated slightly south of Des Moines, on the patio at the Madison County Winery and Twisted Vine Brewery.

Joe Laing, El Monte RV Rentals

(Joe is the marketing director for El Monte RV Rentals. You can see more RV vacation ideas in their Monty's Musings RV Travel Blog and check out RV Camping Pictures.)

Feeling lucky? Enter Dinner and Drafts Contest Today

In the last year I have learned a lot about beer. If you think all beer tastes the same, think again. Iowa’s craft beer industry is growing quickly. There are currently 25 breweries serving up a wide variety of lagers and ales. The passionate brewmasters enjoy teaching consumers about the art of beer. They make you excited to try something new, and make you proud of your flavor of choice.

If you haven’t tapped (pun intended) into the craft beer industry yet, the Dinner and Drafts contest could help you try something new for free! In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the Iowa Wine and Beer Promotion Board is giving away a $50 gift card to the Iowa Craft Brewery of your choice. To help you find the breweries, they are are also giving away an iPad2. You can use the Iowa Wine and Beer app for turn by turn directions to Iowa’s breweries (and wineries). And, because everyone needs a bite to eat, the prize package also includes a $50 gift card to the Dine Iowa restaurant of your choice.

Enter by visiting http://www.traveliowa.com/. The winner will be announced on March 17 at 3:17 pm (CST) on www.facebook.com/IAWineandBeer. Will the luck of the Irish be with you?

Colleen Murphy, Iowa Tourism Office

Random Photo of the Week: Balltown, Iowa

Several years ago I found my favorite urinal-wall art of all time: a little pen-drawn map of Iowa, its full squat shape for all to see, with the simple block lettering: 'IOWA.' Next to it someone had scrawled, with an arrow, 'Idiots Out Walking Around.' Wish I had taken a photo.

I did take a photo outside Dubuque, Iowa, of a portrait of Iowa's overlooked Mississippi River valley landscape at Balltown, a high up village with a legendary chicken shack. Apparently this painting was made, in exchange for a meal or two, by 'traveling gypsies' half a century ago -- then lost under wallpaper. It was rediscovered shortly before my visit in 2001, while updating Lonely Planet's USA guide.

Bite your way into burger bliss!

According to Midwest Living, Iowa's best burgers can be found at Christy Creme in Council Bluffs and Django in Des Moines. They gave an honorable mention to the The Rusty Duck in Dexter. The Iowa Cattleman's Association says Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids serves up the best burger.

I think we can all agree that nothing says summer quite like a burger. We get asked all the time, “where is the best burger in Iowa?” Well…we don’t think it’s fair to pick just one. We asked our Facebook and Twitter community, so here it is - your favorite burgers in Iowa (in no particular order):

 • Taylor’s Maid-Rite, Marshalltown

• Starlite Room Tavern, Cedar Rapids

• Drake Diner, Des Moines

• Short's Burger & Shine, Iowa City

• The Ritz, Okoboji

• The General Store Pub, Anamosa

• Blue Mountain Smokehouse Grille, Orange City

• Rastrelli's Restaurant, Clinton
• The Café, Ames

• Zombie Burger, Des Moines

• The Townhouse Lounge, Nashua

• Shelby Lodge, Shelby
• The Irish Shanti, Gunder
• Dam Bar and Grill, Troy Mills
• JB’s Bar and Grill, Marcus
• Tartine, West Des Moines 
• Goldie's, Prairie City


Take a bite out of one or more of Iowa’s best burgers and other delicious foods this summer!
Not a burger fan? Check out our previous posts about Iowa’s best tenderloin or the best pizza places in Iowa and be sure to leave us other recommendations if you have them!

Brooke Miller, Iowa Tourism Office