Overview
Cedar Falls is home to University of Northern Iowa, the third-largest public university in the state of Iowa. It is part of a larger metropolitan area that also includes the cities of Waterloo, Hudson, Evansdale, Elk Run Heights, and Raymond. The Cedar River bisects the community from west to east.
4 sights · 4 things to do · 3 places to eat · 6 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Cedar Falls
UNI-Dome
This 16,400-seat multi-purpose venue hosts an estimated 125 events each year including UNI Panther Football, indoor track and field meets, Iowa High School Football Playoffs, and other trade shows and concerts.
Ice House Museum
Built in 1921, this unique round structure was built for the flourishing Cedar Falls Ice and Fuel Company. It stored six to eight thousand tons of ice each year cut right from the frozen Cedar River.
Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center
Gallagher-Bluedorn hosts over 150 performances each year from major stars like Bill Cosby and Kathy Mattea to hit Broadway shows like "Cats" and "Mamma Mia".
Hearst Center for the Arts
The center's permanent collection was started by farmer poest James Hearst and has a variety of regional, national, and international exhibitions.
Oster Regent Theatre
Built in 1910 and restored in 1994, this 500 seat theatre is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. It houses a resident theatre company producing five plays and hosting several other presentations and event…
Cedar Valley Trails
Over 106 miles of hard-surfaced trails configured in a series of loops offers users a variety of experiences through wooded areas and along our lakes and streams.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 11°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and May. (climate data from nearby Waterloo)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ALO Waterloo Regional Airport, Waterloo — 3 mi away. Directions
- CID The Eastern Iowa Airport, Cedar Rapids — 58 mi away. Directions
- DSM Des Moines International Airport, Des Moines — 93 mi away (major hub). Directions
Traveling east/west on U.S. Highway 20 or north/south on U.S. 218 are the most common routes. Iowa Highways 57 and 58 also provide access.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $8 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Ice House Museum, Hearst Center for the Arts
- Lunch The Brown Bottle
- Afternoon Cedar Valley Trails, Sturgis Falls Celebration
- Dinner Pepper's Grill and Sports Pub
- Evening The Library
Day 2
- Morning UNI-Dome, Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center
- Lunch Mulligans Brick Oven Grill and Pub
- Afternoon Oster Regent Theatre, College Hill Arts Festival
- Evening Octopus
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
The closest restaurants to campus are on The Hill on College St., northeast of campus. Popular standbys include Sub City (where they say the meat is piled high and they don't lie), Beck's, and the Other Place (O.P.) for pizza. Main Street downtown is a popular spot for a variety of restaurants, those of which are finer dining. Many restaurants, mostly chains, are located on University Ave.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
It is a city of 41,000 people (2019) in Northeast Iowa. The Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area was home to 170,000 people in 2010.
The city gets its name from the Cedar River which flows on the city's eastern side. On the other side of the river is the more populous Waterloo; collectively these two are known as the "Cedar Valley".
History
Cedar Falls was founded in 1845 by William Sturgis. It was named Sturgis Falls, for the first family who settled the site and who continued to live in the city for years. The city was called Sturgis Falls until it was merged with Cedar City (another city on the other side of the Cedar River), creating Cedar Falls. The city's founders are honored each year with a week long community-wide celebration named in their honor – the Sturgis Falls Celebration.
Because of the availability of water power, Cedar Falls developed as a milling and industrial center prior to the Civil War. The establishment of the Civil War Soldiers' Orphans Home in Cedar Falls changed the direction in which the city developed when, following the war, it became the first building on the campus of the Iowa State Normal School (now the University of Northern Iowa).
Visitor's center
Get in
By plane
By bus
By car
Traveling east/west on U.S. Highway 20 or north/south on U.S. 218 are the most common routes. Iowa Highways 57 and 58 also provide access.
See
See Hearst Center for the Arts
The center's permanent collection was started by farmer poest James Hearst and has a variety of regional, national, and international exhibitions.
Do
The university has all the things you'd expect a public university to have, including music events, theater, sports, and guest speakers. The campus is home to over 90 undergraduate majors, including Iowa's No. 1 teaching program, and 50 graduate programs. The major venues on campus are Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, UNI-Dome and McLeod Center.
Buy
Cedar Falls is known for its selection of unique, locally owned gift shops. At the same time, it offers national retail chains including Von Maur, Aeropostale, Buckle, and Scheels.
Eat
The closest restaurants to campus are on The Hill on College St., northeast of campus. Popular standbys include Sub City (where they say the meat is piled high and they don't lie), Beck's, and the Other Place (O.P.) for pizza. Main Street downtown is a popular spot for a variety of restaurants, those of which are finer dining. Many restaurants, mostly chains, are located on University Ave.
Eat The Brown Bottle
A long-time favorite serving Italian fare. After a meal you can stroll alongside the river just across the street. Gluten-free menu available.
Eat Pepper's Grill and Sports Pub
2 floors with more than 40 TVs to watch your favorite game. Wings, sandwiches and a wide range of alcoholic drinks.
Eat Mulligans Brick Oven Grill and Pub
Another popular place to both eat and watch sporting events. Mulligan's Brick Oven combines old world hearth baking techniques with some of the perks of modern pizza ovens.
Drink
College Hill
Drink The Library
Sit and relax with a patio out back and jukebox available for tunes.
Drink Octopus
Small bar with a great beer selection that features vinyl records.
Drink Sharky's (The Tank)
Bar by day, dance club by night.
Drink Suds
Small bar with adjoining outside beer garden. Jukebox and pool tables.
Main Street
Drink Montage
Award-winning wine cellar with 1,000 plus bottles.
Drink The Stuffed Olive
Over 100 martini choices.
Sleep
Nearby
Waterloo
City / town · 14 listings · 6 mi away
Independence
City / town · 7 listings · 28 mi away
Marshalltown
City / town · 3 listings · 41 mi away
Spillville
City / town · 1 listings · 53 mi away
Cedar Rapids
City / town · 24 listings · 55 mi away
Grinnell
City / town · 32 listings · 56 mi away
Mason City
City / town · 5 listings · 58 mi away
Amana Colonies
City / town · 26 listings · 58 mi away
My experience
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