After looking through this forum I%26#39;ve started to put together an itinerary for a summer trip to Chicago and Iowa. This will be our first visit to the Midwest. We will be driving to Dubuque to visit a relative. Our interests are art, architecture, culture, and food, food, food. Have I missed something else I should see near Dubuque or on the way to Chicago? I%26#39;ll post this in the Chicago forum too. Thanks in advance.
Tuesday 6/23/2009
Southwest to Chicago Midway.
Hotel in Oak Park.
Wednesday 6/24/2009
Oak Park. Architecture tour.
Thursday 6/25/2009
Drive to Dubuque. Stop in Galina on the way.
Friday 6/26/2009
Dubuque.
National Mississippi River Museum.
Saturday 6/27/2009
Amana Colonies.
Amana B%26amp;B. German food!
Sunday 6/28/2009 – Friday 7/3/2009
Chicago Elderhostel
Saturday 7/4/2009
Chicago – Taste of Chicago
Sunday 7/5/2009 - Tuesday 7/7/2009
Amtrak California Zephyr Chicago to Emeryville
Chicago to Iowa Itinerary feedback please
This sounds like an excellent trip. I hope you enjoy the Mississippi Aquarium as much as I did. Dubuque is an interesting old town. I enjoy driving through on highway 52 just to look at the old brick buildings.
You will see the shot tower.
www.cityofdubuque.org/index.aspx?NID=712
Unique to Iowa and maybe the United States is the Fenelon Place Elevator or incline railway. Take your camera and ride to the top.
http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/
On your way to the Amanas you can detour off US 151 to Stone City, Grant Wood%26#39;s old hang out:
http://webs.cedar-rapids.net/kwradio/
You are probably not interested in the longer detour for baseball movie fans to the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville. http://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/
Dyersville also has the Ertl die cast toy factory outlet. See what is left after they moved their manufacturing to Mexico: ertltoys.com/brand/…outlet_store.shtml
I can not guess whether the National Czech %26amp; Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids will have recovered from their flooding in time for your trip. http://www.ncsml.org/
The train trip sounds fantastic. Have a great trip!
Chicago to Iowa Itinerary feedback please
Thanks for the great suggestions and excellent weblinks. The shot tower looks especially interesting. I%26#39;ve never even known that such a thing existed.
You will likely take Rt 151 from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids. I suggest taking Rt 61 south out of Dubuque to Maquoketa and then Hwy 64 towards Anamosa where you can continue either to Cedar Rapids via Rt. 151 or, as suggested, to Stone City. Hwy 64 is also the Grant Wood Scenic Highway and a beautiful drive through rolling farmland from which Grant Wood drew inspiration. It%26#39;s worth the extra mileage. If you venture into Stone City be sure to have lunch or dinner in the General Store Pub located right on the Wapsipinicon (Wapsi) River.
It%26#39;s been a few years since I%26#39;ve stayed in Dubuque, but here are some tips:
Mississippi River Museum - great choice! You%26#39;ll love it. It%26#39;s smaller than a big city museum, but packed with a lot of high-quality exhibits and aquariums that anyone of any age will really enjoy.
If the weather is nice and you just want to relax outdoors, visit Julien Dubuque%26#39;s monument in the Mines of Spain or the large koi pond at the Dubuque Arboretum.
Both of these restaurants are on Main St., within walking distance of the river museum:
The Pepper Sprout is a lovely place with great atmosphere and fantastic seasonal menu. Expect to pay at least $22 a plate for dinner, not including drinks.
Cafe Manna Java has great gourmet pizzas and breads, hot out of their wood-fired oven. Great for a casual If the weather is nice and you just want to relax outdoors, visit Julien Dubuque%26#39;s monument in the Mines of Spain or the large koi pond at the Dubuque Arboretum.
Galena is a beautiful town. It%26#39;s a little touristy, but still worth your time. Expect to walk! You won%26#39;t want to move your car once you find a parking spot, although being there on a Thursday should help.
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