Okoboji with kids

Before we had kids, my husband and I spent many lazy summer weekends in Okoboji relaxing on boats or by the pool and long afternoons at some of our favorite watering holes. Looking back, we sat down a lot. Since having kids (they are 5 and nearly 2), we still enjoy visiting Iowa’s Great Lakes, but with a lot less sitting and more action.

One of our first stops is always Arnolds Park. This old-school amusement park offers rides, games, concessions, and their wooden roller coaster ranks as one of the top 10 wooden roller coasters in the country. My 5-year-old daughter loves seeing West Lake Okoboji from the top of the Ferris wheel.

We often visit the Treasure Village Theater to see the production of some classic children’s stories. It’s a nice length for little kids. They also offer face painting and a mini golf course that is made just for kids. It is easy enough that my daughter got a hole in one.

Swimming ranks high on my kids' list of favorite activities and there is certainly no shortage of places to swim in Okoboji. From nice beaches to the indoor waterpark at Bridges Bay Resort, we have tried them all and all were well received.

My daughter and I also took some time to go a little shopping. We spent over an hour in the Barn Swallow, a unique gift shop full of everything from books and shirts to decorations for the house. They also have plenty of stuff upstairs for little girls.

There are plenty of things for older kids to do as well, and I am looking forward to the many adventures that we have coming our way.

What's your favorite spot in Okoboji?

Colleen Murphy, Iowa Tourism Office

Make your Memorial Day memorable

Every year, veterans from across the country make a pilgrimage to the Freedom Rock over Memorial Day weekend and you can, too. To honor veterans, Ray “Bubba” Sorenson has painted a different war veteran’s tribute on the same huge rock every year since 1999. Sorenson paints the rock as a way to give back to our veterans, and as a reminder that “Memorial Day isn’t just a three-day weekend.”

Our family visited Freedom Rock over a Memorial Day weekend once. I anticipated stopping at the rock, glancing at the painting, hopping back into the van and heading home. What I didn’t anticipate was being truly humbled by the presence of veterans of several U.S. combats, and seeing first hand how honored veterans feel about the painting.

When we stepped out of the van, we heard motorcycles, lots of loud motorcycles. We looked towards the road and witnessed a caravan of at least 50 (and probably more) motorcycles with Vietnam Veterans pulling up to the parking lot. We watched as they lined up, dismounted their bikes and then quietly visited Freedom Rock. I realized in awe that the paintings on the Freedom Rock have an incredible power to help ease the pain of so many veterans. The sincere tribute of “Bubba” isn’t just about the art, but understanding the sacrifices our veterans have made for our country and how honored they are by the paintings.

The Freedom Rock is located south of I-80 on Hwy. 25 near Greenfield. Check out photos from previous years.

Want some other Memorial Day weekend ideas? Check out these events:

 

• Celebrate John Wayne’s birthday May 25 – 26 in Winterset.
• The North Liberty Blues & BBQ - named the Attraction of the Year by the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – is slated for Saturday, May 26, and is free to the public. 
• The first ever Bicycle Festival will take place in Jefferson on Saturday, May 26, and feature bicycle education, fashion, art and food. 
• Tivoli Fest is a Danish-American celebration held in Elk Horn May 26 – 27. Experience Danish history, hospitality and, of course, food. 
• Remember the War of 1812 at Old Fort Madison’s Bicentennial Memorial Dedication in Fort Madison. A re-enactment, memorial and interpretive sign dedication will be featured from May 26 – 28.

 

LuAnn Reinders, Iowa Tourism Office

You’ll be swept up in an Iowa adventure!

Channel your inner flying squirrel near Dubuque at historic Union Park. Sky Tours features seven ziplines that soar above treetops and ridges. The unique history and natural beauty of this century-old park combine to make for a fascinating tour as you hike from one zipline to the next. But you’ll forget all that when you strap in and step off the 45-foot tower into thin air! (Check out coverage of the course via Iowa Public Television’s Iowa Outdoors.)

Spelunkers rejoice! The famous caves of Maquoketa Caves State Park are open again. When you visit, you’ll learn about our friends the bats and how to protect them. Enjoy caves, limestone formations and rugged bluffs – visit the interpretive center to learn more about the caves. Come for a day trip or pitch a tent in wooded campground.

Iowa’s oldest state park, Backbone State Park near Strawberry Point, is named for the rugged bedrock formation that twists and turns through the area. Rock climbers enjoy steep bluffs; boaters enjoy the lazy Maquoketa River. Bring your banjo and jam at the Backbone Bluegrass Festival in late July.

Try your hand at whitewater rafting without traveling to the Rockies. It’s just a short trip to the Charles City WhiteWater at Riverfront Park, where the Cedar River flows through the middle of town and provides exciting recreation for paddlers and tubers of any experience level. Be sure to mark your calendars for the first annual Charles City Challenge: WhiteWater Weekend June 15-17, and see stand-up paddling make a splash!

One of Iowa’s longest trails, the Wabash Trace Nature Trail stretches more than 62 miles through southwest Iowa on a converted railroad bed. An annual trail pass will grant you unlimited access to this multi-use trail – see bikers, hikers, even horseback riders enjoying Iowa’s wide-open scenery and friendly little towns. Ask locally about the Taco Ride… we dare you.

Can you ride a mountain bike without a mountain? Of course! Hundreds of mountain bikers will gather June 22-24, 2012, at Scott County Park in eastern Iowa for the 2012 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival.

Look for more ideas to paddle, bike, run and swim across Iowa at http://www.traveliowa.com/.



Kathy Bowermaster, Iowa Tourism Office