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Iowa
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated August 2026
The Hawkeye State · Capital: Des Moines · The Midwest
Rolling farmland, covered bridges and small-town America at its most sincere.
Why go
What makes Iowa worth the trip.
Heartland scenery
Endless green hills and the Loess Bluffs along the Missouri.
Covered bridges
The famous bridges of Madison County.
Friendly and easy
Uncrowded, affordable and genuinely welcoming.
Iowa on the map
The capital and the places worth building a trip around. Click a marker for a quick note and hotels.
Iowa — State Facts
A short history
Long before statehood, the land now called Iowa was home to the Meskwaki, Sauk, Ioway, and Sioux nations, whose villages and burial mounds still dot the bluffs above the Mississippi. French traders and explorers passed through in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the region changed hands between France, Spain, and eventually the United States through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.
Iowa entered the Union as the 29th state on December 28, 1846, its fertile glacial soil quickly making it one of the most productive farming regions on Earth. Waves of German, Scandinavian, and Dutch settlers built tight-knit farm towns and communal villages, leaving a legacy of church steeples, county fairs, and cooperative enterprise still visible today.
Modern Iowa balances its agricultural backbone, corn, soybeans, and hogs, with a growing reputation in renewable wind energy and insurance industries centred on Des Moines. Its first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses give small-town Iowa an outsized political spotlight every four years, while covered bridges, Amana's communal history, and ancient effigy mounds keep its past close at hand.
The Amana Colonies were founded in the 1850s by German Pietists who lived communally for nearly a century before switching to a corporation in 1932, and you can still walk their original brick villages today.
Where to go
The signature places to build a trip around.
Des Moines
A tidy capital with a golden-domed statehouse and sculpture park.
Selected hotels
Bridges of Madison County
Six historic covered bridges near Winterset.
Selected hotels
Amana Colonies
Seven communal-heritage villages and hearty German food.
Selected hotels
Effigy Mounds
Ancient animal-shaped earthworks above the Mississippi.
Selected hotels
Time a visit for the State Fair in August, that's when the butter cow shows up and every fried food you can imagine gets put on a stick.
When to go
Late spring through early autumn.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cold and often snowy, with prairie winds; a quiet season best suited to museums and small-town charm.
Spring (Mar–May)
Green fields return and roads dry out, though late-spring storms and tornado watches are common.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Warm and humid, with county fairs, farmers' markets, and the State Fair in August.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Crisp air, harvest colour, and the best light for the covered bridges of Madison County.
Iowa FAQ
What is the capital of Iowa?
Des Moines is the capital of Iowa.
What is the largest city in Iowa?
Des Moines is both the capital and the largest city in Iowa.
When did Iowa become a state?
Iowa became the 29th U.S. state on December 28, 1846.
What is Iowa known for?
Iowa is known for rolling farmland, covered bridges and small-town America at its most sincere.
When is the best time to visit Iowa?
Late spring through early autumn.
Plan your Iowa trip
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