Cute little thrift store near Okoboji. They have a lot of great furniture pieces. The front is…read morekinda small but then a whole room opens up where there's tons of furniture. Could be a little more organized with the amount of items there. All in all a good spot for treasure hunting.

In the 1900s, there were 5 ballrooms on West Lake Okoboji: Manhattan Beach, Roof Gardens, The Inn,…read moreThe Casino and The Central Emporium, then known as the Central Pavilion. The Central Emporium is the only one that remains a part of today's Iowa Great Lakes. It was originally built in 1901 and by the 1960s, the building sat empty until it was purchased in 1967 and used as boat storage. In 1971, the building was remodeled and began leasing out space for stores. During that first year, there were only 3-5 businesses including The Diver's Den, the Outrigger and a jewelry store. I started hanging out at the Central Emporium about that time in the early 1970s. It's gone through ownership changes since then and many shops have also come and gone. The Building itself has also been stabilized from falling into the Lake and at during my visit this summer, the old Girl looks pretty good on the inside as well. There's still the expected collection of tourist based shops, but the Central Emporium also includes a couple nice dining and drinking establishments (with great views), a branch of Hill Avenue Books, and even a few shops (e.g., Life on the Lake) that I enjoy. You can also get here by foot or by boat. I could see how a developer would think of this property as a good condo or other resort opportunity. And I do wonder how the Central Emporium makes money within the confines of a summer vacation season. But as long as this historic Iowa building still stands, I'll be there whenever I'm in town.

Always a fun and nostalgic place to visit. I've been coming to Okoboji since the 1980's, and The…read moreEmporium hasn't changed a lot. You can still grab a bite to eat, buy a bag of candy, or load up on all those Okoboji sweatshirts to wear during the upcoming winter. Plus, if you show up just after the summer season has ended, you'll get everything at a great discount.

I love this gift and souvenir shop at OKOBOJI / Arnold's Park. I think it has the best selection of…read moreclassy, nice items including beach bags, sweatshirts, pillows, sundresses and more. They every had a deal for okoboji T-shirts 2 for $30. Perfect for a gift for Dad who needs new fresh T's! They even have a new dog section!! Dog scarves, leashes, collars, etc all with Okoboji written on them. So cute! The store is always clean and the customer people there are always friendly and folding or straitening something!! Go here for your Okoboji goods and more.

Books'n Things has now been around for several Summer Seasons. As time and the digital revolution…read morehave progressed, there are less Books here and many more Things. I make it a point to stop and look around every time I'm in Town. The best time is near the end of the Season when all the seasonal stores run sales. They have a nice selection of clothing and gifts, many of which Gayle and other family members have actually liked!

I was up in the Iowa Great Lakes last Sunday and of course I stopped in at The Three Sons. And…read moresure enough, 2 of the Richter Brothers were there, telling me stories and thanking me for coming in. Sunday hours during my visit were 12-3, and whenever I choose to go, I always check when they're open. This time around, the 50% plus $1 area was brimming with clothing and in my size! I left with 2 nice University of Okoboji branded shirts and a comfortable Marmot jacket. I wandered the non-sale areas as well, as this place has always been an "at home" experience. As long as I'm able to come to the Iowa Great Lakes, I'll be here.

Excellent shopping in the Boji area. Check out the second floor for sales on your favorite brands!…read moreLots of university of Okoboji gear.

The Bijou Gallery is located within a strip shopping center that is across the street from Goodies…read moreHandmade Candies. The space used to be occupied by a Curve's gym that Gayle used once during one of our Summer trips. The owner is Kathyrn Buckley, who used to run a similar enterprise in Kansas City. The Bijou Gallery is a handsome gift shop that features Iowa and other artists. I've visited twice this summer and came away the last time with a nice wood desk/clock piece from Tim Anderson of Twilight Zone Designs. Of course, I was tempted by other items, that there's always next time.

So fun! Pricing was great! $10 for 27 holes. Fun obstacles. There was ice cream for when you are…read moredone and it was awesome! Friendly staff! The hole had lots of fun a different challenges!

This was a last minute change of plans as we had planned on playing mini golf at Pirates Cove but…read morethere was an event at Arnold's Park and no parking for a mile. So we quickly looked to see if there was another option and this little gem popped up. 27 holes of mini golf all themed around Disney or fairy tales we all know and love. Not super hard BUT several holes had a special wheel to spin to add an extra to that hole. For example I got to move an opponent's ball to wherever I wanted to in bounds. My kids loved this and we would go back again and the people running it were very nice and attentive! Skip the commercialized mini golf place and head here!

Great selection of all things University of Okoboji, Phantoms!…read more We didn't have any problem finding brand name apparel in any size. The service was friendly & helpful.

This 3 Sons is the Arnold's Park Outpost from the main store in Milford. You won't find the…read morefriendly greetings of the Richter brothers here or the "Half Price Plus $1" discount floor. The sales area is compact and primarily features University of Okoboji-branded clothing and accessories. It's a quick way to pick up a quality vacation souvenir or to supplement your lake gear.