I flew in and out of CID during my most recent visit to Iowa. This trip involved seeing my 97…read moreyear-old Dad in Ames, a side trip to Des Moines, and then over to Iowa City for my semiannual University of Iowa Chemical Engineering Alumni Board meeting. Compared to flying in and out of DSM, I found the amount of required driving to be pretty even. CID is an impressive small-medium airport, with modern features and nice natural light. I counted 13-14 gates, which seemed more than enough to handle existing air traffic and future expansion. I didn't notice any Southwest movement, but I did see American, Delta, United, Allegient, and Frontier business. Who's left? JetBlue? Sun Country? Alaska? I also appreciated the easy walking distance and navigation between Check-In, Security, Gates, Baggage Claim, and the Rental Car Parking Lot. This is the Airport that DSM is probably modelling as they work through their own expansion and modernization plans. TIP: Check out the gift shop for the Iowa Hawkeye Tchotchkes, with a few Caitlin Clark items thrown in. CID is definitely Back in Black.

Flew out of CR for our flight to Florida this year. Parking is so easy and the lines in this…read moreairport are short. It may be a little pricier to fly out of here-but it is well worth it.

Ellis gold course I think it's the best public golf course in the Cedar Rapids area, Nice views,…read moregood greens, well maintained course. There is a few water hazards, and can be a challenge for the begineer.

First time at the park and my dog got attacked to the point she was bleeding and there's a gash on…read moreher back. This is right outside of the park, we just got out of the car. We Paid for the permit, read all the rules, waited patiently in the car for the training section, did everything by the book. My dogs not aggressive at all, they was excited to go and meet other dogs (I have two standard poodles a 3 year old and 1 year old). Then this old dude pulled up with his husky and mutt, he saw us getting out the car, my dogs was on leashed when he decided to let his aggressive dog out of the car off leashed and attack mine, drew blood! Caused a gash on her back. Incompetent, ignorant, irresponsible, illiterate human being caused pain to my dog! We will be back and I hope and pray I see him again so I can sue him for the damages he caused. I hope the city put that aggressive dog down before that dog cause serious injury! My dog now in shock and in pain. Sometimes it's not you, but other irresponsible people! Now we got a problem.

I looked up this dog park when I first I decided to move to the area and we immediately made it…read moreinto our personal backyard. It's a HUGE fenced in space, divided into three sections - training, small dogs, and general. Plenty of space to play together or branch off by yourself. There is a gravel path that goes around the entire play area where human parents usually just walk laps to keep up with their fur babies. I've noticed about as much forgotten/missed poops as I have at other parks, but the backdrop of this one is so soothing. It's tucked back in Squaw Creek Park by the driving range, surrounded by wild grass and a community garden plot. The park is maintained by CR Parks and K9COLA, which hosts small events at the parks every so often (Halloween treat hunts?!)

Cousin got married in the Whipple auditorium of the library yesterday, and the reception was at one…read moreof the conference rooms close by. Initial plans were to hold the ceremony up on the roof, but outdoor temperature and humidity, coupled with daily forecasts of thunderstorms, necessitated the change in plans. No worries, as they were all still able to get photos of the wedding party up on the roof and at other library locations. Since we were all here for rehearsal and wedding the two days I visited the library, I was not able to explore much, except for the Greyhound Deli & Cafe on the first floor, which was right underneath the conference room where the reception took place and the nearby Whipple auditorium, which were on the second floor. The space outside the conference room had tables, chairs, and couches and was designed so that you may look into the cafe's "courtyard" below. Oh, and I really enjoyed checking out the "green" roof and the porcelain patio furniture! Nice views of Pepsi's delivery areas... Hehe! All three levels are easily accessed by stairs and elevators. Would like to explore more on a return visit sometime in the future.

