Hints on Iowa or Missouri?

We will be heading to IA and MO around the 20th of Sept. for a 10-week trip.  Anyone have any tips for us on things/places to be sure to see or be sure to avoid?  Any special RV camps?  If anyone knows if Russ is going to be there, please let me know.  Thanks.

Linda

    Linda, we particularly enjoyed the scenic tour, and hopefully Russ will be back to rights by then, and you too can enjoy one.  One thing we didn't plan for, and didn't have time to re-schedule is that the HWH factory is only a few mile east of De Moines, and if you need jack servicing, they apparently do a great job.
    We also enjoyed the farm countryside, and a scenic drive to see the Bridges of Madison County.

Ed

In Missouri, there's always Branson (Betty can recommend shows there) and St Louis. The Arch in St Louis is very cool and the museum is fantastic (no, I have not gone up in the Arch and never will).

In Iowa, there's Effigy Mounds (NPS site). And there's always my grandma's birthplace, Mason City

There are lots of nice Corps of Engineer campgrounds in Kansas and Missouri so be sure you have your Geezer card along.

Of boy, here comes a new travelogue !

Iowa:

Could spend some time in the Amana colonies.  Furniture, food, wine, bakeries....

http://amanacolonies.com/

Grotto of Redemption in West Bend.

http://www.westbendgrotto.com/

EEEEeeee  Effigy Mounds!  Last time we were there an Iowa rain storm took the creek flowing through the campground to flood stage and we had to leave at 2am.  That aside, it is nice country.

Hfx_Cdn said:

    Linda, we particularly enjoyed the scenic tour, and hopefully Russ will be back to rights by then, and you too can enjoy one.  One thing we didn't plan for, and didn't have time to re-schedule is that the HWH factory is only a few mile east of De Moines, and if you need jack servicing, they apparently do a great job.
    We also enjoyed the farm countryside, and a scenic drive to see the Bridges of Madison County.

Ed

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Hi, Ed!
Good to hear from you.  What scenic tour?  Can you tell me the route you took?  I had down the Bridges of Madison County.  Any special RV parks you stayed at or restaurants you enjoyed? 

I've always heard that the corn-fed beef from Iowa is supposed to be especially good.  I am not usually much of a beef eater (Aren't they English soldiers?).  Did you try any when you were there?

Thanks!

Len and Jo said:

Iowa:

Could spend some time in the Amana colonies.  Furniture, food, wine, bakeries....

http://amanacolonies.com/

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I found the Amana Colonies in the AAA book, but I also found Kalona, which has a Mennonite Museum/historical village.  How long did you spend at the Amana Colonies?  Any recommendations on where to stay?

Sorry I cannot give you any advice on eiether destination but just wanted to say I am quite excited about reading your stories...

Missouri:  A bit closer to Iowa than Branson is a neat little town to visit on the Missouri River.  Rather than trying to tell you about it, I'll post their website.  Hermann, Mo.  The Hermann City Park has RV camping, too.  I'm not familiar with it, but the price is right.  It's listed on the website.

Go see Mark Twains home its a nice slice of history. The Arch area watch the roads they are very narrow and its OLD highways. We missed a turn to get back to IL and drove the road right in front of Arch didn't stop. :

workingtorv said:

Sorry I cannot give you any advice on eiether destination but just wanted to say I am quite excited about reading your stories...

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Scott, I really hadn't planned on doing a log because we really were going to visit friends who bought a 31-acre second home in MO.  It has a 5-acre lake and sounds like Heaven on Earth (the nickname I gave it.)  But, I work for praise, and having someone excited to read what I've written...well, I guess I will do a log--I just hope I meet your expectations.

Len and Jo said:

EEEEeeee  Effigy Mounds!  Last time we were there an Iowa rain storm took the creek flowing through the campground to flood stage and we had to leave at 2am.  That aside, it is nice country.

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So far Effigy Mounds are a roller coaster.  I read about them in the AAA book and didn't think they were exciting.  Then I read Wendy's post and researched, found a YouTube video, and thought, "Wow!"  However, floods terrify me.  What campground did you stay in?  I'll try to get one on higher ground.  What month were you there?  I looked up the weather for Sept./Oct. and it was 60-70? for the month.

Wendy said:

In Missouri, there's always Branson (Betty can recommend shows there) and St Louis. The Arch in St Louis is very cool and the museum is fantastic (no, I have not gone up in the Arch and never will).

In Iowa, there's Effigy Mounds (NPS site). And there's always my grandma's birthplace, Mason City

There are lots of nice Corps of Engineer campgrounds in Kansas and Missouri so be sure you have your Geezer card along.

Of boy, here comes a new travelogue !

