A very helpful place to go to get ideas as to what to do in the Amana Colonies area. In Amana…read moreitself though the person that helped pointed out that the brewery is the one of the best places to go. Agreed. You can also get tips for events going on in Amana as well. Most of the town is sleepy and rolls up its sidewalks very early... earlier than most. The shops are nice as well as the restaurants. Some things I did notice though is much of the people that work in the shops and restaurants are women and the men seem to be notably absent. Some of the stores you won't even be addressed until you go up to the staff and tell them you are ready to buy something. Even in one store a older woman acted like her 'Stepford Wives' attitude was wearing thin and was pissed off about it. I bought what I wanted from her and before the purchase was complete she asked me if there was anything else she could do for me. I said no but almost as soon as the sale was complete I saw the wine tasting that you could sample from various wine at the counters and asked if I could try some. She said yes and added' That is why I said if there was anything else I could get for you'. Just something I noticed while in Amana and something that the Chamber of Commerce will not add about how some of the clerks you may deal with may seem just a bit off in a relatively friendly town besides that.

Another in the incredible list of family friendly and hilarious things to do up the Amana Colonies…read more Winterfest comes once a year, generally at the end of January and is a chance to come celebrate the cold with both warm beverages and delicious chili! In standard a man of fashion the businesses coordinate the day and have festival type activities 4 people. The highlights of this year, 2016, where the marshmallow and pretzel chocolate dipping that occurred at the chocolate haus, the wine and beer walk, at the end of which you received a delightful glass, and the ever famous ham put - the Amana rendition of the shot put with a frozen Christmas ham. In addition, the firefighters of the Amana Colonies hold a fundraiser where they make chili and sell it in some delightful mugs for $10. The mugs are seriously awesome, and are definitely meant for eating out of, rather than sipping a beverage. Something that was particularly cool, and that we would consider if we want moving in the near future, would be purchasing the 12 years set of mugs for 100 bucks. The chili was quite tasty and particularly good as it was about 25 degrees outside. Another unexpected highlight of the time here was our discovery of wine infused hot chocolate from one of the wine and cheese places in the village. It was absolutely incredible! It was something like a half cup of wine - 4 cups of milk and add any hot chocolate that we desired. It was really, really good and something will be trying at home. Other things to see included the slap shot of a pork chop, ice carving with a chainsaw, and our kids favorite activity, playing with marbles and the small wooden ramps in the information house. As is generally the case, this is a great place to go and spend a few hours with the family or just with friends. You'll find something you didn't know you liked, and probably have a good reason to come back next year! Well played Amana Colonies, well played.

Compared to the Iowa City public library, this place stands out. First of all they offer free…read moreprinting for anyone whose household doesn't have a printer and I our paperless world. you can print 10 pages a day for free with the library card. The library is new, nice, clean and organized. What really stood out was that they also act as a sort of community center where I saw needy people come in for an honor system, food, and pantry. During this tough times it was nice to see kids be able to get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some snack snacks. Plenty of parking u like the downtown IC library

As an Iowa City resident, I can't say that I frequent the Coralville Public Library often. That…read morebeing said-- I am on a youth sports team board and we needed to schedule an impromptu meeting and the CPL came through! It was an easy process. The staff was diligent and kind. The meeting room itself was great! Super clean. Parking is plentiful. Signage to find your spot is on point. No complaints! My kiddos frequent this library often with their grandparents, as well as in the summer with SPARKS Camp and it is a top notch resource for the Coralville community! The programing is great, the building itself is well maintained, its selection is fabulous. Overall, the Coralville Public Library is a staple. Whether you need to check out a book or plan a meeting-- check out CPL.

I was absolutely shocked when I visited this lovely library. i drove into Wellman expecting less…read moreand loved what I found. The library staff is amazing. They are knowlegeable on the catalog of items in circulation and are great at recommending a good read. Every patron that walked in while I was there was greeted with a friendly smile and the library is obviously the hub of the community. If you live in the area, please stop in and support your library!!!

I wandered past this iconic and historic piece of Iowa City Railroad history during a recent Iowa…read moreCity walk. Although the interior of this building looks like it's used for offices, the exterior (day or night) is a sight to behold, especially if you're like me and love all things trains., This old Rock Island Line station was in use for passenger rail operations beginning in 1898, replacing the town's first depot from 1855. This station remained in service until 1970, when passenger rail service was initially discontinued to Iowa City. And as things turn out, As consideration is being made to starting up passenger train service to and from Chicago, it would be cook to give this station another go, especially regarding its proximity to Downtown Iowa City and the SUI Campus.

For what some would consider a "rural" library, the selection of books, audio books, movies, etc…read more is exceptional. I live in a community about 20-25 minutes away, but check out items oftern. They offer great programming and the staff is always so friendly and helpful. If you are in the area, stop in to visit. If you live in Kalona and don't visit the library, you need to. It is a great community service and offers more than just books.

as small as this library is, you can tell it is well cared for. reminds me a little of my childhood…read morelibrary, except the building is much newer. our brief chat with the librarians was just as charming as the building itself. this li'l community is lucky to have such a nice library!

A wonderful day at the museum. The sloth is definitely our favorite. This museum is wonderfully…read morekept up and we always enjoy our visits.

Love, love, love this museum. Nestled right on the Pentacrest of The University of Iowa campus, we…read morereally do have an amazing resource in our own backyard (for those of us who live in the Eastern Iowa corridor area, at least). The museum hasn't changed much since I last visited 10+ years ago, but that's okay. Rusty the Sloth and the polar bear in the gift shop are staples. Macbride Hall houses the Department of Anthropology at U of I. Wouldn't it be cool to see these artifacts every day as a student? The pair of lions in Mammal Hall were placed in an enclosed case in 202 (previously not enclosed) and a nice mural was painted behind them. From what I could tell, that's the most recent update to one of the museum's exhibits. Museum is free, but a donation is suggested. Please don't skip the donation box located near the guestbook in the gift shop. As indicated in a previous review, some of the exhibits have become quite 'well-loved.' Interactive features no longer work, particularly in the Hall of Birds. Mammal Hall is my most favorite, but there's so much to learn from each area of the museum. The museum covers 3 floors of Macbride Hall. Take the stairs and work those quads! Elevator available as well. Due to the summer season museum hours are a little different, so I'd call ahead or check the website for details. Parking during the summer on the street is easy to find. $1.50/hour. Highly recommend!

Well it's just a stone marker, but it's a cute idea. Worth the visit for the selfie if you're a…read morefan. The marker has been moved from where a lot of maps show it, but there are directional signs. It is near the city hall at 2022 on Greene St. The Voyage Home museum and shop is a few blocks away, across from the statue of Kirk, in Railroad Park off of first street.

We were in Coralville, Iowa, so had to drive down here (30 minutes each way) to check out this…read morequirky feature. In the last few years, they've moved things around, but are also better at pointing them out. The "future birthplace marker" is near the post office and city hall as of 2022 on Greene St. The statue of Kirk is across the street from the museum, in Railroad Park off of first street. Not much else to see here, but if you want a bit of quirky fun, and are close, then it is a strange/fun picture opportunity.