What a great place is the CR library - I stopped in when I had a few unexpected hours to study and…read moreafter spending a few hours here, all I can say is "Wow"! The parking situation is a bit cramped as the lot only houses ~ 30ish cars, but if you find a spot, you're gold. Upon walking in, I was impressed with how modern and open the place is. There are tons of windows letting plenty of light in and lot of fun lighting throughout. Whilst walking up the stairs, I noted the random illumination of the wall next to me- it's the little things! I didn't explore tons of different areas, but did find the computers upstairs as I'd left mine at home. The computer section had around 50 machines and with a photo ID, I was able to log on for a couple hours. Tons of study space as well, including a bunch of private study rooms upstairs. The children's area was quite extensive and something our little dudes would enjoy. The furniture in the kids area had a healthy dose of modern art mixed in and made me want to sit/play on it. Café downstairs had plenty to drink/eat and made for some good caffeinating. Cool factor - They have a video game check out section for multiple different systems. Take home message - Great place to work, study, read or learn. If we lived up here, we'd be here A LOT!

This is Jones Golf course and is either my second or third favorite golf course in the area prolly…read moresecond, they were out of business after the flood for a while but there are back at it, and the course is really nice. This used to be a 9 hole course but they have 18 holes of great golf. I'm not sure if there shop is back yet they had a little trailer they were running everything out of last year and I have yet been back this year but when I come home from traveling for work you will find me here!

So glad Jones is open. Played this weekend, beautiful, great course! Staff very helpful, beer so…read morecold you couldn't drink it, lol! GO PLAY JONES GC!

Nice newer library for the west side of Cedar Rapids to replace the old one at Westdale Mall…read more Well lit, user friendly, very convenient. Bike parking, EZ drive up to return books. Plenty of parking too.

There are only two study rooms here, unlike the downtown library. This one is a little quitter…read morethough, but it's an open floor plan so if anyone speaks or types too aggressively you can definitely hear them.

Old MacDonald's Farm is donation-based petting zoo is a good way to entertain young kids for 30…read moreminutes to an hour without spending much. With a suggested $1 donation per person, visitors can step into the goat and pig pens to feed, pet, and interact with the animals. Feed is available for just 25 cents per small handful. In the back area, you'll find ducks, with pictures identifying males and females. It operates seasonally, opening in early May and closing near the end of September, so be sure to check their website for current hours and information. When we first arrived, some animals, like the bunny, pigs, and goats, were asleep, but my son still enjoyed seeing and identifying them. Young kids (3-5 years olds) can also enjoy riding and racing small tractors. While the number of animals is limited, it's an affordable way to experience farm animals. Watching the ducks was my favorite part, while my son loved seeing the goats bump heads up close. It could use some updates in certain areas, but given its affordability, I'm grateful that the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department continues to run the petting zoo. I hope it remains accessible to visitors for years to come.

We LOVE this place. Perfect for toddlers. It's pretty small and not a lot to see. But if you have…read morevery young kids who want to walk around and try their mini tractor/tricycles and pet a chicken... it's just perfect. It's right next to (or part of?) a large pond area with ducks and a walking path.

I went on a date with my boyfriend to visit the National Czech and Slovak Museum. Staff at the…read morefront desk was very friendly and helpful about the exhibit. It turned out to be a really neat exhibit, with lots of interesting information provided everywhere you turned. I liked seeing the rotating mannequins displaying the different outfits worn by the Czech and Slovak people. I also liked reading about their different foods associated with their culture. We both enjoyed our time there very much! The gift shop at the end of the exhibit was filled with all sorts of neat traditional items of the Czech and Slovak culture. All Very Cool! I definitely recommend for everyone to visit this museum at least once in your life!

I'm definitely glad I had the chance to visit the National Czech and Slovak Museum. However, it…read morewas a lot smaller exhibit-wise than it appeared on the outside which might be worth noting. Underground parking garage kind of seemed to be closed when we pulled up, but it is not - just don't be shy about pulling your vehicle right up to the door! The nearby Czech Village is a fun artsy neighborhood worth your time as well.