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What travelogue?  I actually had thought I would just kick back on this trip--no specific dates unless we decide to get tickets ahead of time for Branson.  I found a couple of wonderful websites, bransontourism.com and reservebranson.com , and they have some of our favorite entertainers for 30-50% of the price we have paid for the same entertainers here.

I have been meaning to develop the Corps of Engineer campgrounds as a resource, and have made a half-hearted effort a couple of times.  Your note motivates me to follow through and try a few of their camps.

Two days can easily be spent in the Henry Doorly Zoo, a half day at least at the Joslyn Museum, Old Town the other half?

Amana Colonies now has a campgrpund in one of the villages ---we just had dinner last night at the Seven Villages Restaurant off I-40 and are now in wind and rain swept sw IA and only RVs have powere in many towns tonight. Shenandoah lost a lot a lot of trees as did Sidney. We're here in Sidney at stepson Mike Ross's barnyard driveway with the genset going strong.   

Linda:

The Amana Colonies are worth a couple of nights and they own the Amana Colonies RV Park just north of Amana. Unfortunately the roads in the Park are dusty so tell Dean not to clean the car or coach before you come.

Kalona Iowa and the Amana colonies (seven of them) are about 20 miles apart.  The main village of Amana has a converted corn field campground on the edge of town.  Electricity and water only if I remember.  Looks like Kalona also has a close in campground. 

You could spend about half a day in the seven Amana colonies.  Very good family style meals at several of their historic restaurants.  Several small wineries to visit and sample at.  The Smoke House has good cheese, sausage, meats, etc.  The Amana furniture factory makes wonderful solid walnut, oak, cherry furniture at $$$$ price.  Fun to watch the craftsman working and tour the furniture store display rooms.

We used to live in Cedar Rapids and drive down to Amana for supper on weekends.  Tool around the country side in our Austin-Healy Sprite some summer afternoons eating summer sausage, cheese and wine.  Those were the days my friend.

Effigy Mounds???  Must have been 10 years + ago that we got flooded out.  Do not remember the name of the campground.  A small creek ran right through the middle of it.  It was the middle of summer and HOT and HUMID.  Effigy Mounds used to be a state park.  Lovely views of the Mississippi River from the bluffs.

If you have a Military then spend some time at the lake of the Ozarks Military camp. $15.00 for full hook ups. If not Military you will still enjoy the lake I just do not know anything about the Civ camps. Also on I 44 just outside of Richland Mo check out Caveman BBQ...Yep eat in a cave. Oh down by Branson make sure you eat at Lamberts Just watch for the flying rolls they do throw them to you...Food is great. It is in the town of Ozark between Branson and Springfiels on I 65.  Hope you enjoy you trip.....

The Colonies have spent a lot of money on the campground, long pull throughs, 50 amp full hookups set up for big rigs. Next door is their summer playhouse.

Dean & Linda Stock said:

unless we decide to get tickets ahead of time for Branson. 

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We stayed at the Escapees RV Park right on the edge of Branson.  When we arrived they  gave us a list of all shows in town and we circled the ones we wanted to see and they got us the tickets, delivered to our rig  the next day.  So I do not see any need to get tickets in advance.  We spent a lovely week there and loved it all.

I  love your travel logs but understand if you want to take a "trip off"  from the responsibility of a daily  journal .

Betty Brewer said:

We stayed at the Escapees RV Park right on the edge of Branson.  When we arrived they  gave us a list of all shows in town and we circled the ones we wanted to see and they got us the tickets, delivered to our rig  the next day.  So I do not see any need to get tickets in advance.  We spent a lovely week there and loved it all.

I  love your travel logs but understand if you want to take a "trip off"  from the responsibility of a daily  journal .

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Betty, thanks!  What shows did you especially enjoy?  So far I am looking at the Presley Family, Oak Ridge Boys, Shoji, Andy Williams, Cirque Montage, and the Gatlin Brothers.  Did you have good seats?  How big are the theatres?  Are the floors sloped?  As you know, I am short, and Dean changes places with me if it helps, but sometimes we get two tall people in front of us.  Thanks for the tip on the RV Park.

We had Lunch Bunch today, and your name came up as being a courageous principal who tackled issues that weren't popular but needed to be addressed...and I wasn't even the one who initiated the discussion.  I hope you are having fun.  I can't begin to thank you enough for introducing us to the Forum.  What a valuable source of expertise!

Jeff said:

The Colonies have spent a lot of money on the campground, long pull throughs, 50 amp full hookups set up for big rigs. Next door is their summer playhouse.

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Thanks, Jeff.  I googled "The Colonies" and came up with the Amana Colonies RV Park.  It looks great, and it has Passport America--a real bonus.  Let me know if I have the wrong park.  If I'm right, no reply needed.