Top 8 Iowa Towns to Visit for a Summer Getaway in 2025
y a steel guitar sculpture — which sits just outside town. Clear Lake also marks the spot where the Rock’n’Roll Revival stylistically updated Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens tunes in the mid-1970s.
Cedar Falls
An industrial living history farm in Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA.
Boasting a lively Main Street with cute shops and standout restaurants, Cedar Falls makes an attractive summer destination. The town hosts annual events like Sturgis Falls Days in early June, drawing thousands for live music and a parade, farmers’ markets, and food truck rodeos, making for a blast in warm weather. The reasonably priced Else event center in town, offered year-round, can host weddings with up to 200 guests. Regulars and visitors can connect with hands-on history at the Cedar Falls Historical Society Museum and Stony Point Barn, a former dairy barn turned winter farmers’ market.
Elkader
The bridge over the Turkey River in Elkader, Iowa.
Elkader, with a history grounded in the food co-op movement, offers summer diversions both inside and out. The picturesque town has access to the Turkey River and its bathhouse, a popular summer haven. In a few minutes’ drive, you will reach the Turkey River Mallard Bend Co-op Nature Trail. The town has a food co-op named after its riverside neighbors, functioning from the ground up with hot and cold selections for takeaway. The setting — in a former gas station — adds a hip factor to Elkader’s impressive food scene for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
Mount Vernon
A church in Mount Vernon, Iowa.
Eastern Iowa’s Mount Vernon offers fun on the edge of town and a dose of college-town culture not far from Cedar Rapids. The town’s beautiful natural setting, with a clear sight of the stars and unblemished views of surrounding treetops and limestone bluffs, provides an unbeatable backdrop to summer fun. On the town’s main street, you can find the Iron Leaf, welcoming visitors for coffee and laps around a small commons. Another fun spot is the Palisades-Kepler State Park, a 20-minute drive, where you can picnic by the Cedar River and take guided hikes along its well-worn paths. The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun features the news within Mount Vernon and nearby Lisbon, keeping readers informed about arts, culture, sports and the goings-on in two of Iowa’s most charming small towns.
Algona
A McDonald’s in Algona, Iowa, in 2017.
The town of Algona, in northern Iowa, takes pride in its rich history as a vital stop on the Underground Railroad. Also known as The Home of Good Cheer, Algona welcomes summer with events like the Crow Creek County Park’s Cedarfest in June with fishing and camping at a 70-acre reservoir. The Reunion Brewery, a popular spot with local patrons, lies just a block north of State Street and offers mini-golf on Friday nights, an inviting weekend wind-down.
Elk Horn
Danes Standish and Laureen Young Standish of Elk Horn Theater perform at the stage in Elk Horn, Iowa.
Elk Horn, deriving its name from its founders’ Danish ancestry, merges an Old-World Danish vibe with modern buzz. Home to the Museum of Danish America, the town has a reputation for celebrating its Scandinavian heritage. Just a drive away, Elk Horn’s Danish Windmill offers a glimpse into Iowa’s Danish history and the flavor of a traditional Danish meal. This summer, the town will feature a Danish Day event with flag ceremonies, a national anthem, and folk dances – adding to Elk Horn’s unmissable flavor of the old country in the sun of the new century.
Want to discover the quieter side of Iowa beyond the sprawling cornfields and long rural highways? These towns, with their distinctive personalities and attractions, offer a mix of relaxation, culture, history, and fun for your summer explorations. Visit and experience the unique charm of these under-the-radar Iowa treasures this year.