What an experience! We did the 4 hour Mystery Cave wild cave tour (the longer 4 hour one). Mystery…read moreCave is not only a super cool place to see (being 450 million years old, having fossils, being rather "untouched", etc) but the tour itself was amazing. Jake was a friendly, knowledgable, and engaging tour guide. He was very willing to answer questions (and I had a lot) and had lots of knowledge to share. His genuine interest and energy, along with the cool-ness of Mystery Cave made this unforgettable experience. If you're physically able (and do read the disclaimers/etc on the website), I highly recommend doing the wild caving tour!

Friendly staff, good service, unforgettable experience, excellent view(the last one). Don't call to…read moremake an appointment. An old lady could not hear well and hang up. Wasted us $8. They charge a fee if you call to make a reservation by phone.

This museum has long been on my bucket list My friend referred to it as Valhalla and for a…read morehandweaver it certainly is. The Norwegian immigrants brought with them a rich textile, painting and woodworking tradition and you can clearly see this in not only the artifacts but also the current folk art school. It's certainly a place to return again and again. Considering how close it is to travel here we will be back.

If you're a Norskie, you owe it yourself to visit this beautiful museum in Decorah, IA. Three…read morefloors full of exhibits of well-preserved treasures offer you a glimpse of what life was like in the late 1800's to early 1900's Norway and America. There are also outdoor exhibits to enjoy as well. The museum really does a fine job of explaining what it was like for the early Norwegian immigrants to pack up everything, which sometimes wasn't much, and sailing across the Atlantic to claim their destiny in America. There are large trunks that held their old-world possessions. Beautiful plates covered in rosemaling. Clothing, tools, eating utensils, etc. There is so much to see here, I cannot fully explain it all. You have to see it to believe it. I am already making plans to visit again, to see what I may have missed, especially the outdoor exhibits.

Villa Louis is a great historic visit when in Prarie du Chien. Home to the wealthy fur trading…read moreDousman family from the 1800's until 1913, it's a fascinating tour and site. Stop by the raised (flood proof) Visitor Center for tickets, memorabilia, restrooms, AC, and wait underneath for your tour guide who dresses in period costume. The tour is enjoyable, informative, and tour guide tried to answer as many questions as our group had. The grounds are spectacular, and after our house tour, we were able to wander the grounds too. Pick up the Visitor Guide, which has explanations of each building, and the site's importance as a Fort during the War of 1812, the ups and downs of the Dousman family, and more. Highly recommended.

The tour guide did a great job explaining things and answered any questions that our group had…read more There were a couple of things that she did not know and apologized saying that she did not have the answer. I always appreciate when the guides are honest about that rather than making up some BS.

Don't blink...you'll drive right past it. There is a small area to park, just careful pulling out.read more

Great piece of local history! Worth taking the time to stop and read about the cut...but be…read morecareful of you walk out into tje road to get a better picture because the xars can come up fast!

This is the Butler County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties…read moreis something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county, but a lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up. When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

My mother and I loved everything music man in this town. We geo cached around here and had a blast…read more Mason City is a under rated gorgeous town with the history of Music man Musical

Scenic footbridge over Willow Creek named in honor of Meredith Willson. The bridge was originally…read morebuilt so people living in the neighborhoods on the south side of the creek could more easily walk to downtown (the bridge is over a block long and quite high over Willow Creek). The view is scenic with the many trees along the bank of the creek and the water flowing along. I can remember being "impressed" as a child riding across this bridge in a stroller (a cautionary note to parents). The bridge is worth a visit and was named in honor of Meredith Willson, but please note this is not the foot bridge that is an important part of the story in Willson's "Music Man." You will find a small "Till there was you" limestone bridge located in East Park (a few steps north of the site of the original band shell). Also, a little to the west of the band shell, and on the banks of Willow Creek, you will find the foundation of an old wooden footbridge that was once a popular crossing point. Willow Creek makes an attractive turn there with a view of limestone outcroppings. Willson would have been familiar with this location, and it would have been an appropriate location for such a song.

Beautiful Mansion and everything you want to learn about the history of the Belvedere. The tour had…read moregave plenty of history, why it was build, and the history it still contains inside. The Mansion itself is just so beautiful, feels a bit cramped and so much pieces and masterpieces that it contains. The tour guides were friendly and knew all the details and explained the story the correct way and very entertaining. After we left we had to google the history itself to learn more. This is such a hidden gem! Tip: To save some money buy the combo tours which include Belvedere mansion and the dowling house. Also bring cash for the tips at the end of the tour!

I love everything historical! This was a fun tour that gave plenty of history and details about how…read moreand when this mansion was built. I did feel pretty cramped, the layout is very choppy but it's built in the 1800s so what did I really expect? Lol. There is so much detail in this mansion and it is just so beautiful! The tour guides were friendly and on top of their game. I highly recommend doing as many tours as possible if you're in Galena, there is so much history. Tip: my fiancé and I did the combo tours which include Belvedere mansion and the dowling house. You save a few bucks. Also - they do have a 4% fee on using a credit/debit card. If you're able to bring cash I highly recommend that to save on that fee.

Not only is this a valuable asset for the American economy but a very interesting and clean…read morefacility. Great park. Great to watch rages go through locks.

The lock is an awesome place to visit and view how our river systems work and the history behind it…read moreall. Also an awsome place to be able to fish as well very very clean and well maintained. we venture every year around the end of March to fish and watch the barges traverse the locks.