Siouxland Families

The Okoboji area or "Iowa's Great Lakes" region is one of Iowa's most beloved vacation destinations, and it's easy to see why. There's fun in the water and on shore, great food and drink, cute boutique shopping, and attractions like museums, nature centers, and Arnolds Park amusement park. And while there are plenty of opportunities at Boji for 21+ fun if that's what you're seeking, there's also tons of options for family-friendly fun. I headed to Spirit Lake recently to visit some family and see the beautiful area, and we had so much fun! I also did some research online and got some helpful info from Vacation Okoboji. So, based on all of that, while its way too big of a topic to fully cover in a single post, here's my quick guide to things to do with kids in the Okoboji area: What are the Iowa Great Lakes? Terrace Park Beach The "Iowa Great Lakes" area consists of several lakes that are mostly interconnected and all very near to each...

Amazing Iowa shares a fascinating look at Iowa fact you may not know, highlighting interesting people and places from across our great state. I'm a huge fan of local history so as soon as I heard about this new book  Amazing Iowa , I knew I needed to read it! Now that I have, I'm excited to tell you all about it and why you might love it too. Thank you to Reedy Press for sending me a review copy so that I could write this book review of Amazing Iowa! *Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, which doesn't change your price, but means I get a tiny chunk of Amazon's profits if you choose to buy through one-thanks!! Links to Reedy Press and Book People are not affiliate links but I love supporting them too!)     Who wrote and published Amazing Iowa ? Amazing Iowa was written by Michelle Sprout Murray, an Iowa writer who is also an owner of Birdsall's Ice Cream in Mason City. You can read more about Murray and her writing on  her Substack . Amazing Iow...

Nestled just to the northwest of Des Moines, in Altoona, Iowa, you'll find a wonderland of roller coasters and waterslides, known as Adventureland. Adventureland is Iowa's only theme park and is all about grand adventure, from cowboys to pirates to biplanes. Here's what families should know about visiting Adventureland, including firsthand perspective I gained during a trip to Adventureland in 2018 with complimentary passes courtesy of Catch Des Moines . We had a blast and learned a lot! This post has also now been updated to reflect an additional visit to Adventureland, additional research, and new updates and changes for the 2025 season: Where is Adventureland? Adventureland Park is located at 3200 Adventureland Drive, Altoona, Iowa, just minutes from downtown Des Moines. From Sioux City, it's about a 3-hour drive to Adventureland. There is ample parking at Adventureland, and it is $21 per car and $26 for vehicles that require multiple spaces, so carpool wisely! ...

Who doesn't love FREE fun? I sure do, and I'm excited to share with you some of the great ideas I've found for free fun in Siouxland. This post is going to exclusively share free fun in Siouxland outside of Sioux City itself, and I'll be sure to update as I find new attractions that should have a place on this list. Check out  my guide to free fun in Sioux City, Iowa to find even more ideas for free Siouxland fun.   Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve North Sioux City, SD Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve is a day-use South Dakota State Park with free entrance, beautiful trails, historic buildings you can go in, farm animals to visit, and an imaginative playground. And kids love the visitors center, with tons of play space including a toy boat they can climb in, and a pioneer cabin play area with tons of toy food. My kids could spend hours there (and have!) We really are so lucky to have this in Siouxland.  For more information, check out my full guide t...

President-elect Donald Trump made an announcement with huge implications for Iowa! In 2026, the United States of America will be celebrating its 250th birthday, and President-elect Trump plans to make it an epic party.  A video of President-elect Trump from Memorial Day 2023 shares one specific part of his plan: the "Great American State Fair" which President-elect Trump suggested could consist of pavilions representing each state in the nation, in coordination with the 50 governors. He also mentioned sporting events for high schoolers from around the nation as part of this event, which he called "Patriot Games." And the part that may excite Iowans most is the intended location:  The Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa! I've posted before about how much I love  visiting the Iowa State Fair  with my family and so I can definitely see why President-elect Trump proposed the fairgrounds as a venue. Plus, the event itself sounds really fun, so I'm excited...

From the funnel cake and pork tenderloins to adorable live animals, sack races, monster truck races, talent shows, and professional live music, to the glory and defeat from entering competitions, county fairs are one of the best parts of late summer around Siouxland! *2025 update currently in progress!* If you live in Sioux City, our county fair, the Woodbury County will be July 30th through August 3rd, 2025 in Moville, Iowa. You can find more info in my Woodbury County Fair post.  But there are tons of great fairs in the area, and while some restrict competition entries to residents of their own county, all of them are fun to attend no matter where you live! Here's the scoop on as many other nearby county fairs as I could find details for, divided by state and then put in alphabetical order. This post will be updated frequently throughout the summer as more details become available. If you are affiliated with a county fair and have info to share, please e-mail me so I can ...

The State Historical Museum of Iowa in Des Moines is now reopened after an extensive multi year renovation, and families will love what it offers! Here's what you should know about the State Historical Museum of Iowa What is the State Historical Museum of Iowa? The State Historical Museum of Iowa is a history museum run by the State Historical Society of Iowa which focuses on telling the stories of the people and places of Iowa from prehistoric times to modernity. The museum is free and open to the public and beginning October 14th, 2023, it's open from 9am to 4:30pm on Monday through Friday and from 9am to 3pm on Saturday.   Where is the State Historical Museum of Iowa? The State Historical Museum of Iowa is located in the State Historical Building of Iowa at 600 East Locust Street in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. There is metered street parking nearby, or there is free parking in the parking garage at Pennsylvania Avenue and Gran...

I'm so excited to tell you about Erin Huiatt's new book, 100 Things to do in Des Moines Before You Die which she sent me a free copy of for review purposes. This book is in the same series as my Siouxland travel guide, 100 Things to do in Sioux City and Siouxland Before You Die and 100 Things to do in Iowa Before You Die by Sara Broers. and I'm a huge fan of this series, which is why I wanted to write for it in the first place! Anyway, a big part of why I love this series is that our publisher, Reedy Press, does not just have a professional writer on their staff churn out travel guides about places they haven't been based on internet search results that may or may not still be accurate. Instead, they rely on local experts to write about their own areas and share the big attractions and the great little places that everyone should know about. Who wrote 100 Things to do in Des Moines Before You Die ? Erin Huiatt is the author of and she is the best...