I was here last summer having Lunch a good friend. The golf clubs stayed in the car, while Craig…read moreand I caught up. While the Midget baseball team was on TV during the State playoffs, our basic Midwest menu (and a beer of course) and the company was excellent.

It's a decent family friendly little putt putt mini golf place. The water flowing through has…read morestarted to bloom some algae and stink a bit. Prices are a bit steep in my opinion but then again it's a fun family outing and I wouldn't discourage anyone from going.

Great club, bar and terrific restaurant. Warm and welcoming staff & members. Every hole has…read morechallenges with trees lined fairways, water and sand in play. Highly recommend the Labor Day Classic which is a three day tournament open to all. Fantastic format and a blast to play.

Regarding the golf, this is a nice old country course. Lots of large trees, water and sand to test…read moreyour game. Decent conditions, but be sure to have them check your cart before you start. Ours ran out of gas - dead dry - on the 17th hole. Not good. After your round, I'd consider heading downtown. for food or drinks. The clubhouse staff had a pretty difficult time handling orders for such complex items as Diet Coke, Miller Lite or a cold sandwich. The golf - good The clubhouse - ok The service - not so good

This small Iowa state park is actually closer to the town of Spirit Lake and is the "Go To" place…read moreto take my son swimming when we're here in the summer. My brother also worked here for a time during his summer job for the Iowa State Department of Natural Resources. Pike's Point is a small park and consists of very nice beachfront on West Lake Okoboji, a lodge building and various picnic and green space areas. The swimming area is marked off and the really neat feature is the swimming platform. My son and I have come here for years and pushed each other off that platform, skipped rocks by the beach, and just hung out. Please also check out Blue Water Studios in Arnolds Park for some neat pictures of Pike's Point and surrounding Okoboji locations. I particularly like the winter shots.

This park was a 5 minute drive from our hotel and you get to drive thru the most beautiful lake…read morefront homes just before you hit the green space. There is a parking lot and a staircase down to the water. Multiple picnic tables and grills for families to enjoy a cookout. There is even a covered stone section where you can build a fire, but there was a lot of garbage and dead fish around from people that didn't dispose of their rubbish correctly. I had taken off my shoes and waded into the cool clear water with another group and on my walk out I saw dead fish heads in multiple areas. Sad that there are some that cannot clean up but this is still a nice little (FREE) hidden area to enjoy a day with friends or even alone. Plenty of shade in sections too.

The Dickinson County Nature Center is centrally located in the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes…read moreRegion. When you travel South from Spirit Lake on US 71, turn right at the Wild Rose B&B and the complex will be on your left about a mile down the road. It's open year round and provides a peaceful environmental retreat for visitors like me. I stopped by a few weeks ago to admire the Building. It has classrooms, exhibits, conference areas, and a nice "Living Room" with a pretty view out the oversized windows. I could easily see myself looking out in the Winter (with hot chocolate in hand) or in the Fall admiring the colours. And judging by the clutter in the office below, there's lots of ongoing nature projects going on, all related to a surrounding and complex lake area and prairie ecosystem. There's nearby wetlands, an old farm, and lots of places to walk and hike. Various public programs tie it all together into a very impressive package.

I gave this 5 stars because this center achieves exactly what it was created for ... a condensed…read moreexperience of the local area. The Great Lakes of Iowa are certainly known for boating and fishing opportunities, water sports and other amusements. For those who do not indulge in these activities, or for those who want a divergent experience while being entertaining and educational for children, the Dickinson County Nature Center is a great alternative or primary destination. Representing the prairie grass, wetlands and farming so prevalent in Iowa as well as the accompanying plant and animal species of the area, the Center is an apt microcosm. It has a fine display of animals, please touch skins of animals, a rudimentary display of shells and fossils, and a variety of rocks and minerals that are organized by their type (i,e., igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary). Finally, their is a display of live bees which is interesting. Put you ear down to the tube leading into the honeycombs for an autistic experience! The site also has an amazingly preserved one room schoolhouse and a butterfly garden which comprised the only disappointment during our visit because we didn't see any butterflies! The star of the show, however, was the osprey nest which was monitored by a live osprey cam. One can get hooked looking at the birds, but I can only imagine the addiction when the chicks are hatched (I was told right around May).

