Northeast Iowa

Understand

Northeast Iowa is a primarily rural area, the largest city being Waterloo. It is noted for its scenic beauty, with the Mississippi River valley forming its eastern boundary with Wisconsin and Illinois, and the wooded hills and bluffs of the Driftless Area forming a stark contrast with the relatively flat landscape that characterizes much of the rest of the state. Caves and springs are plentiful here, and the numerous cold-water streams are the only waters in the state that can support trout, both native brook and stocked rainbow and browns.

This region includes the counties of Howard, Winneshiek, Allamakee, Chickasaw, Fayette, Clayton, Bremer, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Delaware, and Benton.

Cities

• Cedar Falls
• Decorah - The center of an area of intense immigration toward the entire Upper Midwest in the late 19th century, it is home to Luther College, the Norwegian-American Historical Association, summer canoeing on the scenic Upper Iowa River, hiking trails through the river bluffs. Nordic Fest in the summer (replacing the earlier celebration of Norwegian independence on the Settenden Mai (17 May) celebrates the area's Scandinavian [and other] heritage, and locals may append "son" to the end of their family name for the week.
• Independence
• Spillville - A Czech community built along the Turkey River, it was a summer home for 19th century composer Anton Dvorak during his time as conductor of the New York Philharmonic. Besides Dvorak memorabilia, a museum of hand-carved animated clocks by the bachelor-farmer Bily brothers is a regional attraction.
• Waterloo

Other destinations

• Effigy Mounds National Monument

Get in

If you're flying, the airport in Cedar Rapids is a popular choice. From there, you can drive north on Interstate 380 towards Waterloo.