Iowa Destination Guide

This Iowa destination guide is where you can find available luxury five star Iowa resorts, comfortable four star Iowa hotels, clean three star Iowa lodges, convenient two star Iowa inns, budget one star Iowa motels and the best vacations rentals in Iowa. This where you book a room and make hotel reservations at a place to stay and find information and tips on travel to Iowa. This getaway guide will help our readers find the perfect lodging accommodations in Iowa. Whether you are traveling with your family on a leisure holiday vacation or visiting for corporate business, our Iowa lodging guide will help you find a hotel room that suits your specific needs. Find travel books, travel gear, and event tickets, in IA.

Iowa is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the union on December 28, 1846. The official name of the state is State of Iowa, and the U.S. Post Office abbreviation for the state is IA. The first white settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. They primarily came as families from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Iowa became the 29th state in the union on December 28, 1846. The Chicago and Northwestern railroad reached Council Bluffs in 1867. Council Bluffs was designated the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific railroad. The completion of five major railroads across Iowa brough major economic changes as well as travel opportunities.

Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north, Nebraska and South Dakota on the west, Missouri on the south, and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east. The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. There are few natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa. In the northeast along the Mississippi River is a section of the Driftless Area, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers - a landscape not usually associated with this state. The point of lowest elevation (146 m) is Keokuk in southeast Iowa. The point of highest elevation (509 m) is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 335 m. Considering the size of the state (145,743 km˛), there is very little elevation difference.

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Iowa lies in the country's mid western section with the geography of the state predominately prairie. It can be separated into three regions: the western, central and eastern areas. The western region of Iowa is contained on the western side by the Missouri and Sioux Rivers. Sioux City lies in the northern region of western Iowa at the confluence of the Sioux and Missouri Rivers. Several state parks lie on the Iowa bank of this river/border. This region of the state is characterized by low lying Loess Hills and the river flood plain. The central region of Iowa contains the capital city, Des Moines and the intersection of Interstates 80 and 35.

Cities with Lodging Hotels in Iowa
Adair Altoona Ames Anamosa Ankeny Atlantic Bettendorf Brooklyn Burlington Carter Lake Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Chariton Charles City Clarinda Clear Lake	Clinton Clive Colfax Coralville Council Bluffs Creston Davenport Decorah Denison Des Moines Dewitt Dubuque Dyersville Eldridge Estherville	Fairfield Fort Dodge Fort Madison Grimes Grinnell Ida Grove Independence Iowa City Iowa Falls Johnston Keokuk Le Claire Le Mars Manchester Maquoketa	Marshalltown Mason City Mount Pleasant Mount Vernon Muscatine Newton Oelwein Oskaloosa Ottumwa Pella Pleasant Hill Red Oak Rock Valley Sheldon Shenandoah	Sioux City Storm Lake Story City Stuart Toledo Urbana Urbandale Walcott Walnut Washington Waterloo West Des Moines West Union Williams Williamsburg

Almost 95 per cent of Iowa’s gently undulating land is given over to agriculture, but dotted across the landscape are many scenic parks, lakes and recreation areas, such as EastOkoboji, West Okoboji (Iowa’s deepest natural lake), Spirit Lake and Clear Lake. Its rich cultural heritage can be seen in the German Amana Colonies, with their many historic sites and museums. The tulips of Pella reflect the town’s Dutch past and Des Moines, Iowa’s capital, was clearly named by French explorers. Des Moines has a great selection of amusements for children including the Science Center of Iowa, which transports visitors out of this world with impressive laser shows and simulated space shuttle flights.

Other sights in Des Moines are the State Historical Museum and Archives, Botanical Center, Des Moines Art Center and Jordan House in West Des Moines. The city also hosts a number of annual events such as the Iowa State Fair in August and a Jazz in July celebration, with free daily jazz concerts throughout the city. Just out of town, the community of Indianola is the setting for the National Balloon Museum, which holds the colourful National Balloon Classic in August.

Recreation opportunities in Iowa include camping, hiking, biking, hunting and fishing in the state parks. Birding, boating and viewing exhibits can be enjoyed at the states wildlife refuges, reservoirs and historic sites, respectively.