We always enjoy coming to Emerson Bay Campground. Lots of sights with different hookups…read more I do wish people would treat this park better. We pay for this park through our tax dollars, why won't you want to keep it clean. The state doesn't have the staff or money to hire people to pickup after all the campers. When we pulled into site 56 I picked up a grocery sack of garbage and the fire pits had trash in it. Thanks to the De Jong family for not caring enough to clean up the site when you left.

Imperial Lanes is where I discovered my inner Lebowski. The Dude abides…read more... Imperial Lanes is located across from Estherville High School (Home of the Mighty Midgets!) and was a place where I bowled during PE and Leagues. I really didn't have a good hook, but this is where I became a better than average bowler. In fact, I still have my original shoes and ball from this era around someplace.

The owner Kate Newey Bilobran wrote me a bounced check for my services and refuses to pay me. My…read morename is Kecia Lee and I am granddaughter of Bob Hanson and niece of Ken Hanson. I'm a full-time yoga instructor in CA. In January I made a trip to visit my family in Arnold's Park for the holidays and to introduce them to my newborn son, Makoa. Studio owner, Kate, had broken her elbow and heard through the grapevine that I was an available yoga instructor. Needing somebody to sub her classes, she reached out to me. I was finishing up maternity leave (my son was just 3 mos old), but I agreed to help her out. I thought it'd be a great way to earn some much needed extra cash and a fun way to jump back into teaching. When it came time to pay me, Kate began to drift in communication. After much persistence on my end, she finally agreed to meet me at the studio on my way out of town to give me a check. Upon my arrival home, I deposited the check. The check bounced and my bank charged me a $19 fee. In effect, I actually PAID to teach two classes at her studio. Any new mother knows how hard it is to part with your newborn. What disrespect to me, my son, and my family members who agreed to take care of him while I taught. I informed Kate of the bounced check and the fee charged to me. She still has yet to pay me and ignores all of my communication. Bad business and completely lacking in integrity. Even more, she is failing to uphold the moral pillars of yoga. On a personal note, I am a single mom, and although $80 may not seem like much to Kate, it's a lot to me at this time in my life. I could have shrugged off her lack of payment if it didn't include a surprise lack of funds and a fee on my end. If she was unable or unwilling to pay me, all she had to do was have open communication with me.

Studio Burn 360 is a boutique fitness studio offering barre workouts, yoga, and cycling classes…read more For you urbanites, the studio is in line with Pure Barre, SoulCycle, and Core Power Yoga- offering challenging workouts, upbeat club music and precise coaching from instructors to maximize your workout. I took Barre Bootcamp on a Sunday morning in July. First of all, the location is super convenient, in the middle of Arnolds Park on 71, with ample free parking for customers. THE VIBE When I walked in the studio, I was greeted warmly by Kate, the owner and my instructor. She had a space set up for me with a mat, stretchy tube, ball, and asked me to pick small hand weights- either 3 or 5lbs each, with an encouraging "class is gonna be intense today!" There were 4 other women in the class of varying ages and sizes, and we had plenty of personal space for our workout. The studio entrance has ample cubby space to stash your stuff, unique merchandise for sale, and a very cool, contemporary club vibe with a stone wall, fireplace, and lounge area for customers. THE CLASS Kate is a professionally trained dancer, she played great music and she wore a headset (I love when instructors do this- so helpful). She did the entire workout with us, which goes a long way in my book--- having an expert model the moves and do it with you builds confidence for workout novices. It also helps build goodwill that we're all in this together, and no matter how fit someone is, there is always room to grow and refine your movements. I like that she gave me verbal feedback "Great form Kimberly, you got it!" as well as helpful modifications "Kimberly, try to keep your left leg bent a little, like that," so I was getting the most from the workout. The class is fun and fast paced, and covers a whole body workout focusing on the abs/core, arms, thighs, tush, etc. There was a great balance of guided stretching after each focused exercise, too, so you warm up and push to that perfect zone of resistance. After a nice cool down and a "namaste," we were on our way. A solid, fun, transformative 60 min workout! Kate checked in with me after and thanked me for coming. All their merchandise is 40% off now, too! COST: This will be the biggest shocker for rural folks and native Iowans, because Studio Burn 360 is not inexpensive. Classes run about $20/each. This is in line with what these classes cost in major cities, but it's pretty steep for the region. That said, I encourage you to try a small package, like what I did. You can do 5 classes for $95.00. This way, I see the SB360 classes being a great, "special" complement to your regular fitness regime at the YMCA or at home. OVERALL: If you're looking to change things up, experiment with a new workout and have some fun, check out Studio Burn 360!