Iowa

Located in the Midwest region of the United States, Iowa is bordered by two great American rivers, the Missouri on its west and the Mississippi on its east side. The great Mississippi River offers fun and recreation opportunities for boating, fishing, canoeing and bald eagle watching.

Iowa’s cultural heritage can be found in world-class museums including the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Danish Immigrant Museum and the National Czech and Slovak Museum. Iowa also boasts the National Farm Toy Museum, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, National Motorcycle Museum and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum.

Iowa has two well-known scenic byways. The first, the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, is one of the most famous and longest scenic and historic drives in the U.S. It covers 3,000 miles of federal, state and county roads that follow the Mighty Mississippi from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

The second is the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway which allows travelers to explore the rare and spectacular natural landscaping of the Loess Hills region of western Iowa, a fragile place of unique flora and wildlife and farms and villages. The rugged range rises abruptly from the flatlands on the west and melts into the rolling plains on the east, extending 200 miles.

Iowa’s landscape and beauty have been the ideal locale for major motion pictures such as Field of Dreams and The Bridges of Madison County.